Page 15 of Those Heartbreak Scars

He wets his lips and reaches for the gold one. “This one. I like the idea of being able to slide my hand up your bare thigh in the car.”

His words spread like warmth through my belly.

“The gold it is.” I peel the dress from the hanger and slide it on over my head, shimmying it down around my curves.

As Everett zips me up my phone chirps from where I carelessly tossed it on the bed when I first came in. It’s probably Indy. We text back and forth all day, every day. Sometimes she messages me in the middle of her night, depending on whether Theo is working a late shift at the club. Today he must be on an early shift.

I pick out cute gold heels and a nice warm coat for the drive to the restaurant. Draping the coat over my arm, I open up my favorite clutch to add my phone and cards. I check my messages while I’m doing that. The text from Indy is a photo of her and Theo at the bar and is captioned…wish you were here.

I text her back.

America: I wish I was there too.

So much.

I miss my friend. And Theo has grown on me. He’s a good guy. He makes her incredibly happy. I miss my parents. And my aunt and uncle and EJ.

The second message is from Gray.

I miss him too. So much so that my heart skips a beat and my stomach bottoms out as I stare at the notification. But I’m unable to bring myself to open it so I can read the whole thing. What he and EJ said that morning in Positano still stings too much.

I would never have crossed his mind if he hadn’t wanted to get back at my best friend. Asshole. I swipe away the notification.

He wasn’t the only asshole that night. I screwed my best friend’s ex when I know she still cares deeply for him. She might have moved on, but that doesn’t make what I did any less wrong.

I put my phone in my bag and pop in my Calmer earbuds. I thought he would get the message that we’re not friends when I didn’t respond to any of his previous texts, so why is he messaging me again?

“Are you ready?” Everett is waiting for me.

“Yes.” I snap my clutch shut and allow him to help me with my coat. “What restaurant are we going to?”

“Bambino’s,” he says as I close the flat door.

Bambino’s is as posh and elegant as expected, filled with lots of crystal and glass and people in far more expensive dresses and suits than my gold dress from the high street stores. I check my coat before we’re ushered through the candle glow and quiet chatter.

“Lucky Charm, I hope you’re ready to work your magic,” Everett says over his shoulder while he squeezes my hand. “If this guy is half as good as he says he is, the stratosphere is the limit for us.”

The restaurant manager steps to the side so that I can take my chair as the man Everett is meeting rises to his feet.

My heart stops for a moment as Gray’s eyes lock on mine from across the table. Then it starts booming in my ears. I think he says my name, but I can’t be certain over the din of cutlery against plates and the clinking of wine glasses and the memory of him telling EJ that he could never date me. I was only a moment in which he got to forget that the love of his life broke his heart. I thought it would be enough…

His gaze moves to Everett, as Everett eagerly lunges forward to shake his hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you in person. This is my girlfriend, America.”

We’ve never had that conversation. It’s too soon for labels, though I like him more than anyone else I’ve ever dated. I certainly like him more than the man whose hand he’s currently pumping. But girlfriend? Girlfriend! I thought I was clear that I’m not ready to commit to something serious.

Gray’s questioning gaze crashes back to mine. He raises a brow. “Is that so?”

“Isn’t she beautiful?” Everett warms up to the subject of me, a big grin breaking on his face.

I want to roll my eyes; his comment making me feel like some kind of trophy. But Gray’s expression becomes more pinched, and I don’t hate that.

“Wicked smart too.” Everett continues to extoll my virtues.

“He knows,” I say at the same time Gray says, “I know.”

Everett frowns, finally reading the room. “You two know each other?”

“We’re friends,” Gray says.

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