Page 86 of Hesi-Dating
"I wasn't going to say that."
"Then what?" My molars slammed together.
She struggled to speak. Damn it, she looked as if she didn't want to want me, which cut me deep. She didn't want this hold we had on each other.
Finally, she said, "I was going to ask…will you go on a date with me?"
I stepped away from her and ran my hands through my hair. My brain felt sluggish. "I'm going to have to think about that."
ChapterThirty-Five
JOLEY
Frozen to the spot, I watched Seth until he turned the corner to leave.
He didn't look back.
It's over.
How could I have been so stupid as to ask him on a date? Of course, I wasn't worth a second…no, a third chance from him.
On autopilot, I returned to the gala. Everything inside me seemed to be spinning. The chaos of the main hall seemed distant, almost muffled.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Amanda appeared beside me as if by magic. "Was the mayor that much of a bitch to you?"
I shook my head. "It was Seth…"
"As in the sheriff? Seth Briscoe?" She frowned. "He's not just a hot ass on social media. He's a good guy. You know he's single, right?" She paused. "What's going on? Was he mean to you?"
I sniffled but refused to cry.
"Hey." She put an arm around me and hustled me out of the main room to the side room where abandoned prep materials scattered across a few tables. "Start from the beginning. What happened?"
"It's a long story."
"Then give me the summary since the speeches are about to start. I need to be on the podium in fifteen minutes."
I wiped beneath my eyes to keep my makeup from smearing too much.
Was that truly the last time I'd see Seth and interact with him? I hadn't realized I held onto a hope of us being on hiatus but not over. I needed this moment for closure. I needed him to cut me off. Sure, we still had scorching chemistry, but I'd damaged everything between us too much.
I reviewed everything he'd said. He claimed he had showed up at the hospital. Had he? Bruno would never do something so deceitful as to speak for me, or would he? He'd been dead set against Seth from the start. Maybe it hadn't only been about Nosh's threats, but more from his desire to protect me from anything and everything.
"Did he do something inappropriate?" I sensed Amanda's hackles rising.
"No. I asked him out."
"You did? Wow. That's fast."
"He didn't answer. He walked off, which I assume is a no."
"He blew you off? That doesn't seem like him. Maybe he thinks you're too young for him or something?"
"We have history. You know I date a lot…or at least I used to." An awkward laugh escaped me.
She smiled that kind of smile that says she knew I had a reputation.
I nibbled on my lower lip. "We've known each other about a year. We might've hooked up once or twice, but it got complicated and ended poorly with a lot of misunderstandings."
