Page 77 of Versions Of Us

“Walk away, Henley,” he mutters uneasily. “It’s what you’re good at, isn’t it?”

Henley’s jaw clicks again. “Why? So you can take advantage of my girl as soon as I turn my back?” He grabs Chase by the shirt collar, his face reddening in anger.

“Alex,” I bark. “Don’t.”

I lay my hand on Henley’s forearm, attempting to diffuse his anger. Just as I’d hoped, he hesitates, his grip on Chase’s shirt weakening. He drops his gaze to the ground, his nostrils flaring with the deep inhale he takes. Then he releases Chase, taking a step backward.

“Sorry,” he mumbles before shoving past me and exiting the store.

I expel the breath I’ve been holding as Ben returns from the back door with several punnets of raspberries.

“Found them,” he says, oblivious to the recent commotion. “Sorry, I wasn’t sure how many you needed so I…” His voice trails off as he examines the deep frowns on both of our faces. “Are you guys okay?”

“Yeah,” I say.

“Hurricane Henley just blew in.” Chase is still visibly shaken.

“I’m sorry.” I sigh. “I just need a minute.”

I burst through the door, desperately sucking the air into my lungs. I’m embarrassed and upset for the way that Henley has treated my friend.

I’m also a little impressed with his self-control if I care to admit it, because the old Henley wouldn’t have thought twice about pounding Chase’s face to a pulp.

Henley’s truck is parked on the curb down the road. I watch as he kicks the gutter with his shoe and then leans back onto the back passenger door, folding his arms across his broad chest. My feet carry me there before my mind has had a chance to catch up.

He holds up a hand when he sees me. “Don’t Kris. I already hate myself.”

“What were you thinking?” I cry, my nostrils flaring in defiance.

“I was thinking… I don’t know what I was thinking.” He pulls off his cap and runs a hand through his hair before repositioning it. “I was jealous. I’m jealous, okay?”

His admission sends a jolt through me, and it stops me in my tracks. I shouldn’t be surprised that he still has some residual feelings for me deep down. We’ve been ingrained into each other’s souls for the better part of the last decade, but to hear him confess it out loud fills me with the hope that maybe I was wrong.

Maybe he does still care about me.

But all of this is irrelevant, I tell myself. Because if he had loved me, he wouldn’t have left me. The shock dissolves, leaving me with the rage that had propelled me out here in the first place.

“You are the most goddamned selfish man I’ve ever known, you know that?” I shout. “You only care about one thing and that’s yourself.”

His eyes snap to mine, his glare cold. His jaw hardens in anger, then he opens his mouth like he’s about to say something but closes it again. The fury in his stare vanishes just as quickly as it appeared.

“You have no right to be jealous,” I continue. “You don’t have ownership over me. You left me.”

Henley cringes at my words, or maybe because he’s just now realising how ridiculous it was for him to call me ‘his’ girl mere moments ago.

“I know,” he says softly. “I know I’m being an asshole, okay?”

“Well at least we can both agree on one thing.”

I turn and head back to the store, leaving him to wallow in his regret.

Chapter 33

HENLEY

I’d spent the entire afternoon rehearsing with EJ and the band for the gig at the carnival tomorrow. After the eventful morning I’d had at the produce store, I’d hoped it would help relieve some of the tension that had built up inside of me. I’d smashed those skins with everything that I had but no amount of musical therapy could erase the way I’d acted today.

And nothing could make me forget the hurt in Kristen’s eyes.

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