Page 120 of Positively Pricked
Chapter 40
I gave a confused shake of my head. "Why? What's going to happen?"
As an answer, he pushed back his chair and stood. In a low voice, he said, "You should go."
I stared up at him.What a total asshole.I tried to laugh, but it came out hard and bitter. "Well, that's nice."
"No. It's not." His jaw tightened. "And I'm sorry."
What was that? Apology number four? That had to be some kind of record, especially for Zane.
I looked down at the table in front of me. On it, I saw silverware for food that hadn't yet arrived, two half-empty wine glasses, and of course, the bottle itself, with plenty of wine remaining.
Bummer for me, huh? Apparently, I was being dismissed.
True, I'd been half-expecting it, but it still bothered me more than it should've – not that I had any intention of showing it.
Instead, I summoned up a stiff smile and got to my feet with as much dignity as I could muster.
The effort was a total waste. He was paying me zero attention. Instead, he was staring past me, toward the restaurant entrance – or, exit as the case might be.
Hint taken.
Jerk.
I turned away, intending to march off with my head held high. Instead, I nearly collided with a tall, elegant blonde in a long, ice-blue dress.
I stepped back and somehow managed to mumble, "Sorry."
Her lips formed a sneer. "You should be."
Well, this wasn't humiliating or anything.
All I wanted to do was leave. But at the moment, I couldn’t, not with the woman blocking my path. Nearly desperate now, I backed closer to the table and waited for her to pass.
But she didn't. Instead, she looked to my chair said, "That'smyseat."
I froze. "What?"
Suddenly, a dark wall appeared in front of me. The wall was Zane, who'd stepped between us, with his back to me and his front to her.
In a quiet voice, he said, "I told you, we'd reschedule."
She gave a mean little laugh. "And I toldyouthat no one 'reschedules' Maven."
She leaned around Zane and gave me a quick once-over. "Now, run along, sweetie. Theimportantpeople are talking."
I felt my gaze narrow. "Important people?"
But already, she'd disappeared behind Zane. In a breezy voice, she said, "Now that we've cleared that away…" She paused. "Oh come on. You can't seriously be angry."
Zane said, "Can't I?"
"No," she said. "And you had plans withmefirst."
In a tight voice, he said, "Which I canceled."
My stomach twisted. Obviously,shewas the person he'd been texting.
