Page 52 of All the Ways You Save Me
The guy holds up his hands as if to show he’s innocent. “Okay, I’m going.”
“Nine.” Garrett’s face is deadly serious.
The guy glances at me and opens his mouth as if he’s going to say something.
“Eight,” Garrett counts.
“Alright, alright, I’m leaving.” The guy quickly turns and hurries toward the door, flinging it open and slamming it shut behind him.
I finally feel the tension drain from my body, and I slump back against the wine refrigerator. “Thank you.”
Garrett’s eyebrows knit together. “Do you know that guy from when you lived here before?”
I shake my head. “No. He seems to remember my family from back then, and he was getting a little pushy asking about why we left. But I don’t remember him. Do you know who he is?”
“I’ve seen him around, but I don’t know him.”
The guy’s words come back to me.Did something happen?
Did it? He’s right that it’s strange how abruptly my family left. I’ve always known that. And even stranger that my mom was so evasive about it. Is it possible she was hiding something bigger than I imagined? The guy mentioned Josie. Does she know more than she’s saying, too?
Garrett leans against the wooden counter. “Are you okay? If you need a break, I can help Chloe out behind the bar.”
What I need is to stop thinking and keep working. “I’m fine. Really. I appreciate you getting rid of that guy.” I give him a half-smile. “Does this count as you saving me again?”
He laughs. “You didn’t need saving. I know you could have handled it. I was just moving things along.”
“Well, still, I appreciate it.”
He looks away. “Did you find your phone on your table? Sorry I took it home by accident.”
“I did. Thank you.” I hesitate, remembering the messages from Jason.
He sighs. “I guess I should just come out and admit I saw you got a text from someone named Jason. I didn’t mean to read it, but it just popped up. It seems like he’s someone special.”
I look for signs that he’s angry or upset, but his face is impassive. “I should explain…” I’m not sure what to say, how to sum up the past ten years with Jason. There’s really no playbook for talking to the guy you chased because you thought he was your dead boyfriend about your engagement to his best friend.
“Don’t get me wrong, it’s your life, and we barely know each other. I obviously shouldn’t have kissed you the way I did, and I’m sorry for that. ” He rubs the nape of his neck. “But the way you kissed me back… I never would have imagined that you had a boyfriend waiting at home.”
“He’s not my boyfriend…” Or my fiancé, not since I set a bomb off in my relationship. “We’re not together anymore.”
“Anymore,” he repeats with no inflection in his voice, but he hesitates for a second as if he’s processing that information. “Are you sure he’s aware of that?”
I love you and miss you.
“He’s aware, but I think he’s hoping I’ll change my mind.”
“And will you?” Garrett’s gaze drifts to mine, and in the depth of those blue eyes there’s a vulnerability that I haven’t seen before.
“No. I realized that Jason and I aren’t getting back together.”
“Since when?”
I take a deep breath, and before I can stop to think about the wisdom of my next move, I say, “Since long before last night. What happened last night only confirmed it.” I take a shaky breath. “I could never get back with Jason when it’s you I want to be kissing.”
THIRTY
PRESENT DAY
