Page 45 of L.O.V.E

“What’s my favorite color?”

“Blue. You always wear that blue shirt.”

“No. I wore that because you liked that it showed off my tits.” I stabbed at my chest, poking too hard.

“What’s my favorite food?”

“Pizza,” he mumbled, unsure. “From Lennon’s.”

“No.” I huffed. “What’s my favorite song?”

“‘Someone to Watch Over Me,’” Cole whispered to my back.

Oh, my effin’ Lord. Emotion pricked my eyes. I blinked the threatening tears into oblivion and took another step away from Cole, the man I could never have, and one step closer to Holden, the man who never had me.

“Do I like to dance? Do I sing in the shower? What perfume do I wear? What do I do at my fucking job?”

Silence.

“You can’t love me,” I shouted, throwing my head back in frustration. “You don’tknowme.”

“Nats.”

“And I hate being called Nats. It’s Natalie.” I turned to leave, then faced him again. “You need to find someone who you can’t help but learn those things about. Someone who’ll learn those things about you without you ever telling them.”

Hands to hips, Holden dropped his head. Huffed. Laughed. Stared at the floor. Chin down, he raised his eyes to meet mine. “Fuck. Fuck! I really fucked up with you, didn’t I?”

“We weren’t meant to be. That’s all.”

“I don’t agree.” He nodded. Rubbed his chin. “But I hear you.”

That was too easy. Something wasn’t right, but I continued. “Please, Holden. Can you stop with the stalker shit?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The phone calls. The posts on my social media.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The calls, the texts, all hours of the day from different numbers. The threats.”

Holden reached for me then dropped his arm. “I stopped after they dragged me out of the bank. I haven’t called you since.”

“God! I’m so done with men.”

“Natalie, I’m telling you the truth. I called your number three times since that day. Yes, I met you outside your apartment, hoping you’d talk. I was on my way to the gym when I saw you come in here. That’s it. I swear.”

His sincerity no longer mattered. “I gotta go.”

Strong fingers wrapped around my arm from behind. “Let me walk you.”

“No!” I snapped, jerking free of Cole’s grip and shoving past. “Just no.”

I hurried my pace, refraining from looking over my shoulder or scanning my surroundings when I reached my car. Un-fucking-believable. Bullshit, Holden hadn’t been calling me. My phone buzzed. I didn’t bother to look. And Cole? Seriously? How dare he know my favorite song?

I was officially done with men. With dating. With going to the gym. Or the flower shop. Or my favorite restaurant. Or anywhere in public.

Maybe a transfer out of state was in order. Yeah, that was a good idea.

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