Page 38 of Broken King

“Why?” Jessie asks, sounding utterly confused.

Yeah, I’m not sure why I’m acting like this either.

“I don’t know. Maybe I can’t handle it.”

“Handle what? What the hell is going on there, Kate?”

Sure I don’t want anyone to hear me when I explain things to her, I start walking toward my car and say, “I saw Ronan. He barely said ten words to me and then went inside. It’s clear he doesn’t want to see me. So I decided to stay outside. See? Nothing major.”

“It sounds ridiculous. Are you sure he didn’t have a head injury from that accident he had?”

Her defense of me makes me laugh. “A man doesn’t have to suffer from a head injury to make it logical he doesn’t want to talk to me. I’m not that irresistible.”

“Awww, don’t say that,” Jessie says in a sad voice that makes me wince.

“It’s not that big a deal. I just hoped when he saw me that he’d want to hang out. No biggie. I’ll just visit with Ava today, and then I’ll figure out if I want to keep coming around. I’m sure she’ll understand. It’s not like we’re that close.”

“Well, I met this guy yesterday who I think you’d love. He’s tall, dark hair, and yummy!” she says in a singsong voice. “What do you say I tell him about you and we get together with him this week?”

As an introvert, this is how I meet most of the people in my life. I’m okay with that. It’s just that I had such high hopes about Ronan that are now pretty much dashed to pieces that I don’t think I can give anyone else a chance. Not yet, anyway.

“I don’t know, Jess. I’m probably not going to be a lot of fun, so maybe not. Did you like him? Maybe you could go out with him. It sounds like you’re into what he’s got going on.”

But she’s not having any of my excuses.

“First of all, you’re always fun, so stop talking about yourself that way. Second of all, you need to get out there so you can meet the guy for you. So this Ronan guy isn’t working out? So what? He’s one fish, Kate. Grab your pole and get back out there because there are lots of fish in the sea.”

She doesn’t bother addressing my suggestion that she go out with him, which tells me he’s a decent guy. Not that Jessie doesn’t deserve a nice guy, but she’s never attracted to them. If she likes a man, he’s no good. She knows that as well as I do, but somehow, it doesn’t bother her.

“I’m not a fisherman. Or fisherwoman. Whatever the word is, I don’t fish.”

Jessie sighs in my ear, telling me she’s come to the end of her patience with me on this issue. “Fine. It’s okay. If he’s the one, he’ll come back. Just tell me you aren’t going to hang around waiting for this guy who clearly can’t see greatness right in front of him.”

My friend can be a lot to deal with, but she’s as loyal as they come and my biggest cheerleader. I appreciate that, even as I can’t tell her the truth that I want to try a few more times before giving up on Ronan.

“Thank you for saying I’m great, but I don’t think that’s the problem. I think it’s that he just doesn’t care about me like that anymore. It’s been a long time. I guess he’s just moved on.”

My heart hurts just from saying those words.

I hear footsteps on the pavement behind me, so I turn around and see the man himself walking toward where I’m standing at my car. Quickly, I say to Jessie, “Hey, let me call you back.”

Stuffing my phone into my purse, I spin around to face him and smile. “I hope you’re okay with me waiting for Ava out here.”

It’s a ridiculous statement, but that’s all my brain could think of on the fly. Of course, he’s okay with me standing outside here. What the hell does he care where I wait?

Suddenly, it’s like I’m back in high school and don’t know how to act, except now Ronan’s not taking the lead to make me want him. Now it’s the other way around, and I doubt I’m doing anything to make him realize he should want to be with me again.

He stares at me for a long moment, his dark eyes trained on mine like he can see straight into my soul, before giving me a little smile. “I never moved on, Kate.”

I look at him in stunned amazement. He heard what I said, and he just told me he still cares about me like he used to? I can’t believe my ears! What do I say now?

As all those thoughts run through my head, Ava pulls up the driveway and parks the car. I desperately try to think of something to say so he knows I still care too, but before I can utter another word, she and Sabrina walk up to us with the baby.

“I hope you weren’t waiting long. Come in and once I get the baby settled, we can have some lunch.”

Hoping that will involve Ronan, I turn to look at him, but Sabrina stops him from saying anything when she tells him, “Hey, I had an idea for something you can do. Come in and I’ll tell you all about it.”

He doesn’t seem terribly eager to follow her, but he does, only looking back once before walking inside the house. Damn! Who is this Sabrina person, and why did she just do the female version of cock blocking me?

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