Page 60 of The Last Dance

‘What?’ he asks.

‘When you told her how we knew each other the other day, that’s what you told her. Like I was just some girl you barely knew.’

He drops his head for a minute before looking back up at me. ‘I couldn’t face what I’d done to you, so I tried to forget you. I tried to convince myself that you weren’t as big a part of my life as you actually were. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry.’

I nod. My heart is slowly softening towards Henry and no matter how much I tell myself I don’t want that to happen, it might.

‘Karmen said you ran out on her?’

‘I had to take care of a few things. I’m going back today.’

‘Oh.’ I can feel my face and my heart drop when he says it. That one hurts. She’s enough for him to go back to but I wasn’t.

‘I’m going back to end things with her.’ He says it quickly as if reading my mind. ‘I’m making some changes and it’s time. I’m not happy with her.’

I narrow my eyes at him. ‘Why are you telling me this?’

‘Like I said the other day, I don’t want to hide things from you anymore.’

I want to tell him what happened last night, but I promised I’d give Karmen the chance. If he hasn’t been home, I know she hasn’t told him. Keeping it from him feels wrong though. Just for the record.

I stare over at him, him staring back. Neither of us looking away for some reason. Finally, right when I think my head has given up as my heart is taking over, I find the words I need to escape before I say or do something I’m not ready for.

‘I should probably get going.’ I shove my laptop in my bag and grab my cup. He frowns but nods.

‘Thank you for the coffee,’ I say as I stand to leave. That’s when I see his cup, sitting on the table in front of him. ‘“I’mTheBiggestIdiot,”’ I read the name written on it in a near whisper to myself.

Don’t shut down, brain. I need you now more than ever.

I bite my lip hard enough that I hope it stops the butterflies starting in my chest.

He touches my hand. ‘I know I’ve said this, but I feel like I can’t say it enough. Leaving you was the dumbest thing I’ve ever done.’ He smiles, a shy hesitant smile, his blue eyes sparkling in the sunshine coming through the windows. I know this guy.

‘Yeah. It was.’ I pull my hand from his. ‘I’ll see ya.’

I head towards the door.

‘Ambri,’ he says before I can make it out the door.

I stop, looking back in at him, now standing at the table.

‘I hope I do see you again.’

I only nod as I try to avoid the feelings bombarding me from every direction.

*

‘How was it?’ Margo, a co-worker who writes the events section, stops me as I walk through the office.

Everyone was a touch jealous that I even got to go to the Dangerous concert. No one I know was able to even score a ticket, yet I got to meet the band.

‘It was intense, like, seriously, one of the best shows I’ve ever been to.’

At least it was right before Matthew ruined it for me when I met him in person. I hate that. As a commoner I know all too well how we can hold a celebrity on a pedestal, only seeing the part of them they want us to see. Then you meet them, or you see something on the Internet, and find out they aren’t who you thought they were. That’s all it takes for you to lose all respect for them. And even though you didn’t ever really know them, the loss of that person you thought you admired hurts. That’s how I feel about Dangerous right now. Matthew ruined the entire band for me.

I honestly thought about going ahead and running what I had without the video, but with him being a sleazebag who bad-mouthed my lifelong friend I came to my senses pretty quickly.

‘Amazing! Did you get any photos?’

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