Page 54 of Ordinary Secrets

My heart does backflips in my chest. He wantsalonetimewith me. Why does that excite me so much?

Sure! We can hang out after I’m done nannying at five.

I’ll take it!

Later that evening,it’s late and dark on my drive home from the theater—so dark that I don’t see the shattered glass outside my door until it crunches beneath my shoes. It’s everywhere. My first thought is that someone broke my window, except I don’t have a window by the door.

Crushed purple flowers are scattered all over my front stoop. Ripped into fourths is a little card. Careful not to touch any glass, I pick up the card pieces and hold them together like a puzzle. In all caps handwriting, it reads:

Filling our time apart with plan A.

—T.G.

A wide, ridiculous smile spreads across my face. When Trey said he was going to do cheesy romantic things to win me over, he wasn’t kidding. It’s kind of working.

After shoving the ripped card into my purse, I scowl at the mess.Who would do something like this?

Suddenly, it clicks. There’s only one person I know who’s low enough to trash someone else’s property—especiallymyproperty. It only takes me a second to wrench my keys out of my purse, but it’s too late. The sound of his heavy footsteps rushing from around the corner sends a chill down my spine. Before I can do anything else, he slaps a palm over my shoulder and flips me to face him.

“Wish you coulda seen how big that vase was. Seems like that guy was tryna compensate for somethin’.” Nathan’s slurred words make the little hairs on my arm stick up.

My ex looks different from the last time I saw him. Now he’s got a buzz cut, which is a huge upgrade from the long, greasy mop he used to have. Even with the upgrade, he still looks as cold and callous as ever.

“Who’s T.G.?” Nathan towers over me, speaking so close to my face that his gin-and-cigarette breath poisons my air.

“None of your business.” My voice comes out smaller than I wanted it to. I can’t stand how much this man affects me. Within seconds, he’s already turned me into the scared little girl I was when I was with him. All that progress I’ve made over the past eight months, gone.

“Ari, Ari, Ari.” Each time he says my name, a nasty bite nips at my skin. “Everything you do is my business.”

I try to sound more firm this time. “Leave, or I’m calling the cops.”

“Right.” He chuckles low in his throat. “How many times has that helped you before?”

None...“I’m serious,” I say, my voice growing stronger as I channel whatever confidence Javina always has. “If I keep calling about you,someonewill figure it out eventually.”

Nathan rips my purse from me. It falls to the ground behind him with a thud. Then he seizes me by my shoulders and yanks me toward him until his nose touches mine. I cringe, trying to push him back. It does nothing.

He’s bigger. Taller. Stronger. And he’s angry. “You won’t be calling anyone about me.”

I don’t know what gives me the courage to do it, but I hack one back and spit it into his face. He releases me with a growl.

“You little bitch!” He swipes at the loogie dripping down his eye, then smacks me in the face. My head whips to the side as I yelp.

Ignoring the pain, I jab my keys into his stomach.

“Fuck!” He groans and keels over, grabbing his torso.

I take advantage of his temporary weak state by bashing my knee between his legs where it hurts. He cries out as I shove him to the ground.

After thrusting my key into the doorknob, I stumble inside. A hand clutches my ankle, and I fall face first against my living room carpet. My head bounces back as pain erupts up my jaw. I taste blood where my tongue got caught between my teeth.

“Let go!” I jerk my leg back and forth until he loses his grip. Then I kick him in the face, and I’m not even sorry.

Nathan’s head snaps back as he roars, “FUCK!”

Finding my balance, I pick myself up and slam the door shut. Then I click the bolt lock in place and sink to the carpet with my back against the door. My chest heaves for air as my eyes water.

I knew it.It was only a matter of time before he showed up again. For a while there, I thought he had finally forgotten about me.

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