Page 52 of Stuck with the Grump

“I think that the last thing I want to think about is the man I had to walk away from this morning,” I said, drawing my knees to my chest and staring at the movie on the screen.

Different thoughts raced through my mind, all of them pointing to different paths I could take. I could drive back to the lake house tonight and tell Clarke I was stupid for walking away. I could call him and beg him to come to the city. I knew that he would drop everything and rush here.

There was no way that I could let him do that.

“Alright,” Camille said, getting up and heading to the kitchen. She hummed to herself as she opened cupboards until she found two wine glasses and a bottle of red.

“I hope you have more where that came from,” I said as she opened the bottle. “It’s feeling like a two or three bottle kind of night.”

“My kind of woman,” Camille said, grinning as she poured the wine into a decanter before bringing it back to the living room. She set the decanter and the glasses on the table.

As I sipped my glass of wine, the familiar feeling of heartbreak returned. With each touch and tender look onscreen, I thought of Clarke and the way he looked at me. All I had seen was the tenderness in his expression each time we held each other close.

Moving on from him was going to be almost impossible. He had been the strong one in the storm at the lake house. I was determined to be the strong one in the storm of moving on with our lives. I would make sure that we kept our distance, that we didn’t stray from our lives just because the other person could be there at a moment’s notice.

I didn’t expect him to come around, but if he did, I would be the one to turn him away.

It was what was best for both of us.

That’s a lie you keep telling yourself to avoid breaking,the little voice in the back of my mind whispered as I settled into the couch and tried to focus on the movie.

It wasn’t until I was alone in my new room that night that I allowed the tears to fall.

24

CLARKE

Twoweekshadpassedsince Leigh had driven away and each day left me feeling emptier than the last. I had called her every couple of days but there was never any answer. Leigh let all the calls go to voicemail and didn’t call back.

Instead of wallowing in my misery, I went back to sorting through endless files and trying to find the answer to where all the money had gone. The trial would begin in a few months, shortly after Jared was formally served. I needed as much evidence piled together as I could. If I had it my way, he would be sitting in jail for a very long time.

When I wasn’t sorting through files, I was rebuilding the section of the house the tree had fallen through. Though it would have been easier to just hire a contractor, I wanted something to do with my hands. I needed an outlet for the anger and hurt I was feeling.

Now, I was sitting in Leigh’s chair outside as the stars appeared in the sky and the fire died down. The nights were getting colder, but I didn’t care. Being out here reminded me of her.

I was finishing my glass of water when my phone started ringing, Tyson’s name flashing across the screen. With a sigh, I swiped my thumb across the screen and put him on speakerphone.

“What the fuck is happening between you and Leigh?” Tyson asked, exhaustion clear in his voice. “Don’t try to tell me that something isn’t because I know there is. Especially when every time I have seen her since she got back to the city, she is moping around.”

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “Look, just tell me that I’m a piece of shit and get it over with. I know that I shouldn’t have gone there with your sister. I know that.”

Tyson snorted. “Yeah, asshole. She’s my little sister and you crossed a line. I have half a mind to go out there and kick your ass. You really messed her up. She’s supposed to be working on her gallery opening and she can’t get it together. What the actual fuck were you thinking? How did you think this was going to end?”

“I know, I know. I wasn’t thinking. I just, listen,” I grumbled. This wasn’t how I wanted Tyson to find out. This wasn’t how I envisioned this conversation with my best friend.

“What the hell, Clarke! You just thought you’d have some fun at the lake house and then just go back to your regular life?”

“Tyson, it’s not like that. I am serious about her.” I said carefully.

I could hear the anger in his voice rolling off him in waves. “You can’t be serious about Leigh. You’re never serious about anyone. You need to back the fuck off before you hurt her even more.”

I gritted my teeth trying not to explode at him.

“I’m telling you the truth, whether you want to believe me or not.”

Tyson laughed bitterly. “What the hell, Clarke! Since when haveyouwanted something serious with someone? Just admit that you had some fun while you were stuck out there, a fling, and be done with it. Leigh has too much going on in her life right now for you to come in and fuck it up.”

I ran my hand down my face, shaking my head.

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