Page 106 of Game Changer
“Neither do I.”He picks up his mug of coffee.“This is fucking weird.”
“I know.”
A waitress arrives with a pot of coffee.I nod and she fills my cup then asks if we’re ready to order.I glance quickly at the menu.I’ve been here before, and I love their eggs bennie—the one with smoked salmon and avocado.So I order that.Steve gets a chicken Santa Fe wrap.
I pull the small box out of my purse and push it across the table to him.“Here’s your ring back.”
He stares at it.“I don’t want it back.”
“Take it.You paid for it.”
He shakes his head and the box sits untouched between us.
“I don’t want it, Steve,” I say quietly.“I don’t even want the money I could get if I sold it.I know there are some wedding things you can’t get your money back on and I can’t afford to pay you back for all of them, but you can use that to pay for some.”
He sighs and pockets it.
“Katelyn says all the wedding gifts were returned.”
“I guess.”
He doesn’t even care.
I curl my hands around my coffee cup and meet his eyes.“Why?Why did you do that?”
“I don’t know.”He shoves a hand into his blond hair and looks away.“I really don’t know.”
“The things you said about me…to that woman…that really hurt.”
“I’m sorry.”He meets my eyes, and I see genuine remorse there.
I swallow.“Well, thanks for that.”I pause.“Was she the only woman you cheated on me with?”I watch his response.
“Yes.”
“Really?Because Brielle said you came onto her once.”
His eyes widen.“What?I did not.”
I tilt my head.Hold his gaze.Say nothing.
“I might have flirted a little,” he says.“But it didn’t mean anything.”
I nod sadly.“And Claire?Who is she?Are you still together?”
His lips tighten and his throat works.“Yeah.”
I nod again.I guess I’m not surprised.It hurts.But not as much as I might have thought.“What were you thinking?”I shake my head.“We were getting married.What were youthinking?”
“Iwasn’tthinking, okay?”He rolls his eyes.“I don’t know.I guess I was freaking out about getting married or something.”
“Oh my God.”I pull in a long breath through my nose.“Do you love her?”
He lifts one shoulder.“I don’t know.”
Poor Claire.
“Did you take her to Europe?”
