Page 55 of Cups of You

Brown eyes observed him as he passed over a glass and recorked the bottle before setting it aside. Benjamin coughed softly before lifting his glass. It was time. He had to make a play and see if they could move things to the next level otherwise, he might never get up the courage.

“To a night out with—”

“Amber.”

Amber’s head whipped around. She froze with her glass in the air. Benjamin turned his head to follow her gaze.

A man was walking swiftly towards them his gaze locked on Amber. Benjamin frowned. He didn’t recognize the man and opened his mouth to ask what was going on. Before he could utter a sound, the question was answered with one word that had him gasping in disbelief.

“Josiah.”

TWENTY

This cannot be happening.

Amber stared in disbelief. She closed her eyes tightly before opening them again expecting the apparition to disappear. Her hopes were dashed when he remained. Her shock quickly changed to anger. This fool was really standing in front of her in living fucking color.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

His expression changed to surprise. “What do you mean what am I doing here? I texted you yesterday.” His gaze slid past her. “Not that you responded.”

“That’s because I blocked you.” Amber scooted out of the trunk. A hand reached out and snagged her wrist. She looked over to see Benjamin looking at her lips flattened in a thin line.

“Are you okay?” He asked quietly with a quick glance over at Josiah. Amber appreciated the calm question rather than him immediately stepping into her business. She gave him a reassuring smile that was calmer than she felt and nodded.

“I’m okay. Could you?” She lifted her glass up and he took it without hesitation. He moved until his legs hung off the bed of the trunk but didn’t attempt to follow her. Amber looked around and hoped that no one was paying attention to the shit show that was going on in their space. All she needed was some busybody overhearing her ripping Josiah a new asshole.

“Josiah, what are you doing here?”

“I came to talk to you,” he said. “I don't like how we left things.”

“How we left things was you being caught cheating, again. It's over. Josiah, go home.”

He frowned. “Amber, be serious. I told you it meant nothing. She meant nothing.”

“She meant nothing?” Amber scoffed before crossing her arms to hide how much this conversation was affecting her. She wasn't sure if it was her hurt or her anger making her hands shake. “Clearly she meant something if you were willing to cheat.”

There were soft murmurs coming from behind her and when Amber glanced over her shoulder, she was dismayed to see Benjamin talking with a couple of people beside his vehicle. This was exactly what she didn't want to become a spectacle that people whispered about behind her back.

A hand circled her wrist and when Amber tried to jerk away, the grip held fast.

“Amber,” Josiah said. He had used her momentary lapse of attention to his advantage seizing her wrist and keeping her from moving away. Amber used to find his touch soothing, now it was just enraging.

“Josiah, let go.”

“Not until you talk to me,” he countered holding tighter. “I stopped here on my way to Miami to talk to you.”

She tried to pull her arm away again. “We've talked. I've told you to leave.”

“Not unless you come with me.”

“Come with you?” Amber could hear her tone becoming shriller as her emotions got the better of her. “Are you hearing yourself right now? I'm saying no, Josiah. It's over. We're over.”

“Why? So you can stay with fucking wonder bread over there?” He sneered as he gestured past her. “Dude isn't even over here to defend you.”

She narrowed her eyes indignant at the thought of needing to be saved. That was one thing Josiah never got. Amber wasn't helpless. She may have given in to his wants, but it was a decision she had always chosen to make for them to work.

And that was the thing.

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