Page 7 of Kissing My Grumpy Ex Boyfriend

“I thought you had it.”

He rolls his eyes. “I knew you weren’t listening when I told you to grab it.”

“Don’t freak out. I will go get it,” I say, wanting to put some space between Bellamy and me.

I jog back to the truck and grab the mallet, repeating to myself that this is almost over. With the tool in hand, I head back toward the backyard. This job can’t be over soon enough.

But when I reach the side of the house, I see Bellamy walking towards me.

Shit.

I glance around, looking for another way to go so I can avoid her, but if memory serves from high school, this is the only way.

She watches my reaction to seeing her, and a crease forms between her brows. It may have been years since we’ve seen each other, but I know what she’s thinking—she’s ready to talk.

“I have to get back to work,” I say as I approach.

The crease deepens. “Please wait. I promise it will be quick.”

She holds up her hands in front of her to try and stop me. The only way I’d get passed her at this point would be knocking into her, and I’m not going to do that. So reluctantly, I stop. Waiting for her to say whatever it is she wants to say.

“Aiden, I wanted to tell you—” she starts to say but stops. “I need to say—” she begins again but still doesn’t finish. “I didn’t want—”

“Look, don’t worry about it, okay?” I interrupt. “It’s over. What we had ended a long time ago. I’m over you. You don’t have to worry. I haven’t been pining for you or anything.”

Bellamy’s eyebrows lift at my words, and her shoulders deflate in front of me. I watch in confusion as her gaze drops to the ground between our feet. It almost seems like she’s hurt, but she’s the one that moved on so long ago. I’m not sure why she gets to play the wounded one between the two of us.

Her mouth opens, but then Carter steps around the side of the house.

“Aiden?” He stops when he sees me standing there with Bellamy. “I need your help.”

Bellamy presses her lips into a hard line. It’s killing her not to say what’s on her chest, but she isn’t my concern anymore. I’m not here so she can clear her conscience about how she broke every promise she made to me. I’m here to do a job and go home.

“Excuse me,” I say to her, and she steps to the side to let me pass.

It’s only at this moment that I see the wood heart pendent peeking out from the neckline of her dress.

She kept it?

I don’t understand. A part of me just assumed it was at the bottom of the lake after I left her on the pier that night. Why would she keep something like that if her intention that night was to break my heart?

CHAPTER4

Bellamy

This trip is going just about as terribly as I could expect. I haven’t told my parents about my plans. Well, at least my first attempt was a failure. And I couldn’t convince Aiden to talk to me.

The ceremony was beautiful, and my grandparents looked so happy and still in love. They were so lucky to find each other. To find that one person that fits with you without having to force it. So many people think that a partner is someone who works well with you on paper, but there’s a feeling when you meet the right person that just gets you without having to say a word. I always felt Aiden was that person for me. And if I’m being truthful with myself, even though he can’t stand to look at me, let alone talk to me, he’s still that person for me.

Flipping my pillow for the umpteenth time, I lay in the bed of my childhood home, thinking about the greatest guy I let get away. Every time I close my eyes, all I see is Aiden and how he wouldn’t look or speak to me. I keep playing that brief interaction over and over again in my mind. His words repeating back to me.

“I’m over you.”

“I’m over you.”

“I’m over you.”

Each time it’s like another jab into my heart.

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