Page 134 of Unraveling Rain
A comfortable silence fills the kitchen as we eat, stealing flirty glances, hunger lingering in our gazes.
As much as I don’t want to ruin the moment, I know we have to talk. There’s never going to be a perfect time.
After a sip of my juice, I decide to rip off the Band-Aid.
“So, about what happened…”
Xander’s deep brown eyes lock onto my gray ones.
“I got a text as we were leaving the Cape. At first, I thought it was a bad joke. I was in denial. But once I got back to Azalea Creek and read it again—over and over—I knew it wasn’t.”
I inhale deeply, bracing myself.
“It was from Dennis.”
Xander’s spoon clatters onto his plate. His expression goes cold.
“He said he wanted to talk. In person.” I lower my gaze, picturing his texts. “But I didn’t reply.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Xander’s voice is flat, emotionless.
“Really, Xander? Gee, I don’t know. Maybe I didn’t want you to get riled up during preseason. Maybe I was trying to look out for you, so you could focus on the game.”
My tone is sharper than I intend, but I don’t take it back.
He closes his eyes and clenches his jaw.
“Did he keep texting you?”
I nod.
Xander takes a deep breath. “What do you want to do about it? Do you want to talk to him?”
I push back my stool and stand.
“Fuck, no. I don’t have anything nice to say to him. I don’t want him in my life again.”
He nods slowly, trying to process.
“Then why didn’t you block his number after the first message?”
I close my eyes, needing a moment to cool down. I know this is all new for him, that he’s trying to wrap his head around it—but it still feels like judgment.
“Ruin suggested I didn’t. In case he kept texting me, I could use them to file for a no-contact order.”
When I look back at him, I see it—hurt.
Fuck.
“You told Ruin?”
“Xander, I was trying to protect you. I’m sorry if you don’t agree with how I handled it, but what’s done is done. You said no more secrets, remember? So here I am—telling you everything.”
My voice shakes. My eyes sting. This isn’t how I imagined this conversation. Not even close.
At least not the version I hoped for.
“Fuck, I’m sorry,” he says, his voice gentler now. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m just so pissed this asshole thinks he can come back into your life and start demanding things.”
