AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I suggested we go sit while we waited, and she agreed, pulling me over to a cluster of couches and chairs in the corner. It was about as far away as we could get, but I still caught Janet’s stare from across the room.
That old woman must have fucking eagle eyes.
“Do you think she knows about the vase?” Marin asked, making my eyes fly up to hers.
“What?” I choked out.
She laughed, amused by my reaction as her voice lowered. “Molly told me how gossip works around here.”
“She would know,” I muttered.
“Why?” She furrowed her brows, misinterpreting my words.
I sat up a bit. “No, I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that Molly’s life has been fuel for a lot of the gossip in the past. The thing with Dean and Jake—that kind of stuff doesn’t happen much around here.”
I ignored the fact that my own life had contributed to quite a lot of gossip over the years, thanks to Kristy.
“They seem pretty okay with it.” She shrugged.
“I know. It’s fucking weird.” I didn’t understand how they all sat around the table and laughed about it, especially when Jake had nearly lost his shit over the mere fact that I’d once had a crush on his wife.
A crush.
His best friend had slept with her. Whatever.
She snorted. “I think it’s nice.”
“Really?” I challenged. “You don’t think you’d be jealous to see Curtis with someone new?”
Her expression changed, and I suddenly regretted my words. Shit, it was too soon.
“No, actually,” she answered with a tilt of her head. “Curtis and I were always good at being friends. But not so great at anything else.” She paused for a minute, as if collecting her thoughts. “My best friend, Elena, just broke up with her boyfriend, too, and I think it was the way she phrased it that put it all in perspective for me.”
“And what was that?”
“She said they both felt relieved,” she explained. “And as hurt as I think Curtis expected to be, I think, ultimately, he felt a bit of that at the end.”
“Relieved?” That was an unexpected answer.
She nodded. “Yeah. I think maybe that’s why he came down here. He knew one of us needed to take that final step, and he knew I hated the idea of hurting him.”
Maybe I didn’t hate Curtis so much after all.
“And you feel relieved, too?” There was that hope again.
“Yeah, I do,” she answered softly. “I knew we weren’t meant to be. It just took me a while to admit it to myself. And to him.”
We both stared at each other.
The chime on the door dinged, announcing a new customer, and breaking the spell. I looked up and instantly froze.
My father had just walked in.
Marin must have noticed the change in me because her eyes followed mine. She might not have known who the piece of trash was, but she obviously knew I did.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“No,” I answered, resting a protective hand on her knee.
