Page 37 of Romancing the Rude Guy

“I’m fine,” I snap, waving her away and hauling myself into my chair. The throbbing in my shoulder tells me it’s going to be hurting for a few days. “We should never have come here,” I snarl, straightening out my legs and getting my feet on the footrest.

I unlock my brakes and prepare to get turned around and leave when Alice grabs my chair and jerks me to the side.

“Sorry,” she mumbles.

My shoulders relax slightly at her apology. Until I realize she’s not apologizing to me but rather to the couple that is squeezing by us and trying not to look at me. As if by not making eye contact, they won’t catch whatever weird condition I have.

I’m stewing over that and trying to keep my mouth shut when Alice jerks me again and begins pushing me out of the restaurant.

Halfway down the ramp, I grab the handrims and jerk us to a stop.

“Marcus?”

Staring straight ahead, I growl, “Don’t fucking grab my chair.”

“I-”

Cutting her off, I snap. “I’m not some baby that you need to wheel around, Alice. I’m a man who has been getting around just fine without your help for years.”

“I didn’t.. I didn’t realize,” she stutters, sounding close to tears. “I’m sorry.”

My head pounds and my motions are jerky as I push my way down the rest of the ramp and over to the car. My shoulder cries out in protest when I transfer into the driver’s seat and again when I take apart my chair and put the pieces into the back.

But none of that hurts the way it did to have her treat me like I was a piece of luggage she could haul around.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

ALICE

Anger radiates off Marcus. I’ve never seen him like this. I huddle in the seat in utter misery. I royally messed up.

Troy coming over didn’t help matters and mentioning my ex was a huge mistake. I didn’t realize I never told Marcus his name.

He never told me his ex’s name either. What’s the problem, they’re exes, it’s not like I want to see Richard again.

Hesitantly I reach out and place my hand on his thigh, hoping we can talk and smooth things over. We were having such a nice day, it’s a shame this had to ruin things.

Marcus’s face dips down to stare at my hand. “I can’t even feel that.”

I snatch it back and tears fill my eyes as I turn to face out the window. I don’t even know what to say at this moment.

In his garage, I reach back to help him with his wheelchair like I’ve been doing lately when he snaps, “Don’t.”

Yanking my hand back, I grab my purse and climb out of the car, waiting for him to assemble his chair and transfer back into it. “I should probably go,” I say, having a hard time looking at him.

“Yeah, you should see if you can catch up with Troy.”

My head snaps around to face him. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Marcus’s face is hard and strained as he glares at me. “It means you should go live your life, Alice. With a guy like him.”

“Troy is a pompous ass. That’s who you see me with?” Hurt courses through me and my heart hammers in my chest like I just raced a marathon.

“That’s not what I meant.” Shoving a hand through his hair, his eyes close briefly and then he says softly, “You can’t even go to that party because of me.” His lips quirk up into a humorless grin. “Which, by the way, I wasn’t even invited to.”

My mouth opens and then I snap my lips shut. I knew that but was hoping he hadn’t noticed Troy’s snub.

He gestures between us. “This was fun, but I’m always going to be that disabled guy holding you back.”

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