“I get it.” Kenzie smiled, and her gaze traveled over her shoulder. Roxanne took a breath, prepping herself. She knew what was coming next.
“Where’s Jonah?”
“I don’t know. Home, I guess.”
“Oh.” She knitted her brows. “I thought he was coming.”
“Well, since you don’t see him, he obviously didn’t come,” Roxanne snapped. The words flew out of her mouth before she could stop herself.Such a bitch move.
Kenzie’s eyes widened, obviously taken aback. An apology was on the tip of her tongue, but Emory swept her in for a hug. She embraced her best friend, holding her a little tighter than usual. Emory pulled back, but Roxanne held on.
“Hey,” she whispered in her ear, caressing her back. “What’s wrong?”
Roxanne pulled away and shook her head. “Nothing, just a long day.” She drew in a deep breath. Kenzie and Emory were looking at her with concern. “Where is everybody?”
“Uh, kitchen.” Emory pointed over her shoulder, and leaned closer, lowering her voice. “What’s going on, Rox?” She clasped her hand. “Come talk to me.”
She wasn’t sure what’d come over her, but she yanked her hand away, and Emory flinched. “I’m fine, Em.”
She walked past both women, ignoring their stares. She made her way into the kitchen to find everyone spread out. She made a beeline to greet her dad, and he immediately spread his arms for a hug.How was it possible?After the biggest heartache of her life at twenty-six years old, the only thing that could make it slightly better was a hug from her dad.
He kissed the top of her head and whispered, “Are you okay, sweetheart?”
It was as if he could see through her mask. If she had any hope of making it through this dinner, she had to pull herself together. People broke up all the time. Technically, she and Jonah hadn’t been together all that long.So why does it hurt so much?
Roxanne had tried to keep her mind off him. She worked extra hours, got rid of anything that reminded her of him. She’d even taken the wooden art piece down in her office. She didn’t have it in her to throw it away. Instead, she tucked it deep into her closet. Having done everything humanly possible to forget the man, he was all she thought about.
She gave her dad a tight squeeze and let him go, turning to her family. She quickly glanced past her brothers. She was still working through her anger that they’d told Jonah about her meeting with them. It wasn’t the sole reason for their breakup, but it’d been a contributing factor. However, she wouldn’t ruin her father’s dinner by bringing it up. Eventually, they’d feel her wrath. Just not tonight.
She mustered a smile. “So? What did I miss?”
Sadie pointed to her father. “Your dad invited Pearl for the weekend.”
“You did?” This was the good news she needed. “When?”
“Next month.”
“It’ll be great. We can plan a big couples’ dinner,” Kenzie said, sliding into Bogs’ arms. “We’re thinking that Saturday.”
“Do you think that’ll work for Jonah?” Emory asked.
There was no escape from this. Her plan to remain cool and calm diminished every time his name was spoken. She was officially hanging on by a thread and about to snap.
“Or we could do Sunday if Jonah has to work?” Kenzie offered.
SNAP!
“It doesn’t matter. We broke up. So, looks like it’ll be a couples plus a single for dinner. Unless you're set on it only being couples, then I just won’t go.”
Bogs furrowed his brows and held up his hand. “Alright, Rox, settle the fuck down. She didn’t know.”
“Well.” Roxanne widened her eyes, dramatically. “Now, she does.”
It was an asshole move. Completely out of character for her.
Fuck!
Roxanne turned and walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs. She was a coward. Not only had she just gone full-blown psycho, but she didn’t even have the decency to apologize. Shewalked down the hall to her childhood bedroom and slid inside, closing the door. For the first time in days, she felt a little peace.
