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The door swings open, but it isn’t Grayson.
Instead, I spot Jamie—my ex-boyfriend, who proposed to me, which led to me fleeing to New York. He’s accompanied by Marina, my former best friend who turned her back on me once she thought there were better people to spend time with.
“Shit,” I mutter under my breath, sinking lower in my seat. Maybe they won’t see me. Just maybe.
“Is that Brielle? Hey, Brielle!” Marina calls out in that sickly sweet tone she’s perfected over the years. Damn it.
This is going to be far from fun.
“Hi, Marina,” I reply through gritted teeth, plastering on a fake smile. I’m not nearly as good as she is.
“Long time no see,” she says with a grin, pulling Jamie closer to her side as if she’s throwing his presence in my face. “I had no idea you were back in town. Why didn’t you text or call?”
I ball my hand into a fist underneath the table, against my leg. I don’t want to cause a scene.
“I figured you were busy.” I press my lips together to stop from saying anything else.
Can this encounter be over already?
“Never too busy for you.” She smirks. “Oh, I didn’t even think how awkward this might be. You two haven’t seen each other since New York, have you?”
I can’t believe I was ever her friend. “That’s right.”
“Oh, I know you hurt Jamie’s feelings, but I was able to get him over it. It turns out we’re basically soulmates, so you leaving was the best thing that could have happened to me.”
The feeling is mutual right about now.
“I’m happy,” I manage to get out.
“Oh, don’t be weird, say hello, Jamie.”
“Hey, Brielle,” he says casually, as if we don’t have a complicated history together. “How was New York?”
“Uh, it was good,” I reply, trying to keep my composure. Images of our time together flash through my mind—the laughter, the arguments, the tears. As much as I wish to forget, it’s all still there, buried beneath the surface.
Except now, it doesn’t mean anything. I don’t feel the same way I used to.
“Meet any interesting people?” Marina chimes in, her eyes narrowing with curiosity. “I’m sure you must have come back with a man on your hip? Tell me about the guy.”
I swallow. “Nope, I’m single.”
“Really, how surprising. You would have thought by the way you dumped Jamie and left him behind that you had a million suitors just waiting to knock your door down.”
I’m a little fed up by this point, and my nose twitches. “It happens sometimes. Remember the high school dance before your nose job? Sometimes the dating pool is rough.” I laugh as if I’m being friendly, but I’m just playing the same game she is.
Her cheeks turn red from embarrassment, and she narrows her eyes at me. “You are just a bitch to everyone who comes in and out of your life, aren’t you?”
“Marina.” Jamie grabs ahold of her, but her words don’t hurt me like she intends them to.
“You started it. Don’t be upset because I finished it.”
“At least I’m not sitting having lunch by myself,” she growls. “You’ll always be alone.”
That hurts a little bit.
“I beg to differ.” I look up and Grayson is standing right beside me, just in time to save the day, once again my knight in shining armor.
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