Page 4 of Kissing My Grumpy Ex Boyfriend

“She actually tried to hide from me in the car,” I say as I pace around the shop. I need to burn off some of this energy. “I mean, I looked right at her, and she acted like I wasn’t even there.”

Clearly, I still have a lot of negative feelings bubbling up inside me at the moment. I thought that I managed to put those feelings I had for her a long time ago away, but I swear the moment I saw her, I was transported right back. Even the same damn song was playing on the car radio.

“Well, man, we both knew she would be here for her grandparents’ anniversary,” Carter says as he takes a big bite of his sandwich. “You were bound to run into her.”

I scrunch my face in disgust. “Do the world a favor. Chew and swallow your food before you speak.”

He shrugs and takes another big bite.

“I knew I would see her, but I didn’t think it would be so soon or that she would try to hide from me.”

“What’s the big deal?” Carter asks, picking up a napkin and wiping it around his mouth. “Didn’t you say you were over her? I remember you being pretty adamant about that.”

I did say that, and I meant it. But then again, I wasn’t just face to face with the girl who shattered my heart into a million pieces. We’d made plans together, a future. But she threw it all away like none of it meant anything to her.

I walk over to the food and grab my sandwich. “I am over her.”

Carter grunts. “You sure about that? Your panties seem to be in a really tight knot for someone who doesn’t care that his ex is back in town.”

I peel away the paper around my sandwich and take a bite. We’re both silent as we eat our lunch, even though my mind won’t shut up.

Six Years Ago

Holding the wrapped present in my hands, I can’t wait for Bellamy to get here and open it. Over the last month, I’ve spent all my free time working on it for her. This gift needs to be perfect. Once she opens it, it’ll all be worth it to see her face light up. Nothing compares to Bellamy Adler’s smile when she’s happy. And there is no safer place in the world than in her arms. She makes everything wrong in my world turn right.

I rub my clammy hands down the front of my jeans and pace the old pier that Bellamy and I have claimed as ours. The moon’s bright enough to show off the lake and the tranquility it exudes at the end of summer.

We’ve been sneaking out here since we started dating sophomore year. And it’s the perfect secluded spot to meet up between our houses. But lately, we haven’t had a lot of time to see each other. Bellamy’s been taking summer courses at the local university where her parents teach. At this rate, she’ll practically be done with her freshman year of college before even stepping foot on a college campus. As a result, we haven’t been able to spend as much time with each other lately, and I’m looking forward to having her all to myself for a little while.

Graduation was a few weeks ago, but somehow even at eighteen, Bellamy has even stricter restrictions set on her by her parents. It’s been harder for her to sneak out to meet me, and our relationship has seen its struggles because of it, but we do what we can to make it work. I meet her for lunch in between classes, and she calls me every night before we go to bed. It’s hard now, but it won’t always be this way.

I catch the sound of her tennis shoes running through the foliage before she sprints out from the tree line. Bellamy slows down as a large grin spreads across my face, and my heart thumps wildly in my chest. From the first time I saw Bellamy, my heart never knew a natural rhythm. And I’ll never get tired of the effects I feel of just seeing her. I move toward her, forcing myself not to run.

“Hi,” I say and lean down to kiss her.

Her head moves, and my lips catch her cheek instead. “Hi.”

“I was getting worried you wouldn’t be able to make it.” I chuckle nervously. “I’ve got a late graduation present for you.”

I hand her the box, and she stares at it. I’m not sure what I was expecting from her reaction, but I thought I’d at least get a smile or something. Instead, Bellamy just turns it over in her hand like she doesn’t know what to do with it.

“Aiden, you didn’t have to do this,” she says, not looking up to meet my eyes.

“I know,” I shuffle my feet, trying to get her to look at me. “But I wanted to surprise you.”

Uneasiness hits me like a punch to the gut. Why is she acting so indifferent to me?

We agreed months ago that we would keep our relationship going after graduation. We’ve heard all about people saying that long-distance relationships never work out, but we are determined to be the exception to the rule.

I have another surprise for her after she opens the box. I’ve decided to come and visit her in a month at school. That way, she has time to settle in, and I can see where she will be going to school. We could explore the city together.

“Well, aren’t you going to open it?” I chuckle nervously.

“Right, okay.”

Bellamy slowly picks at the tape on my crappy wrapping job. My heart is in my throat as I watch her lift off the lid. She pulls out the silver chain that leads to the wooden heart pendant I made for her in my shop out in the garage. I spent hours carving and sanding it down, so it would be smooth as stone. I didn’t want it catching on her skin when she wore it.

Tears fall down her cheeks, but they don’t look like happy ones.

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