Page 20 of A Play For The Heart
Good for her.
I watch her walk out the door then turn my attention back to Declan. Before I can even get a single word out, he opens his mouth.
“I mean this is probably for the best right? We weren’t all that compatible anyway, it was only a matter of time.”
My jaw drops at the audacity of the statement, and I laugh. Hysterically. The sound echoes throughout the bar. I’m sure I resemble someone in a movie on the brink of an existential crisis.
“Are you actually trying to absolve yourself from this by saying we weren’t compatible?” I ask, in between breaths. “If we weren’t compatible, you should have just broken up with me, not do whatever you’ve been doing while I was in Indiana.”
Declan shifts uncomfortably again, now noticing all the eyes on us. It doesn’t seem like he’s going to say anything more or apologize, so I guess I’ll finish the conversation.
“If it isn’t already abundantly clear, Declan, we’re over.” I shake my head, turning away before I decide I have one last thing to say. “You’re not a bad person, we both know it. You have a good heart, I know, I’ve seen it.” He looks down at the floor. I wait for him to make eye contact with me before I continue. When he does, I go on. “But this was areallyshitty thing to do.”
His face pales at my final comment and now that I have the final word, I spin on my heels and make my way back to the bar where Henry and Jack look shocked, and Maren only looks proud.
For someone who doesn't love confrontation, I did a pretty damn good job.
CHAPTER 11
“Because you look so fine and I really wanna make you mine”
Are You Gonna Be My Girl—Jet
Henry
Timestops.Theworldstops spinning. I grip the barstool, using every toned muscle in my body to keep me in the chair. To not fly out of my seat and sing a little song and do a little dance.
I stare slack-jawed at Sawyer as she rushes back to her seat, chugs her vodka cranberry, slams the empty glass down on the bar then immediately orders another one. Her face is flushed and her eyes are frantic as she sits down beside me. Her breath is labored like she just ran a mile. Watching her suck in air, I give myself a friendly reminder to keep breathing.
There’s no way that just happened. My mind is having a hard time processing what my eyes just saw. Sawyer is single.
Holy shit.
Sawyer. Is. Single.
I lock eyes with Jack over Sawyer’s head and attempt my bestdid that just fucking happeneyes with my eyes. His eyes widen and he wiggles his eyebrows up and down which I can only assume ishell yeah it did.
Could this be a sign from the universe that I should go for it? Truthfully, I’ve never put much stock in fate or the universe and the only reason I know anything about what astrological sign I am is because Sawyer looked it up using my birthday. I’m a Pisces, which apparently means I’m emotional and empathetic, but I’ve never really put much weight into that kind of stuff. Now, I could be easily convinced that the universe may be playing its part. And if that’s the case, I’ll send the universe a fruit basket as a thank you for making the love of my life single.
I shake myself out of my stupor and lean into Sawyer. “Are you okay?”
If I thought I couldn’t have been more bewildered after she just broke up with Declan in the middle of Longboards, then Sawyer takes it as a challenge. The last thing I expect her to do is laugh. She starts laughing, the sound soft, before it deepens into full-on body shakes and she inhales raggedly between laughs. It doesn't seem like she has plans to stop anytime soon. I’m not sure what’s funny about the situation, but clearly, Sawyer is having some sort of emotional breakdown because hysterically laughing is not what I would do if I were in her situation.
I glance at Maren and Jack sitting on the other side of her, hoping to get some kind of help, but Jack just looks at her uneasily and Maren mouthsYou’re her best friendand makes a shooing motion with her hands toward Sawyer. I guess I’m on my own.
“Um…Sawyer, do you want to talk about it?” I ask, trying my best to come off as gentle and supportive when mentally I'm pumping my fists into the air.
Sawyer sucks in a breath and seems to gain some composure. “I can’t believe—honestly how was I upset over that idiot? I can dosomuch better. I’m not even sad. No tears here.” She swipes under her eyes and shows me her dry hand. “I’m honestly just annoyed at myself for wasting six months on that dicknugget.”
Dicknugget?That’s a new one.
That was definitely not the response I had expected, but none of this is normal. I make a note to send Declan a nice little thank you basket for being such a jackass, because his loss could be my gain.
“Dating!” Sawyer exclaims, slamming down the glass of her fourth drink onto the bar, “I’m gonna go dating. Do the dating thing. It could be fun. Yes! It will be great. Free coffee and flirting. That’s what I’m going to do.”
At that, my excitement level that was orbiting outer space gets a solid dose of reality and it shoots right back down to earth. Sawyercannotstart dating someone else before I tell her how I feel. It happened once and I will be damned if it happens again. If the whole ‘universe has a plan’ thing is real, then I’m taking this as it putting up a massive neon sign saying, “Shoot your shot, dude.”
Which is exactly what I plan to do.
