Page 159 of Faking It With the Small-Town Bad Boy

briefly. He brings his lips to mine for a simple, supportive kiss, but I

know he’s watching Ryan the whole time. I’ll never understand the

pissing competition between these two. Ryan doesn’t even want to be

with me. I think he’s made that clear by screwing Farrah behind my

back, but still, they eye one another like it’s some kind of warning.

I ignore it, asking him to wait in the shop while I go inside to speak

with Ryan for a minute. He does so, and my ex-boyfriend leads the

way into my house like he’s over here for afternoon tea.

He just broke my heart for the second, or third, time in my life, and

it’s nothing to him as usual.

At least he’s consistently a selfish asshole.

He fixes himself a glass of water out of a paper cup, something Percy

had to go out and buy after my last tantrum got out of hand. I don’t

mention that, though, waiting for Ryan to spill his intent on being

here so I can get back to my regularly scheduled programming.

That, and to tell Percy Elrod I love him more than I love anything

else in the world.

“Listen, ladybug,” he starts, watching me from across the kitchen

island where I pull up a barstool and collapse into the leather

cushion. “I may have had a few to drink tonight, and yeah I made the

dumb decision to drive…”

“You could have killed someone,” I snap.

“Yeah, I know that. Not my best moment. But I couldn’t go home

with Farrah all up in arms over some dress issue. I don’t even know

what the problem is anymore, but I had to come and see you. I had to

talk to you. I miss you, ladybug.”

“Says the man too intoxicated to tell a driveway from a tree.”

“Very cute,” he sneers. “I’m being serious, Leah. I’ve been thinking

for a while now, and—”

“How long, exactly?”

---