Page 89 of Break My Heart
‘What happened to my sign?’ I mutter to myself as I notice one of the signs promoting my beer special is missing. As I get closer, I notice it’s not missing. It just fell down. I pull over to the side of the road and get out of the truck. As I walk up to the sign, I see it’s flattened to the ground, like someone drove over it. Looking farther down the road, I see the same thing. Someone drove over all my signs.
It could’ve happened by accident. Someone could’ve been looking at their phone, swerved out of the lane, and run over the signs. The signs are on wire legs that easily bend.
As I fix the signs, I start wondering if maybe it wasn’t an accident. If it was only one sign, I could believe it, but three? Maybe it was high school kids. They’re always running stuff over for fun.
Going into G’s, my phone rings. It’s Ryder again.
‘Hey, Ryder,’ I answer. ‘Why are you calling so early?’
‘I’m on the road. Heading to Chicago for a brewer’s convention. I wanted to stop by and check on your cider.’
‘When?’
‘Right now. Can you open the door?’
‘You’re here? At G’s?’
‘I just pulled in. I’m at the front. You want me to meet you in the back?’
‘No. Just wait there. I’ll be there in a minute.’ I go in my office anddrop off my purse, annoyed that Ryder didn’t tell me he was coming. I’m grateful he’s helping me, but I don’t know why he can’t call and tell me he’s coming here instead of just showing up.
‘Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?’ I ask as I let him in.
‘I wasn’t sure I was going to. It’s kind of out of the way, but I knew you’d want a second opinion on the cider before the competition, so here I am.’ He smiles and pulls me in for a hug. ‘I miss you, kid.’
‘I’m not a kid,’ I mutter.
‘So how’s it coming?’ he asks, letting me go. ‘Have you tasted it today?’
‘Not yet. I just got here.’
‘Late night? You look tired.’
‘I was with—’ I stop before mentioning Sawyer. I haven’t told Ryder I’m dating him and I’m not going to. If I did, he’d tell me I’m crazy and stupid for dating my competitor and then we’d start arguing.
‘With who?’
‘Aria. She came to my place after we closed. She’s having issues with a guy. We talked until four in the morning.’
It’s a lie I know he’ll believe because Aria and I have done that before when we lived in Green Bay.
‘Come with me to the back,’ I tell him. ‘I’ll get the cider.’
‘Hey.’ He steps closer and puts his hand on my arm. ‘I just want to say, I know how hard you’re working to keep this place going. I’ve been there and I know what it’s like. If you need me, you know I’m here for you.’ He’s staring into my eyes like he did when we were dating. It’s making me uncomfortable.
The door opens behind him and Sawyer walks in, stopping when he sees us.
‘Gina?’ He sounds hurt, and confused.
I yank my arm away from Ryder. ‘Sawyer. What are you doing here?’
‘I brought you breakfast.’ He tosses the paper sack on a table and huffs. ‘I knew it wasn’t over with him.’ He turns and storms out.
‘Sawyer, wait!’ I race after him to the parking lot.
He turns to me. ‘Why didn’t you just tell me? Why did you even start something with me when you’re still with him?’
‘I’m not! He just showed up here. I swear!’
