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I’m trying to wrap my head around everything Melissa just said when we both become distracted by a woman in line who begins to choke. When the man helping her steps aside, I have a clear view of Leanna and her wide-eyed gaze. I don’t know how much she overhead, but her hurt and confused expression says that whatever it was, it was enough. I try to silently convey with my eyes that I’ll answer any questions she has later.
As any best friend would, she gives me a subtle nod and plasters a smile on her face before walking over to us. It’s bright and shows all her pearly whites, but it’s also as fake as Melissa’s lashes and not like Leanna at all. When she introduces herself to Melissa as my roommate and not as my friend, I know something is very wrong in our world.
It goes downhill from there, especially when Melissa introduces herself as my fiancée. I quickly correct her statement and insinuate that our conversation is over, but Leanna objects and explains that she’s only there to pick up an order to go. She starts singing “Hi-Ho” and acting like one of the seven dwarfs fromSnow White. Unlike Melissa, Leanna doesn’t care what people think and has no problems being silly in public. I adore that about her.
When Barry calls out Leanna’s name, and she leaves to collect her purchase, I turn to Melissa with a displeased expression. “Introducing yourself as my fiancée was inappropriate and uncalled for,” I tell her.
“My apologies. It was a slip of the tongue. But what does it matter in the long run? Lillianna said she was your roommate, not your girlfriend. Though I suspect she wants to be.”
“Her name is Leanna, and we’re just…” I start to say but stop when I follow Melissa’s gaze over to where Leanna is standing. I tense up when I see Bryce Jordan standing far too close to her for my liking. He seems like a nice enough guy, but according to Leanna, Bryce keeps asking her out even though she always declines.
A low growl escapes when I see Leanna smile warmly at Bryce, a smile that’s usually meant for me. He returns the smile as he reaches for the coffee traveler and condiment bag to help her out. She picks up the two boxes of muffins and leaves with him following close behind.
“You were saying?” Melissa asks, laughing. “It looks like I was wrong. She and that handsome hunk of a man look awfully cozy and quite cute together.”
My body is begging me to follow my friend and save her from the overbearing Bryce, but the woman across from me is preventing that from happening.
“Thank you for the apology and the explanation. If there’s nothing else, then I really should be going.”
“There’s just one more thing. Leaving you was the worst decision I ever made, and if I could go back and have a do-over, I would take it and do everything differently. We grew up together, and you know me better than anyone else, Carter. I want a second chance and to make things right between us.”
I shake my head. There’s no coming back from all the hurt and betrayal that stemmed from Melissa’s abandonment of me and our relationship. “I can’t. If forgiveness is what you want or need, then you have it. But I’ve moved on, and there’s no going backward for me.”
“I refuse to accept that. You loved me once enough to want to marry me. You can love me like that again. I just have to prove to you I’m worth it.”
Since I’m unwilling to argue with her, I get up from the table and put on my coat. She joins me, slinging her purse over her shoulder and standing on her tiptoes to plant a goodbye kiss on my lips. I turn my face so it lands on my cheek instead.
“If it’s any consolation, I never stopped loving you, Carter.”
As the door closes behind her, I mumble to myself, “Just not enough.”
My love has never been enough for a woman to stay—certainly not enough for my mom or my fiancée, the two most important women in my life. If I say those three words to Leanna, I’m afraid she’ll disappear like everyone else.
When Leanna began to pull away from our hug last night, I came close to declaring my feelings for her and showing her how I felt. Holding her tight to me, I was unable to let her go and too scared that I was going to lose her somehow.
Watching her smile sweetly at Bryce after seeing me with Melissa, I have the feeling that it might already be too late.
Chapter eleven
Leanna
Callumcomesintothebreakroom and snags the mandarin orange cream cheese muffin from the box on the counter. He separates the top of the muffin from the bottom and hands it to me while I return the favor by doing the same with the blueberry muffin in my possession. He enjoys the spongy texture of the bottom, while I prefer the cake-like chewiness of the top.
“Was that Officer Jordan I saw leaving here a minute ago?” he asks, taking a bite.
“It was. I ran into him at #JavaGoodTime, and he offered to help bring the goodies back to the station since I had walked to work this morning. I don’t know if I would have taken him up on the offer if I had my car.”
“Take who up on what offer?” asks my brother as he saunters into the room.
“Bryce Jordan,” Callum and I say in unison.
Sebastian sneers at the mention of the name. “When will that guy get a clue that you are emotionally unavailable?”
“Hey! Iresemblethat remark!” I respond light-heartedly but also acknowledging the truth of his statement.
“Let me guess, he asked you out yet again,” Sebastian says as if the answer is a foregone conclusion.
Before I can answer, Trey joins us, having overheard our conversation. “Wait. Don’t answer that, Leanna!” He pulls out his wallet and slaps a bill on the table. “Quick wager. Ten bucks says he asked her out, and she said “No.”
