Page 32 of Commit

From the corner of my eye, I see Remi’s slight smile.

I’m sure she loves this.

“You guys have the Garth Brooks concert next week, don’t you?” Peter asks, looking between Remi and me, but his focus stays on her. “Were you so excited when Matt gave you the tickets for your birthday?”

“I…uh…” She glances at me.

“Oh.” Peter’s hand goes to his head. “Sorry! I forgot that you guys aren’t together anymore.”

“It’s fine,” Remi says, trying to make Peter feel better about the huge foot that is currently wedged in his mouth.

Six months ago, when I thought Remi and I were a forever thing, I purchased front row tickets to the concert. I had planned on giving them to her for her twenty-seventh birthday two weeks ago. But it’s kind of hard to give someone a present when they tell you that they don’t want you in their life anymore.

I hold her stare. “The concert tickets are yours if you want them.”

“No, you should keep them.”

I don’t love country music. Remi knows that. I bought them because she loves country music.

“Rem, I bought them for you.”

Why am I calling her Rem? I do not have clearance to call her that anymore.

“I can pay for them,” she offers.

“It’s a gift.”

“Well, thank you.” Her lips drift into a smile. “That’s really thoughtful of you. I love Garth Brooks.”

“I know.”

And just like that, my heart breaks all over again.

CHAPTER 19

REMI

We all stand outside the restaurant after dinner, making our next plans.

“We’re going bar hopping,” Jana says. “The Duval crawl, as they call it in Key West.”

I’m still reeling over the thoughtfulness of Matt’s birthday present—the one he didn’t give me because I’m incapable of having functional relationships. For a split second, I almost told him that I loved him. I almost said, ‘This is why I love you, Matt. You’re so thoughtful.’ Luckily, there’s some functioning part of my brain that shut me up. But now, I’m not in the mood for bar hopping.

“I think I’m done for the night,” I say to the group.

“Nooo!” Jana cries.

I hug her. “You guys have fun, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

“How are you going to get back to the hotel?” Reece asks. “We came in one car.”

“I’ll find a taxi or an Uber or something.”

“I’ll go with you,” Matt offers. “I’m all partied out for tonight.”

Everyone in the group looks at me, waiting, watching. Will I accept or turn him down?

“Sure.” The answer came out before the functioning part of my brain could stop me.

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