Page 57 of Deep Waters
“When in the history of the English language has the phrase ‘calm down’ ever worked?” I bit out.
Alan snickered, choking off the sound behind a fist. I gave Drew my best dead-eye stare. “Exactly. New husband gets it.”
“He has a name,” Simon gritted.
I rounded on him. “And Rae could have had a life without you to mess things up.”
My words were unfair—I knew that. But hurt wouldn’t let me call them back.
Simon’s eyes narrowed. The man I used to call a friend gone behind a stony mask. For sure, I was the designated asshole in this conversation. “Poor little Zach Fenwick. Was she the only tail you couldn’t touch in Friday Harbor?”
Instinct had me swinging before I was fully conscious of my fist forming. Drew caught my elbow, stopping my momentum. Correctly guessing that any insult to Rae wasn’t something I’d tolerate. That I was already regretting my outburst, even as I couldn’t seem to stop.
“She was a better girlfriend than you fucking deserved,” I gritted out.
Punching Simon wouldn’t have been the mature thing. But it sure would have felt good.
Simon’s laugh lacked any real humor. “On that, we can agree. Rae is still one of my best friends. I owe her everything.” He linked hands with his husband, holding my gaze. “Everything. But I wasn’t lying when I said she benefitted too. Before you get your panties in a bunch, talk to her.”
A better man would have offered to buy him a cup of coffee after taking a swing at him. Apologized. I wasn’t that man. A sliver of shame slid between my ribs, slicing into my self-righteous anger. Raeneeded a better man. One who’d listen and trust her choices, even the complicated ones.
All I’d done in confronting Simon was prove I was among the unworthy. That I hadn’t trusted her judgment. That I was no better than the people I thought she needed protecting from.
Dammit.
“Nice seeing you, Zach,” Simon said, his words dripping with sarcasm.
I shut my eyes tight, reaching for the will to be the man I wanted to be. Not jealous. Not insecure. Not an asshole. The one who deserved her.
I shoved a hand through my hair, forcing myself to face Simon. “I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that.”
His eyes softened. “And we may have underestimated you.”
Even if his words were a gentle lie, I needed to hear them.
“I would have been there for you both.”
Something calculating flickered in Simon’s gaze. “I think I’m beginning to understand that your first allegiance would have always been to her. And that’s okay.” His smile looked forced. “See you around, Fenwick.” He pivoted, leaving with his husband.
My gut roiled. I hadn’t handled that well. At all.
Drew stared, his eyes drilling holes into my soul. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” I ground out.
“Did you know he was coming?”
“Nope.”
“Did Rae?”
Betrayal washed through me at the idea of her keeping yet another secret from me. “Maybe.”
Isa approached, wiping her hands on her apron, her gaze swinging from Drew to me. She probably smelled drama from the other side of the café. Our body language hadn’t exactly been friendly.
“Hey, Boss. Need anything else from me before I take off?” Isa asked, her voice hesitant.
I shook my head, forcing a smile. “Nah, thanks, Isa. Have a good rest of your day. I’ve got it from here.”
