Page 35 of My Best Years

Fuck.Those sunglasses are too much for me to handle today.

He coughs loudly, and that’s when I realize I’m blatantly staring. Lazily roaming my eyes up and down his tall frame like a lovesick fool.

I quickly furrow my brows and pull together my best scowl.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I exhale, rolling my eyes. “You show up at my work unannounced, and now, you’re stalking me at the grocery store. I’m getting a restraining order.”

I reach for another bag before angrily tossing it into my trunk.

“Technically, I’m not following you.” He dips his hands into the cart to grab a few bags. “But since you got me banned from the hospital, I’ve just been coming to the market every day, knowing I would eventually run into you. Everybody needs groceries,” he shrugs before carefully placing the bags in my trunk.

I clench my jaw, glowering at him. His nonchalant tone is pissing me the hell off. He’s acting like it’s no big deal that a security guard escorted him off the hospital premises two weeks ago. This man has no shame.

“I don’t need your help,” I grit out before swatting his hands away from the basket. “Andtechnically,” I repeat his words, “you are following me. Stalking would be the correct term.”

He scoffs before reaching into the cart and grabbing the last few bags against my will. After he closes the rest of the groceries in my trunk, he places his hands on his hips. His long fingers splay out across his trim waist, and suddenly, my mind is drifting again.

God, this man is so sexy. It’s ruining my life.

The sun gleams against his inky-black hair, almost turning the strands silver and blue. A bead of sweat rolls down his tan neck before kissing his defined collarbone.

I want to put a restraining order on him for the sole reason of looking this damn hot. It’s not fair.

“If you would just talk to me, I wouldn’t have to follow you around like a fucking creep,” he scoffs. “Instead, you’re treating me like I never existed.”

I arch a brow and cross my arms over my chest.

“Welcome to my world, Callum,” I clip. “How does it feelto be treated like a stranger by someone you love? Sucks, doesn't it? And for the record,youwere the one that made it like you never existed. You were the one who up and vanished. I’m just following your lead.”

He closes his eyes and rubs a palm against his chin in frustration.

“I know you don’t believe me,” he sighs heavily. “But I had a good reason to leave. Was it okay that I never reached out to you? No. That was shitty of me, and I take full responsibility for that. I will forever live with the regret of leaving you the way I did. But Birdie, you have to understand that I was trying to protect you. I left because you were my everything. I loved you more than anything else. I still do–”

Is he seriously about to say what I think he is? How dare he?

I stop him before he can get any further. I won’t entertain his lies for a second longer.

“You’re done,” I interject before wrapping my fingers around the basket and walking it a few feet away to a cart station. I feel the radiating heat of Callum walking behind me, following me step for step.

“Birdie–”

“I don’t want to hear it, Callum.” I spin around and stomp back to my car. I reach for the door, focused on getting home as quickly as possible.

Callum steps around me and places a hand flat on the driver-side window, preventing me from opening the door. Steam practically bellows from my ears as I unlock my phone, fully prepared to call 911 if that’s what it takes to get him to leave me the fuck alone.

“What are you doing?” His eyes widen as he watches me dial the three numbers.

“Calling the police.”

He shakes his head and runs a hand through his hair in defeat.

“This is ridiculous, Birdie,” he snaps. “Absolutely fucking ridiculous.”

I ignore him as my thumb lowers to the call button.

But the next words he mutters stop me.

Freezes time.

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