Page 26 of Returning Your Love
She totally was.
My teeth ground behind my smile, and had it been anyone other than Chaz across from me, I’d have hightailed it the fuck outta there. Shelly had given me a snapshot of the woman she’d become that night at the welcome home party, and her behavior solidified she wasn’t on the best path.
“How’s work going at Scone Haven?” I asked about the new job she’d started according to Chaz, hoping like hell to turn the focus off me and the total lack of women warming my bed.
While I no longer had to be wary about being gay going public, I wasn’t in the mood to discuss men with Shelly either—or Chaz. Especially since that conversation would lead my mind to Zack and Elite and what it had felt like to have a semi-taste in the form of a fantasy of my best friend.
“Ugh.” Shelly rolled her eyes before emptying half of her glass. “Kel’s a great boss—don’t get me wrong—but the pay kindasucks. It’s more of a bakery than sit-down cafe, and people don’t tip like at Dig-In.”
“Why’d you quit the diner? You’ve been there since what? Our junior year in high school?”
She shrugged. “Bored. Needed a change.”
“Do you plan on waiting on customers for the rest of your life?”
“I hadplannedon being a stay-at-home mom,” she stated rather snippily before sipping her wine and side-eyeing Chaz.
The desire to rip Shelly a new one had me fisting my hands beneath the table. “Ever think about going back to school?” I tossed out, feeling the need to keep the conversation off the lack of children running around their house, her obvious disappointment with her husband, and how much I was starting to hate her.
A snort ripped from her, ending in laughter. “I’m not any more college material than Chaz is. Hell, if it weren’t for you, he wouldn’t have even graduated high school.”
While she spoke the truth, I hated how Chaz curled in on himself in my periphery at her harsh, unnecessary reminder.
My blood fucking boiled, and I saw red. “Your husband knows cars inside and out. Could probably build one from the ground up,” I stated probably too sternly, my fake-as-fuck smile fighting to stay in place. “I’ve never met someone who works as hard as he does and strives to succeed.”
“Look in the mirror,” Shelly said, completely disregarding the positives I’d pointed out about her husband.
“Yeah, and one misstep ended my dreams,” I shot right back while she took another large gulp of wine. Why the fuck did I still grieve what I’d lost? How come I couldn’t just fucking move on already?
She swallowed, casting another side eye at her husband. “But at least you can make time for your family and friends now.”
Not exactly an upside to having your career ended, but I didn’t get a chance to reply.
Shelly huffed a sarcastic laugh if ever I’d heard one. “Maybe you could help Chaz learn how to dothattoo.”
“Jesus, Shell,” Chaz muttered, tossing his napkin onto the table, which made me snap my jaw shut instead of chewing her out.
“What?” She turned to him, eyes widened as though surprised he was upset by her passive-aggressive bullshit. “You never have a spare minute for anyone or anything but that shop. Actually.” Shelly turned her head my way, her eyes taking a while to focus on my face. I didn’t bother hiding my disgust in her behavior. “You took off for a weekend with Chaz when I’ve been begging for us to get away for God knows how long.” She almost lost her seat while looking back at Chaz. “And tonight you hadnoproblem getting home for dinner when you’re usually late.”
“You haven’t shown interest in going on a date for months,” Chaz argued, his voice low, “and when I finally did ask if you wanted to go to Dig-In, you griped and bitched the whole time like you’d rather be anywhere other than with me!”
My gaze pinged between the two of them, my stomach in knots, my body heated with barely restrained anger.
“Well, you never ask aboutmylife and howI’mdoing. Everything is always work, work, work!” Shelly shot back, spittle flying from her lips.
“Because I’ve got bills hanging over my head,” he stated through gritted teeth, his body practically vibrating.
Shelly rolled her eyes, and I wanted to throat punch the bitch. “Sure, Chaz. Sure.”
“You have no fucking clue—” Chaz slammed his lips shut and stood, stacking our empty plates with more force than necessary. “Why don’t you take the rest of your wine and make yourself comfy on the couch. I’ll do the dishes.”
She snorted, wavering as she stood. Wine splashed over the glass’s edge as she attempted to top it off, but neither of us reached to help. “If you think just because you’re cleaning up that you’re getting any tonight, you’ve got another thing coming.”
“Think,” Chaz muttered under his breath as she stumbled toward the living room. “Anotherthinkcoming,” he repeated with heat in his voice. “As if I’d want sex anyway.”
Still steaming inside, I grabbed the two serving bowls and followed behind Chaz, my feet itching to get me the hell out of there.
“Sorry about that,” he said, setting the dirty plates in the sink more gently than I’d expected.
