Page 39 of Ice Mechanic

Today, he’s dressed in a T-shirt with the Kinseys’ mechanic shop logo, jeans and a backwards baseball cap. I used to swoon when Evan wore his hair with that stupid baseball cap turnedlike that. But now, he just looks like a man who really wants the world to treat him like a child.

I start to open my door but my eyes catch on the bag in the passenger seat. At the last minute, I shrug into Chance’s hoodie. Somehow, it makes me feel stronger.

That pinched look in Evan’s eyes when he sees me wearing Chance’s last name also brings a vast amount of satisfaction.

His hands tremble when he offers me a cup. “I bought your favorite. Strawberry lemonade.”

“Your five minutes start now, Evan.”

“April, sweetheart, I know you’re mad at me, but I know we can start over.”

I bark out a laugh.

“What happened with that girl was unfortunate, but I’m glad it happened because it made my feelings clear. It’syou,April. It’s always been you. And from now on, I chooseyou.”

“You should have made that choice when we were, I don’t know, actually together, Evan. Instead, you chose both meandsomeone else. That’s calledcheating. It’s called lying and it’s called backstabbing.”

He rubs his unkept mustache and nods sadly. “I know. I was tempted away by someone who wanted to damage our relationship. But I see now that no other girl is as loving, as loyal or as sweet as you.Youwere the one who stayed with me when I had nothing and so you should be the woman by my side when I’m at the top.”

I bark out a laugh.

Evan’s eyebrows tighten.

“What do you mean at the top? You still have nothing, Evan. And what you do have is borrowed from your family.”

Blotchy red spots form across his face and he narrows his eyes. “See that? If you were a little more encouraging April, maybe I wouldn’t have?—”

“Have what?” My heart feels like two giant clamps are squeezing it. Flashes of that awful conversation with him in the Kinsey’s mechanic shop sails through my mind. “Maybe if I were more encouraging? Maybe if I wore pink like Rebel? Maybe if I liked putting bows in my hair and putting on lip gloss? Maybe if my fingernails were clean? Maybe then you wouldn’t have cheated on me?”

“T-that’s not what I meant.”

Folding my arms over my chest, I stare at him. “That girl dumped you, didn’t she?”

His mouth opens and closes like a fish.

“She saw what a pathetic loser you are and she ditched you. And now you’re running back to me, thinking I’m your fallback girl. Thinking I’ll forget that you were cheating on me. Thinking I’ll magically forgive thoseawfulthings you said to me after?—”

“No, no, April, sweetheart, I’m so sorry. That’s what I wanted to say. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t call me sweetheart!” I shriek, shaking my head so wildly that my ponytail slips out.

Evan blinks in surprise as my curls spring free and fall to my shoulders.

I raise my chin, my heart pounding. “You ignored me for weeks after we broke up. Let’s keep doing that. I don’t want to see you. I don’t want to talk to you. Don’tevercall my number again.”

“April, you can’t just throw what we had away.” He grabs my arm.

“Hands off!” I growl.

Evan releases me, but he doesn’t step back. “The end was awful, sure, but not every part of it was bad. We have three years of happy memories, don’t we? Give me another chance. Let me show you why you were right to love me.”

“I’ve moved on, Evan. I’m in a great relationship and I don’t want to go back. Now get out of my way.”

Evan snorts. “You expect me to believe you’re actually dating Chance McLanely?”

The heat in his tone stops me in my tracks.

“Why haven’t I seen you two in town together?” Evan challenges. “Every time I see him, he’s alone or flocked by a bunch of female fans.”

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