Page 131 of Ice Mechanic

CHAPTER

THIRTY-SEVEN

CHANCE

All I wantto do is grab April and give her a big hug.

Every day that I was apart from her was torture. Standing this close to her after so long away feels like diving into cool, turquoise waters after wandering around in the desert.

It takes every ounce of self control I have to follow her to a seat and sit beside her without holding her hand.

However, I know it’s the right move when she looks up and gives me a brave smile. Whatever she has to say is difficult enough for her and I don’t want to crowd her space.

“Um…” Her voice trembles slightly and she rubs her hands on the oil-splotched legs of her jumper. “So, as you know, I was dating someone… before you.”

I work to keep the jealousy from my face. Now that I’ve admitted my feelings for April, the thought of any other man having her—in the past or in the future—makes me want to put a ring on her finger immediately.

She swallows, clears her throat and says, “That person cheated on me, as you already know.”

I do know.

And Evan is very lucky there are laws against tying someone to a lamppost and shooting them with a hundred hockey pucks.

“Evan and I met in high school, but we didn’t seriously date until I graduated vocational college. I started working with him at the garage and he’d stay back late at the shop just to eat and work on cars with me.”

I nod, listening intently even though I wish I could erase all visuals of Evan flirting with April over the open hood of a car.

“I thought we were happy.” April wrings her hands together and I debate offering my fidget spinner. “We both loved cars. We could talk about turbo engines and compressors and faulty brake pads all day long. I thought I’d found the one.”

She starts pulling on her fingers and, this time, I do offer her the fidget spinner.

Her lips inch up as she accepts the device from me and she gives it a flick. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

As the plastic toy whirs, I survey April closely. “How long had you been dating before you found out about the other woman?”

“Three years. They’d been together for a year by then.”

I curl my fingers into fists. “The next time I see Evan, he’s getting a long overdue punch to the face.”

“It’s old news,” April says, shaking her head.

I don’t believe that. After what May told me about how April’s self-confidence was crushed, it feels like that betrayal is still fresh.

“The other woman was,” April sighs heavily, “the complete opposite of me. She always had long, painted nails. Her hair was always in a new style—probably because she’s the town’s hairdresser.”

I make a mental note to boycott Lucky Fall’s hairdressing salons. All of them.

“And she dresses really well.”

“That’s not a valid reason to step out on your partner,” I grouch.

“I’m not saying that to excuse Evan. But it did show a glaring fault in our relationship. One I should have been aware of from the start. It took me ending things with Evan for him to truly be honest with me.”

“What did he tell you?”

“He said I’m too much like the guys. That… sometimes, I feel like one of the bros instead of his girlfriend.”

---