Without acknowledging the man approaching us, Jesseasked in a low voice, “Do you know him?”
“I think so,” I repeated.
And then he was directly next to us. Past meetpresent. Life meet death.
It had been good while it lasted.
But it was over now.
Everything was over.
“Caro, I can’t believe it’s you!”
Lifting my chin in defiance, I turned to face Gus. Thesight of him was a slap in the face, a punch in the throat, whatever otheranalogies there were for feeling completely beat up at just the sight ofsomeone. It was Gus. Gus was here. Right here. I could touch him if I wantedto. He was here and I was here and my heart hurt looking at him.
I wanted to scream and run away and cry all at once.He’d had the advantage of seeing me first. He’d already collected himself. Ormaybe he was a better actor. But I started shaking. It was all I could do tokeep standing. After all this time, after everything I had done to ensure wenever saw each other again… here we were.
Our gazes collided and I thought I was going to besick. Something sharp and hateful flashed in his eyes, gutting me to my verycore, calling out my worst sins.
Betrayal.
I had betrayed him.
“Oh my God, Gus,” I said in disbelief, letting realemotion warp my tone, my voice hoarse and strained with the effort to speak. “Ican’t believe it’s you.”
His smile was wolfish, knowing. “I bet you can’t.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked politely, when Ireally wanted to scream, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE????
There was a weighted beat of silence before he saidteasingly, “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Do you know each other, Caroline?” Jesse askedbluntly.
I swiveled to Jesse, remembering that he was here. Oh God!I needed to get him out of here. Fast.
His arm was still across my back, his hand resting onmy hip. Gus tracked the subtle touch with a not so subtle raise of hiseyebrows, causing all the color that had drained from my face to return with hot,red vengeance.
“Caroline,who’s your friend?” Gus asked, still casual, still nonchalant, stillfrustratingly adjusted.
I could not speak. I mean, I tried. But the wordswould not leave my mouth. They lodged themselves in my throat and tried tostrangle me to death.
There was no way in hell I could introduce Jesse toGus. Or Gus to Jesse. Or that this was really happening and not one of my worstnightmares. I had to be still asleep.
Right?
This was a nightmare??
Right?!?
So instead of introducing the two men that had zerobusiness ever meeting each other, I flailed silently and tried not to pass out.
“I’m Gus.” He thrust out his hand and waited for Jesseto shake it, which meant relinquishing his supportive hold on me. “An oldfriend of Caro’s.”
“I’m Jesse,” my date said, finally taking hold ofGus’s hand. “This is some surprise. Caroline has never mentioned you.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jesse.Carolineis funny like that. Sheprobably hasn’t really mentioned anyone to you though, right? She’s private,this one. Secretive.” He winked at me like this was all in good fun.
But this was the opposite of fun. This was so fucking notfun.
