Page 109 of Falling Backwards
My eyebrows shoot up even as my insides clench because Ihavecaught myself inching towards thinking that once or twice.
“Who said I wanna mend fences?”I ask.
“Whywouldn’tyou want that?”He pauses.“Unless you despise her.Which you don’t.Or unless whatever she did to you in high school was straight-up unforgivable.Which it wasn’t, ’cause if it was, you’d despise her.”He shrugs.“So, yeah, I ask again: why wouldn’t you wanna try to fix it?”
While I drum my fingertips on the bar again, answers pile up in my head.
I’m still hurt about her spreading lies about me and topping them off with a private truth I didn’t want anyone else to know.
It seems unlikely that she would hear me out if I tried to apologize again for going along with Jayden’s stupid plan.
I don’t wanna ruin what peace we’ve built up and force us to regress into constant hostility, because not being up in arms has felt really good.
Unlike a minute ago, the urge to speak honestly doesn’t poke at me.If there’s a place or time for telling Paxton what happened, it isn’t here or now.
So I just say, “Fixing it is a two-way street with some pretty big potholes hanging out right in the middle of it.Wouldn’t be fun for either of us.”
“Eh, it’s like that a lot of times, I think.But wouldn’t it be worth it to try to patch up the ugly places so you don’t knowingly damage your car a little bit more every time you go down that road?”
I mutter, “Could just avoid the road altogether.”
He leans towards me, winks, and whispers, “Regarding traveling, sure.Regarding relationships, it can be a bitch-out move.”
While he chuckles, I look around to make sure the coast is clear, then subtly flip him off.
That just makes him laugh more, and I can’t help joining in.
“Are you an expert on relationships?”I ask.
“I basically am.I mean, not for myself since I prefer dating to being tied down, but when you consider how much advice my parents have inundated me with over the years….”
“Ah, yeah, you don’t stay married for an eternity without learning valuable stuff.”
“Sure don’t.”
This conversation wraps up, and I take his plate and offer a refill on his orange juice.
Shortly, he’s paid up and heading out.As he goes, I notice Marcus’s girlfriend passing him, seemingly heading for the restrooms.I turn to start wiping down where Paxton was dining—and I’m surprised to see the ex-boyfriend himself coming right for me.
His hands are in the pockets of his slacks and an amicable smile is on his face, but his pace isn’t relaxed.He looks like he’s trying to be quick.
Once he’s close enough, I greet him like a good employee.“Yes, sir?”
“Hey, hello.How are you?”
He continues before I can answer.
“Can you tell me whether Maggie is working today?She’s a hostess.I was hoping to see her.”
Well, there’s the confirmation on that suspicion.
He won’t get any help from me, though.
Resting my hands wide along my side of the bar, I scan a look over him.“I can’t, actually.Schedules are private information.”
I’d like to tack on that he’s a tool, but I refrain.Now I’ve learned I was right about him, it’s time to learn what his motive is.
“You used to date her, right?”I ask.
