Page 158 of A Love Letter to Whiskey
I didn’t stop her though.
I loved the way she made me feel, how I never had to question that she wanted me, that she cared about me, that I was the first thing she thought of when she woke up, and the last thing before she fell asleep. She spoiled me with her attention, with her affection, and I drank up every drop of it like a kitten lapping warm milk.
I had her wrapped up in my arms, my tongue halfway down her throat when there was a crashing sound somewhere near the bar. We broke away from each other, looking toward the source of the noise, and that’s when I saw it.
All that fucking hair.
I didn’t even need a second look. I knew it was her.
“B?” I called.
But she pushed through the door without even a look in my direction.
Angel frowned when I stood, scooting her off my lap. “What’s wrong?”
“I… I just need some fresh air. I’ll be right back.”
“Want me to come with you?”
“No,” I answered quickly, and then I sighed, turning and grabbing her face between my hands. I kissed her sweetly. “I just need a sec. Be right back.”
Angel frowned again, but nodded, and let me go.
I all but ran out the door, catching up to B just as she reached her mom’s old car. She fumbled with the keys in her hands before shakily hitting the unlock button, the car lights flashing with a little beep-beep.
“B?”
My heart stopped at the sight of her, at the way she froze when she heard my voice. She was breathing heavily, but threw me a glance over her shoulder, trying to force a smile.
“Oh, hey, Jamie. Uh, yeah, I was just leaving though so—”
“Wait.”
I hooked my arm around her elbow, turning her to face me, but she wouldn’t look at me. She looked like she was one second away from crying.
I frowned. “What are you doing here?”
She closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly before she finally looked at me.
When she did, you’d have thought I’d killed her dog.
“I’m here visiting my mom. I would ask you what you’re doing, but I have eyes, so,” she snipped, her tongue pressed into her cheek as she ripped out of my grasp and gestured toward the bar.
I balked.
Did she actually have the audacity to be upset that I was with someone? After nearly four months of no contact from her? After what she last said to me?
My brows bent even more. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Oh, I think you know exactly what it’s supposed to mean,” she seethed, folding her arms over her chest as she stepped into my space. “Tell me, did you fuck her the night before you asked me to talk? Did you feel guilty and desperate to lock me down before the pressure of long distance took you under?”
“What?” My nose flared, anger and disbelief battling inside me.
Now that I’ve read her side of the story, I know that Claire lied to her about the timing with me and Angel — which was typical Claire, to be honest. But at the time? I just thought she was crazy.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the little pixie blonde who was just mauling your face,” B spat. “Angel is her name, right?”
Hearing Angel’s name on her lips shocked me, and I couldn’t say anything back, couldn’t do anything but blanch.
“Oh yeah, Claire? Her BFF? She filled me in on the whole situation when I spotted you two sucking face.”
That wiped the shock from me, and I squared my shoulders, ready for the fight.
“And?” I asked, stepping right back into her space like she’d stepped into mine. “What, are you mad? Is that what you’re trying to say? Because I’d be really fucking interested to hear why you think you have any right to be.”
“Just tell me, okay? You cheated on me, didn’t you? I was in Pittsburgh, and she was here, and it was easier with her, right?” B shook her head. “Why did you even make the big gesture? Why not just tell me?”
“You think I ch—?”
I couldn’t even finish the sentence. I stared at her like the mad woman she was before a laugh cut through me — not because anything was actually funny, but because I couldn’t believe the words I was hearing. I dragged my hands through my hair, shaking my head.
“Angel and I didn’t start talking until October, not that that is any of your goddamn business. She asked me out countless times over the summer, and I turned her down every single fucking time because of you. Not because it would have been cheating, since you made it perfectly clear that we were not a couple, but because I loved you, B.”
She flinched at that, just the way my heart cracked with the admission. But when she tried to back away, I kept moving toward her, pressing in and in until her back hit the brick wall of the bar.
