Chapter Fourteen
Luke
Her words hit hard. I didn’t know what to say just then, but now that I’m in my car and I’ve had a few minutes to think, it pisses me off.
Me:I let you in. Literally. I never invite people into my home. That wasn’t enough for you, though. You always wanted more.
More than I could give.
I wait a few minutes for her to respond. She doesn’t, so I start up my engine and drive home. My anger increasing with each passing block.
I hear the ding of my message app and choose to wait until I get home to look. I need to focus on the road. Once I’m in my driveway, I pick it up and read.
Forever Girl:I’m sorry.
I’m sorry? What the fuck does that mean? What’s she sorry for?
Me:For what?
Forever Girl:For hoping.
Jesus.
* * *
I feel like shit.Like I’ve got the flu. Aches, pains, that kind of thing, which is weird because I don’t get sick. I eat healthy, relatively, and work out almost every day. I make it a point to at least get a run in on my treadmill. So the fact that all I want to do is sleep is troublesome.
I do the right thing and take the night off. I need to hire a couple more people so I’m not always relying on Chris. He’s got a full load of classes that aren’t easy. But I know he needs the money so that’s something, I guess.
Grabbing the pillow and blanket off my bed, I make myself comfortable on my couch. When I can’t find a damn thing to watch, I grab the remote for the DVD player and power it up.The Shiningstarts up, and for a split second, I feel a pang of something in my chest.
Maybe I’ve got a chest cold coming on.
I opt not to watch the movie that is forever going to remind me of the night I slept next to Tayler all night long.
God, I feel like shit.
Screw a movie. I just need to have something on in the background so I can sleep, finally. I need noise around me to make my brain stop working—to stop worrying. About what? I’m not sure. Something is definitely off with me.
I find an NHL game. The soft sounds of skates swishing on ice is all I need. Lying back, I cover myself and reach for the water I poured earlier. About to sip from it, I hear my phone chime. “Damn it.” I left it in my bedroom. “Maybe it’s Tay—”
Shut up, Luke.
Jogging into my room, I grab my cell and check it on my way back to the couch. I feel my body grow tight when I see the name on the screen. Shanna.
Shanna:Hey, stud. Long time no see.
Long time no see? No shit. That’s by design. I’ve no interest in seeing, speaking to, or even texting my ex-wife. So I ignore it. Until another chime sounds.
Shanna:I know you’re home sick.
She’s been to the bar. Fuck. I told her to stay away from Cy’s.
Shanna:Do you need anything, sweetums?
Sweetums?She used to call me that whenever she wanted something, and that was all the damn time, so…
I ignore the text.
