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“Well, that’s a few similarities, but nothing major. Anyway…” She waved her hand as if gesturing for me to speed up my story.
“So the other night, I told her. I’d had a bit too much to drink and the truth fell out of me.” I mimed throwing up.
Erin chortled and snorted. “Wow.”
“Right? She wasn’t impressed and stormed away, as anyone in their right, sane mind would’ve done. I left the party too. As the outsider that infiltrated and brought in the Trojan Horse, it was best that I did. The market guy–”
“Am I ever going to learn these people’s names?”
I shook my head, it was enough to throw myself under the bus, I didn’t need to add the real people’s names as well. “Anyway, he caught up to me–”
“Oh, that’s sweet.” She put her hands together in a weak prayer formation and placed them under her tipped head. “So romantic.”
“Erin, he found out I used him to meet her, and some psychic idiot he once dated predicted it, which he at first didn’t believe. But he knew things about me no one did.”
“Oh.” She dropped her hands. “Well, that’s…” She threw her hands out to the side. “It’s definitely interesting.”
“He dumped me.”
“Oh, dear.”
“This is why I stay away from relationships.” I rolled my eyes and stepped over to a new bookshelf. “I’m such a failure. A major let down to everyone.”
Erin rubbed my shoulder. “You’re young, and maybe a tad immature.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“When it comes to love, yes, sorry to be so blunt about it. I was your age once, and I thought it was like the movies. But real life is so much different. It’s harder. But at the crux of it, guys really are fairly simple. They want to be appreciated, and an apology goes a long way. A sincere apology, not the kind your mother makes you give when you’ve stolen your brother’s favourite toy.”
“I don’t know that I can apologize.”
“Have you tried?”
“I’ve texted. Lots. He won’t answer.”
“Give him time. Guys don’t share their hurt, am I right, Adam?”
Her brother responded. “I am so not getting involved in this drama. Thanks, but no thanks.”
Erin refocused on me. “What about your dad? Are you going to see him?”
“No. We had a falling out a couple of years ago, and our relationship is strained at best. He doesn’t want to see me anymore.”
“Well, I think it would do you both a world of good to see each other, makes amends before it’s too late. If he dies, you’ll regret not seeing him one last time.”
“So I’ve been told.” However, I wasn’t sure I would.
It seemed Frank was more interested in seeing Cedar. Everest only ever mentioned the requests to see Cedar.
I dragged my fingers along the bookshelf and squatted down to the bottom one to read the titles. Surely something would catch my eye. In a store with this many books, there had to be something worth reading and escaping into. I needed a break from the harshness surrounding me.
The bells above the door chimed.
I quickly glanced and spotted her – Cedar – entering the shop, and I like the coward I was, kept my head down and inched deeper behind a bookshelf, planning my escape route out of the store.
As I stood, ready to sneak out, she spotted me, a growl rolling out from between her pursed lips. “You.”
I tossed my hands up and eyed the door just a few paces to my right. “Listen, Cedar, I’m sorry about the other night.”
