Irritation flares in my chest. Harley might have refused to be my real girlfriend, but I can’t allow Erik to talk like that about her.
Kazimir
You don’t know Harley.
Erik
You’re right. Make sure you’re not in the same boat as I am.
Erik
Get to know her before taking things to the next level.
Kazimir
Fuck off.
Erik
You’re about to get your wish. I just arrived at my next meeting. Signing off.
I glower at my phone as I reread our exchange.
Fuck, it’s been three weeks since Harley and I agreed to fake date.
My therapist’s words slam into me.
‘Do you think your reckless approach to relationships is because the woman who gave birth to you left you before you were six weeks old? You’re either rushing into a relationship or avoiding them altogether for long stretches of time.’
Living with my long-time infatuation has tilted my world on its axis. Fucking her was like a volcano exploding, shattering any pretence I was holding of drawing a line in the sand and not crossing it.
I wasn’t supposed to fall this hard.
Stupid, Lindstro¨m.
Yesterday, she kept saying she wasn’t good enough for me. She never said she didn’t want me.
Is she hiding something? Is that why she went from hot to cold in the blink of an eye?
Is she a walking red flag? Am I blind?
Am I repeating the same mistakes?
Am I opening myself to humiliation?
My mind whirrs.
Maybe I am being reckless. I shouldn’t have rocked the boat?—
“Well, if it isn’t my ex-husband.”
I drop my head back and groan at the ceiling.Why, God? Why?
“You can keep staring at the ceiling all you want, but I’m going nowhere until I get your attention.”
Might as well get it over with.
I turn around and flinch.
