Page 25 of Love Collided

“I can’t tell you,” I said. How was I supposed to tell him the man I hated more than anyone needed me to bail him out of his own mess and I was going to do it? No one would understand that.

He stood up, the chair pushing back into the one behind him.

“This is fucking ridiculous, Scout. I’m done. I’m done with all this shit. I take you to this stupid expensive restaurant you begged for, and this is what you do? I’m leaving.”

I grabbed my purse, moving to slide the chair back, but he shook his head.

“No,I’mleaving. Whoever you were running off with can give you a ride. Happy fucking birthday.”

“Jesse, wait!” I said, standing up to grab for him.

“No, I didn’t even want to be at this stupid fucking place, anyway. There’s a bar down the street with cheaper drinks, better music, and girls who would kill to hang out with me.” He threw up a hand, walking out.

I stared at the door shutting behind him.

There was a part of me that always thought Jesse would cheat on me if he hadn’t already. That he enjoyed other girls' company over mine, but I always told myself it was my own insecurities coming out. Then, every time we fought, he made sure to let me know there was a line of women waiting to hang out with him. I stepped back, my purse falling from where I set it on my chair.

Of course, when I turned to pick it up, it was Chase’s dark eyes on me.

I just needed him to stop looking at me.

Why did he suddenly show up everywhere in my life?

He leaned back, an older man and woman across from him, with a beautiful woman by his side.

She didn’t seem to be a mess. I bet she wasn’t heading to a creepy warehouse tonight to pay off her deadbeat father’s debts, because he used her as a pawn in his life.

No.

She would be enjoying food at this beautiful place, maybe going out with gorgeous Chase after, and probably not worrying for a second about her dad’s finances. If anything, her dad would be funding her entire night.

I sat down, turning my back to Chase and hoping he would get the hint I didn’t want him over here.

I had hoped but I wasn’t even surprised when he sat down in the seat where Jesse had been.

“Trouble in bad boy paradise?”

“Yes. Must be trouble in rich boy paradise, too. What are you doing over here? Get back to your date and leave me alone.”

He gave me a cocky grin, leaning back and getting comfortable.

“My date? I don’t know how things work where you are from, but I usually don’t go on dates with my sister. I also don’t do double dates with my parents. I appreciate the jealousy I could be on a date here, though. Your boyfriend ran out. I had to assume that was your signal I join you.”

“You assumed wrong. Get back to your family.”

“No thanks,” he said, leaning onto the table, his watch and rings flashing in the glow of lights. “I’d rather hear more about this rich boy paradise. What exactly happens there?” A devilish smirk grew on his face. “I mean, I have a few suggestions, but ladies first.”

I rolled my eyes. “What do you want, Chase?”

“To know what happened to your boyfriend.”

“He left. Obviously.” His eyes were still trained on me. The unwavering attention made me look away.

“Why?”

I only shrugged and looked out over the restaurant, not wanting to chance meeting his eyes. It was embarrassing enough to have your boyfriend act like this, but to have Chase witness it all only added to it.

“I wasn’t coming over here to be a jerk. I was going to offer you a ride home. But I also have to say, if I found out my girlfriend is spending time with a hot, rich guy who doesn’t have a fragile male ego, I sure as hell wouldn’t be running out on a date.”

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