Page 23 of A Slice of Love

She blinks up at Julian, almost like she forgot he was here.

I did too.

“You would know that if you hadn’t ditched me and run off to that fancy art school of yours for the last four years.”

Art school? Is there where she’s been? At my college’s sister campus?

She drops her head, trying to hide behind her hair again just like she used to. “Stop whining.”

“So you admit it then? That you ditched me?”

“I’m about to ditch your dead body somewhere,” she mutters, reaching into her back pocket then shoving a wad of cash in my face. “Here. Keep the change.”

A resoundingthudechoes through the otherwise quiet apartment complex. The door is slammed so hard, I swear I hear something rattle against the wall.

“Frankie!” Schenn shouts at her, and she responds with something unintelligible.

They speak in hushed tones, and I know I shouldn’t stand here and listen, but I can’t move.

I found her. After years of searching and wondering and regret, I found her.

And she’s pissed as hell.

Now if only she’d let me explain that Ihadto tell her no all those years ago.

I didn’t have a choice.

Her parents made sure of that.

Slice Four

Frankie

“What the hell, Callahan? You can’t just slam the door in his face like that.”

“Well, I did.”

I try to shoulder past my best friend, but he doesn’t let me get very far, blocking my way with his giant frame. “Dammit, Julian. My pizza is getting cold.”

“Ourpizza.”

I glare up at him. “Mypizza. I didn’t promise you food.”

“Only because you’re a bad host. Come on, Frankie—you’re being rude, and it’s way out of character for you.”

“Rude?Rude?” My heart tries to burst from my chest as my temper rises.“I’mthe one being rude? Are you kidding me right now, Jules? You know what he did to me!”

“Last I checked,youdid it right back to him.”

“Good gravy, I’m not talking about sex. I’m talking about him…well, getting his rocks off and abandoning me.”

“Oh.” Julian nods. “That’s where you were going with that. Makes more sense.”

I shake my head, trying not to fly across the hall and kill him for being so dense. “I swear, if I wasn’t holding this pizza…”

He ignores my thinly veiled threat and finally moves out of my way…toward the door.

“What are you doing!” I shriek, shoving my small frame in front of him, as if puny me is going to stop the ex-linebacker.

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