Page 44 of Broken Hearts

“Thank you,” she says as she walks over and joins me. She’s wearing a tiny pair of shorts and a tank top, and fuck me, even hungover, she looks gorgeous.

“Feeling better?” I ask, handing her a mug.

She shrugs, blowing on her tea as she blurts out, “I’m sorry about last night.”

A laugh falls from my mouth. “I think it’s me who needs to apologize,” I tell her. Sage takes a small sip before putting her mug back on the table. She tucks herself into the corner of the couch, her eyes never leaving mine. “I’m sorry,” I now whisper, breaking our gaze as I reach for my tea. I’m not even sure what part I’m apologizing for.

The fight.

The kiss.

Begging her to come inside with me.

Sage rests her elbow on the back of the couch, her head resting in her hand. She looks tired and sad as she says, “I met Eddie.”

Chuckling, I nod. “I know. I came and picked you up, remember?”

“You did?” she asks, a confused look on her face.

I turn on the couch so I’m facing her. “Yeah, Eddie called me when he cut you off on the Mai Tais.”

“Fuck,” Sage groans, her eyes closing. “Don’t even say it. I am never drinking those things again.”

Smiling, I nudge her leg with my foot. “Step one in being a local,” I tell her.

Sage offers me a small smile as she blows out a breath. “I really am sorry, Nate,” she whispers. “I don’t even know why we were fighting anymore, but I’m sorry I…well, I’m sorry, okay.”

Blowing out a breath, I rest my arm along the back of the couch, my fingers brushing against her arm. “Like I said, it’s me that needs to apologize. I know I can be…well, a dick. Your dad certainly called me out on it enough times,” I add with a smile. “It’s hard for me to…to trust people. To open up to them.”

Sage gives me a small nod, my fingers still resting against her arm, which she hasn’t moved. “I get that,” she whispers, even though I’m not sure she really does.

“Your dad, Mitch, he was the first person who ever gave a shit about me. The first person I trusted.”

Sage nods again, shifting a little closer on the couch. “I’m glad you had him.”

I swallow hard, wishing to fuck Mitch was still here. I might have only known him for nine years, but it honestly feels like longer. Like I’ve known him forever, and I really don’t know what I’m going to do without him.

“I’ve been in the system my entire life,” I say, reaching for my tea again, still feeling the weight of Sage’s gaze on me. “Since I was…I don’t know, really young.”

Sage shifts even closer, her hand moving to my leg. I flinch without meaning to, her touch sending a jolt of electricity right through me, but she doesn’t move her hand. “I’m sorry,” she whispers.

I don’t want her pity though; I’ve never wanted anyone’s pity. “Your dad…Mitch, he…” I pause, swallowing hard because I’ve never told this to anyone, never talked about my past or how Mitch helped me. None of it. “Losing him fucking gutted me,” I say.

“Nate,” Sage whispers, taking my hand in hers.

I link our fingers together, taking another sip of my tea before putting the mug on the table. “Your dad saved my life, Sage, and…” My eyes suddenly fill with tears, and I close them, willing myself not to break down and cry.

I’ve tried not to think about the day Mitch died, but it’s always there, lingering at the back of my mind. The way he asked me and Alana to go surfing with him. The way we both said no, preferring instead to go to some party with Kai and Miles and a bunch of other people.

The phone call I got from Tanner the next morning, telling me what happened.

“Are you okay?” Sage now asks, and when I look over, I can see her eyes are wet with tears.

Smiling, I squeeze her hand in mine. “I think the bigger question is, are you okay? You feeling better?”

Sage tilts her head to the side, a look on her face that tells me she knows I’m deflecting. Which I am. “A little, yeah. Could probably do with some more sleep if this apartment wasn’t like living on the surface of the sun.”

Chuckling, I lift our joined hands, resting them along the back of the couch as I look at her. Her beautiful blue eyes are a little bloodshot this morning, with dark circles beneath them. “Another thing you’ll need to get used to if you wanna be a local,” I tease.

---