“No problem at all,” she murmured, flipping a waterfall of black hair over her shoulder. “I’ll have that right out for you—guys.” She walked away, ass rocking back and forth like a hooker on a dance stage. Korbin didn’t even blink again in her direction as he focused on me.
“So,” he said, resting his elbows on the table as he stared at me. The smirk he wore on his face was familiar, making him just as handsome as ever. I freaking hated that. I didn’t want him to still be so good-looking and charming. I had wanted him to hurt as much as I had been away from him. I wanted him to look sad, pathetic, and not like the person who had abandoned me that fateful night five years ago.
“So,” I repeated, making it a point to look away from him, pretending to focus on the decorations on the wall instead. The server was back to deliver our drinks, just as evident as before, but this time I cared more about the boozy daiquiri she set in front of me than I did her. As she walked away, I took a long drink, relishing the familiar taste of my favorite drink.
“Good?” Korbin asked, and I nodded.
“Better than good.”
“So, a physical therapist,” he continued. “It looks like you got everything you ever wanted.”
“You too,” I said, taking a sip of my lemon water and trying not to notice the muscles that jumped in his jaw when he spoke or the way his salt and pepper black hair looked so good I could have leaned across the table and run my fingers through it. “A firefighter. You stayed with it and fought for it, even after everything. Bravo.”
“I did,” said Korbin. “But that’s not important. Tell me more about your career.”
It was important enough to leave me over,I thought bitterly, but caught my tongue before saying it aloud. This wasn’t the time nor the place to hash it out.
“I love physical therapy,” I told him. “I meet many really great people, and the hours are better than they would be in another branch of medicine. I actually found out that I’m pretty good at mending broken bones…just not broken hearts.”
Korbin continued to look at me then, then he leaned over the table and rested his hand on top of mine, making me shiver. I almost pulled away. Almost.
“You too?” he asked. “You’re hurting too?”
“What do you meantoo?” I demanded, but Korbin shook his head and sat back against the seat, removing his hand from mine as he folded his arms over his chest with a sigh. I glared at him, suddenly feeling the ache in my jaw where I’d been clenching my teeth. In my pocket, my phone vibrated, alerting me of a new message. I took it out and checked it. It was a text from Jake.
I’ve been thinking about your smiling face since dinner. When can I see you again?
My expression must have changed because Korbin cleared his throat, narrowing his eyes at me. I locked the phone and slipped it back into my pocket, making a mental note to text him back as soon as this was over with Korbin.
“Peyton, I owe you an apology,” he said, pausing as the food was delivered. The server flashed icy blue eyes and a smile at him again, but he ignored her, his eyes still pinned on me, and a tiny slither of satisfaction crawled up my spine. Even when we were together, Korbin had been pursued by every eligible female—and male. I didn’t care at the time because he’d been with me, and no one else had ever caught his eye. He’d been loyal. So loyal, I wondered if it had been possible for a man to even be so trustworthy. But he had been. That was part of the problem, I guess. Korbin had been the perfect boyfriend in every single way, making the abrupt breakup much more shocking. It was difficult to move on when the one person you thought you could trust over anyone else in the world shattered that trust.
“You don’t owe me anything, Korbin,” I said as the server walked away, looking disappointed. I looked down at the plate in front of me, practically salivating over my macho chicken burrito. Any excuse not to have to look into Korbin’s eyes, and I’d take it. “I did well for myself even after you, you know. I know that must surprise you.”
“No, it doesn’t,” he said. “I knew you’d be better off without me, and look at you. You did it.”
I smiled a false smile and shook my head, wishing I could tell him exactly how I felt after he’d walked out on me right then and there. Devastated. Alone. Afraid. Angry. I’d moved to Chicago, alone and heartbroken, before deciding to move back to Denver. I had done it, no thanks to him, but it hadn’t been easy, and the void he’d left in my soul had never gone away.
“Well, don’t get used to me being around,” I said, munching on cheese-drenched nachos. “I’m going home as soon as humanely possible.”
Korbin said nothing to this, merely watching me over the table as I grabbed a few solid chips from the nacho platter and lined them up and down the top of the chicken burrito. I cut into it and took a bite, relishing the way the soft tortilla and shredded chicken complemented the slight crunch of the tortilla chip. Korbin chuckled, finally glancing down at his own meal.
“It’s cute that you still do that,” he said, cutting into his quesadilla. “I’ve never met anyone else who does.”
“I’m an innovator,” I said with a shrug, glancing at Korbin over my plate. He hadn’t taken a bite of his food yet. He stared at me instead, those insanely vivid ice blue eyes scanning my face, body, andsoul.
“You ever think about sticking around?” he asked finally, and I shook my head.
“Nope. And why should I? Like you said, I did well for myself in Denver.”
Yet again, no thanks to you.
“Do you ever miss it here?” Korbin asked, finally taking a bite from his dinner. I shrugged, keeping my face near the plate to avoid looking at him as best I could.
“I miss my mom,” I said. “She’s the reason I’m here now. Otherwise, no, I don’t miss it.”
Or you,I wanted to say, but I held my tongue. Korbin had essentially ruined Eagle River for me, but I wasn’t about to tell him that.
“How is Susan?” he asked, and I hated that he cared or even pretended to.
