Page 32 of Give Me a Reason

“Just to be safe.” His friend narrowed his eyes at him. “I don’t want you trying to run away again.”

“I was not running away,” Frederick said through gritted teeth. “I was just walking very fast.”

“Isn’t that the definition of running?” Pete shot back.

“Fuck you.” Frederick moodily scrubbed his hands until they turned red and blotchy. After he dried them, he stomped over to the dining table, spun a chair around, and straddled it. “Fine. What?”

“First of all”—his friend pulled out the chair next to him and sat down—“are you doing okay after what happened earlier?”

“I’ll be all right.” And he meant it. Anne had set him on the right course to processing the fatality without undue blame or guilt. He wasn’t there yet, but he would get there.

“Good. I’m glad to hear that.” Pete crossed his arms. “Why thehellwould you voluntarily see Anne?”

Frederick shrugged as casually as possible. “She needed help.”

“Help that Joe, her soon-to-be family, would’ve happily provided.”

“B Shift had a rough day, and Coraline drove out here to comfort Joe. I didn’t want to split them up when I could just as easily change the tire.” Frederick went with the partial truth. Pete would see straight through him if he lied, and he didn’t want to find out what his friend would see. Where Anne was concerned, avoidance and ignorance were his best options.

“ForAnne.” Pete glared at him. “Nothing is easy for you when it comes to that woman.”

“Do not call herthat woman,” Frederick growled.

“Look, I’m sorry.” His friend held his hands up. “But what happened ten years ago? It’s far from over. Maybe it’s because I know your history, but I could practicallyseethe tangle of emotions between you two. In fact, I definitely saw you hurting on Thanksgiving. And damn it, Frederick, I didn’t take you for a masochist.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.” His jaw clenched tight. He didn’t want to hear this.

“I saw how you two were acting around each other that night.I wasthere.” Pete leaned forward. “I know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“I changed her tire. That’s all.” Frederick raked his fingers through his hair. His friend kept referring to Anne and him asyou two, and it made him feel… twitchy. Like he wanted to perk up every time he heard it. “We barely spoke to each other. It’s not a big deal.”

“Yeah, sure. Not a big deal,” Pete snapped, sarcasm dripping from his words. Then he closed his eyes and blew out a long breath. “I’m sorry for pushing. Katie told me to stay out of it, but it’s hard to keep my mouth shut when I know how hard seeing Anne is for you.”

“I’m fine.”Finewas such a generic word. It could mean a lot of things. For example, his heart fluttering and his stomach twisting whenever Anne was near could be described as feeling fine. It could also mean feeling like his head would implode when shewasn’t near, because he had to fight so hard not to long for her.Oh yes.He feltfine. “I’m actually getting used to seeing her.”

“That’s good, considering how much time you have to spend with her for Joe’s wedding and related events.” Pete made a valiant effort to force aside his skepticism. “It might be just the thing you need to truly move past your heartbreak. Maybe you two could talk things out, and even become friends.”

The wordsyou twoandfriendsclashed discordantly in Frederick’s head.You twomade him feel twitchy, butfriendsmade him feel like smashing something. But he forced himself to drawl, “Sure. Whatever you say, Chief.”

Pete rolled his eyes. “Asshole.”

“Speaking of wedding-related events, did Joe tell you about that weekend trip he and Coraline want us to take?” He pushed aside the panic threatening to rise.You’refine, remember?

“You mean the one Anne’s planning?” Pete asked.

“Anne?WhyAnne?” Frederick stood up so fast his chairteetered. He barely caught it before it crashed to the floor. “Bethany is the maid of honor, and Aiden is the best man.Theyshould be the ones planning the trip. Especially since it’s in lieu of the bachelor and bachelorette parties. How the hell did Anne get roped into planning it?”

“Annevolunteeredto take the lead since everyone else is busy with work or school. She didn’t ‘get roped into’ anything.” His friend side-eyed him, and Frederick made an effort to stop huffing and puffing like a raging bull. “First-year medical students do not plan weekend getaways, best man or not, but I’m sure Bethany will help out.”

“Whatever. It’s fine.” Frederick dragged a hand down his face. “I don’t care.”

“Of course you don’t,” Pete said, sounding a little sad.

Frederick didn’twantto care. He didn’t know why she’d left Korea, but if Anne was taking a break from acting, it was because she needed it. He remembered her pale, drawn face the first time he ran into her.Did someone hurt her?He swallowed the growl rising up his throat. Whatever the reason, she should spend her hiatus, or retirement, taking care of herself instead of shouldering everyone else’s wedding duties.

But what could he do about it? It was none of his business. He shouldn’t be worrying about his ex-girlfriend taking on too much for herself. He certainly shouldn’t be puzzling out what it meant for her to be back in the US.She isn’t yours to worry about.

He needed to get his messy emotions in order before he saw Anne again. Joe mentioned planning the party for Presidents’ Day weekend, which was months away. Frederick had plenty of time to get his shit straight. And the sudden constriction in his chest had nothing to do with the fact that he wouldn’t see Anne formonths.

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