His use of the word,we’llwas a bit triggering, but what wasn’t in this nightmare situation?I shrugged.“I have no idea.”
“I’ll send it to the pharmacy here in town, if that’s okay?”
“Yeah, absolutely.Thank you.”
Not long after, I walked through the door he held open.I had to pass close enough to him to feel the heat coming off his body.My snow boots squeaked with each step.Furgie’s leash swung into my leg.It taxed my depleted energy to make eye contact as I paid, but I forced myself to.The receptionist had large, round brown eyes.They flicked between me and Remi.It didn’t take sharp intelligence to see that we were both ...off.But her gaze assessed us.
“Thank you, again,” I struggled to say.
He nodded, his jaw tight.
“Of course, let us know if you need anything else,” she said.
I turned.The lobby floated past me.
When I was in the vestibule, she whispered behind my back, “What happened?”
He didn’t answer.
Whatdidhappen?
“Are you okay?”The glass door to the lobby muffled her voice.
I couldn’t see his reaction—if he shook his head, or shrugged, or nodded.I didn’t think he responded verbally.But then there was a loud buzzing in my ears.I couldn’t remember where I put my keys.I patted my coat pockets, dug through my purse, and then did the whole thing again.
Be here somewhere, I silently begged my keys.I cannot go back in there.
My stomach did a sickening back flip as she asked, “You out here just breakin’ hearts?”
But there’d been two sets of hands ripping and pulling our hearts to shreds.Two people too self-righteous to stop our bullshit.Too many cuts to keep us from hemorrhaging.
I was on the other side of it.The side where it didn’t hurt so much anymore.Or I had been before he walked into that examination room.Now I was all turned around.
My heart broken and the memory of falling in love with him given a fresh coat of paint.Graphic.Present.
Falling in love with Remi had been the easy part.It was everything that followed that went totally tits up.
Finally, I found my keys tucked in my coat pocket.They jangled, their teeth biting my fingers, and pushed the exterior door open.The blast of frozen dry air was a welcome relief against my hot face.
His chuckle was bitter and completely void of humor.“Not right now, okay, Nora?”
He sounded as rung out as I felt.
Chapter Six
Alicia
“Thisisfine,”Iwhispered to my windshield, as the sun set in gorgeous shades of bright gold and deep purple.The branches of the trees hung heavy with snow reflecting the sky.
My ex-husband worked in this little town.
He’d been on one knee.
He had a Maisey.
He was good at his job.
He was still hot.Bullshit.
