Page 56 of You Found Me
“You’re overreacting. I was stressed out from the move and joining a new team and Kari was there.”
“You can’t be serious. I was right there, Chance. I havealwaysbeen right there. From the moment we met, I was all-in but the same obviously can’t be said for you. You chose to find solace in someone new and shiny, over the person you supposedly loved for years and were about to marry. You deserve to be alone for the rest of your miserable life.”
The anger I feel right now is something I never wanted to experience, and apparently angry me is a crier. I grab my purse and excuse myself to the bathroom. Instead of opening the door to the restroom, I slip out the back door of the restaurant.
Once in the car, I call Spencer.
“Spence, he had photographers outside. When he came in, he kissed me and had them capture the moment. I’m so sorry. Is there a chance your mom doesn’t read gossip magazines?”
“Buttercup, I’m not worried about that. I just want to know if you’re okay? Did he hurt you?”
“I’m fine. Just pissed that he was able to make me cry again. And I didn’t even get to eat,” I say in frustration.
Chuckling, he offers, “Well, how about we go to Edie’s? Or if you don’t feel like being in public, I’ll pick lunch up and we can eat at my place.”
Why couldn’t Chance be like Spencer? He’s so sweet and understanding and everything I could want in a partner. So much so that sometimes I find myself wishing this was real.
What the hell?
I can’t think like that. It will only muddy the waters for us. I shove the traitorous feelings down. “Can we eat at your apartment? I don’t really want to be out right now.”
“Of course. It’s why I offered. What would you like?”
“At this point, all I want is a peanut butter milkshake.”
“You got it. I’ll go straight to Edie’s and let you know when I’m headed back with the food. See you soon, Shortstack,” he says.
***
An hour later, Spencer and I are sitting on his couch eating burgers, fries, and milkshakes.
He must have remembered the way I liked my burgers from that first day in the diner because it’s exactly how I’d order it myself—no tomato, extra pickles and cheese, with mayo and mustard.
Has he always been paying attention to me?
Finishing up his burger, I watch as he wipes his mouth and hands before turning towards me. “So . . . do you want to talk about what happened today?”
I sigh, “No, but I know I need to. Otherwise, it’ll eat at me. First, I want to say I had no clue he was going to do that. Fake or not, I would never cheat. I know how that feels, and I refuse to make someone as sweet and wonderful as you, feel an ounce of the way he’s made me feel.”
“Emmy—”
“Second,” I say, interrupting him. “I don’t want to ruin this for you if your mom sees those pictures. That’s not really a good look for your girlfriend to be kissing another man. I don’t want to embarrass you or your family.”
He waits to see if I’m finished, so I give him a nod to go ahead.
“I never for once thought you knew he planned that. I’ve had a sneaking feeling that he’s been plotting something like this for a bit, why else would he stop texting and calling you every day?”
Spencer moves closer to me, taking my hand in his. “I’m sorry that you had to deal with his bullshit again, but I don’t want you to worry about what my mom will or won’t think. I actually haven’t said anything to her about you, but that’s mostly because we’ve been too busy to talk. She’d insist on meeting you again and then embarrass me. Like full on bringing out the worst of the worst baby photos.”
“Thank you for putting up with me. I’m sorry I’m such a hot mess.”
“Oh, you’re definitely hot,” he tells me with his signature smirk. “But I wouldn’t call you a mess. Maybe more like a car crash.”
I smack his hand at the comment, which causes him to throw his head back laughing. “I’m so telling your mama you said that. And that’s how she’ll find out you’ve been keeping your girlfriend a secret.”
He gasps, before leaning over and flicking my nose. I retaliate by reaching over to pinch his inner arm, but at the same time he moves, and I end up pinching his nipple. The sound that comes out of his mouth is comical. So is the look on his face.
“Did you really just pinch my nipple?”
