Page 48 of Love and Other Champagne Problems

“You say that, but I want you to believe it, too.”

The words irked me. “Why are you treating me like I’m fragile?” I looked down at our hands, but not pulling away. “I’m not a little kid who needs to be comforted because they’re disappointed. Life is full of disappointments. I don’t need someone to pat my back and tell me it’ll be okay.”

“Just because you don’t need it doesn’t mean you can’t have it. It doesn’t mean it’s wrong to want it.”

It was a comeback that left no room for arguing, too, which made everything even more frustrating. I was used to having the last word; how could he end the conversation every time?

Sumner seemed to grasp the fact that he’d won the upper hand, because he dipped his head down to try and catch my gaze. “It’s nice, isn’t it?” he asked, squeezing my hand. “Comforting?”

I didn’t want to give him the win. Like a stubborn child, I turned away from the puppy-dog look on his face. “Marginally.”

Sumner gave me a wide, close-mouthed smile, one that crinkled the corners of his eyes. “Aaron,” Sumner began, startling me once more. “Destelle doesn’t like him?”

“She doesn’t like the idea of everyone pushing me toward a man I’ve never met. Never even spoken with. She found her true love and thinks I need to find mine.”

“What do you think?”

“I think love causes more problems than it’s worth. When you grow up around here, you learn that quick.” Ilet out a sigh. “I’d rather have stability than something wildly unpredictable.”

The setting sun threw its reddish-yellow rays onto the planes of his face and the strands of his hair, casting him in a warm glow that almost looked like something from a magazine shoot. I couldn’t read his expression, whether he thought my take was interesting or sad. I doubted we shared the same views, though. When he’d talked about love, he’d saidone day. For me, I was quite all right if it never came my way.

At least, I thought so.

Thewhat iffrom earlier surfaced in my mind again like a whisper.What if… he was Aaron Astor?What if he’d come here to see me in person, to get to know me, and that was why he hadn’t showed up to the video call? What would that be like? A life with Sumner… a romance? I’d never been interested in the latter before, but what if I’d gotten to do it with him?

I let my own gaze drop to his lips, where they still had a little upturn to the corners. Lips I’d kissed once upon a time. Almost on their own accord, my fingers curled over the back of his hand, returning the firm pressure. As if they were connected, my heart skipped a beat.

It did me no good to hold on to useless thoughts. No good at all.

“Okay, that’s enough,” I said as I pulled my hand away, laying it back on the steering wheel. I had to grip the leather to keep the shaking concealed. “I told you bitterness is one of my better qualities. I can’t let you thaw my frozenheart too much.”

Sumner laid his arm over the back of the bench seat, his hand brushing my back. “And like I said before.” He turned his head to look at me. His eyes were warm, and they flicked to my mouth as if to wait for my smile in return for his. There was something strange about the way he smiled while looking at my lips, something about it that triggered a tumbling feeling in my stomach. “Happiness is better.”

Without warning, I slammed my foot back down on the gas pedal, lurching us back into our seats, and the sound Sumner made in response was distinctly not a happy one.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Iprided myself on being a person who was hard to ruffle. My skin was steel, near impossible to get under. Growing up in the elitist atmosphere, it was almost a necessity to have thick skin. Even when bad things happened, I rarely let it bother me. In fact, more often than not, I laughed.

Right now, though, I felt effectively ruffled.

I stared at the phone in my hand Wednesday morning, but the contents on the screen hadn’t changed in the past five minutes I’d been staring at it. The sender hadn’t changed, nor had the message.

Sender: Aaron Astor

Subject: Greetings

Hello Margot,

I hope this email finds you well. I know this is coming very delayed, but I wanted to reach regarding the meeting we had to cancel last week and express my deepest apologies. I can see, upon reflection, how that might look. While I don’thave room in my schedule to plan another meeting, I do hope we can continue communication like this until I arrive on the east coast. I should’ve reached out earlier, but I fear you will find that thoughtfulness isn’t my strong suit.

Thank you for being patient with me.

I look forward to your reply.

Fondly,

Aaron

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