“Oh yeah, he told me all about how selfish you were, all the shit you did to him. Let’s be honest, Juno, you’ve never been the type to make anyone happy or give them what they need. You’re just—” He gestured toward me. “—you. Though good job on losing some of that weight. I’m sure those two appreciate it.”
I swallowed hard to keep the bile creeping up my throat at bay.
“Just don’t ruin this for your sister,” he said with a disappointed huff. “Keep your bullshit in the background while you’re here, then take it with you when you leave.”
Someone approached, slapping him hard on the back—our old neighbor, maybe—yanking his glare off me. He should win adamn Oscar for how fast his face morphed into a wide, easygoing smile as he greeted the man with a laugh and hug.
Thankful for the interruption, I mumbled an excuse and bolted. With no destination in mind, I wove through the familiar faces eyeing me with disgust and pity, anxious for a reprieve. It was too much, the boisterous voices, bursts of laughter, plus the slightly too loud background music. The combination grated on my nerves, making me desperate for a quiet moment, any space to fucking breathe and get my emotions back under control.
Hair shifting side to side from my frantic search, I swallowed a whimper when I caught the glowing red Exit sign in the back. Already moving, I beelined toward the restaurant’s back door. Not breaking stride, I slapped both palms to the metal release bar and shoved, sending the door flying open. The cool evening air brushed against my heated cheeks, instantly soothing the fire burning beneath my skin. After making sure I was alone, I staggered to the side and slumped back against the brick building, almost too exhausted to keep standing.
I was so mad at myself, so angry that I allowed his words to hit the way he intended. The last few months, I thought I’d grown stronger, healed in ways I’d never imagined, and then bam, he said a few lies and it was like I was still that same, small woman they’d turned me into.
At least now I knew they were lies, but the words zeroed in on my vulnerabilities and struck deep all the same. Me being introverted and slightly socially awkward was an easy defect of mine for them to target. They made me feel unlovable and weird because of it. So what if I wasn’t the social party girl who everyone loved instantly? Was that so fucking terrible? Did being reserved and needing quiet space to recharge make me boring and undesirable?
My hair snagged on the rough brick as I rolled the back of my head to stare up into the cloudy sky.
Why in the hell did I feel the need to come tonight, or even tomorrow? I’d done so much healing, and now it felt minuscule compared to how far I still had to go. Maybe this thing with Langston and West was too soon. I needed to figure my shit out on my own before I could be what they needed.
I wanted them, yes, but was I ready to be in a relationship?
“What are you doing out here?”
I startled at the voice, too lost in thought to hear the door crack open. A concerned-looking Eric stepped out into the alley, carefully shutting the door behind him with a soft click. Brows pinched tight, lips in a thin line, he actually seemed worried about me. But the moment his blue eyes locked with mine, I saw the show for what it was.
“What are you doing out here?” he repeated. “I didn’t see you inside and got worried.”
Defenses up, I dipped my chin in a slow nod as I pushed off the brick and started inching toward the door, hoping to make a quick exit.
“One second you were talking to your dad?—”
“Stepdad,” I grumbled.
His head tilted to the side. “The only dad you’ve ever known, right? Don’t be too hard on him. He’s a man who tried to be a good dad. He didn’t know how to relate to girls.”
My nose wrinkled at that.What the fuck is that bullshit about?
“But yeah, he can be a bit of a hard-ass,” he said with a chuckle. I swallowed a curse when he leaned a shoulder against the wall, placing himself between me and the door. Both hands shoved into the pockets of his pressed slacks, he gave me a slow once-over. “I guess I understand you needing a break from all this. I’m sure being here, seeing me and Steph, is hard for you. I know it is for me.” When I didn’t respond to his ridiculousassumption, he continued on. “You’re different, you know. From when you left me.”
“How?” I asked, very curious to hear his observations. It would probably end up being hilarious.
Again, he slowly slid his assessing gaze up and down. A repulsed shiver raced up my spine at the desire that flamed in his gaze when he met mine. “Well, your figure is back, that’s for sure.” Leaning forward, he brushed a single digit along my thigh, but it was there and gone before I could say anything. “And I have to guess if you’re keeping two guys happy, then you’ve realized what men need from their girlfriends. That was always such a hard spot for us.” I pressed my lips shut before a frustrated scream escaped. “You just never wanted me like I needed; it was hard getting rejected all the time by you. That’s why I cheated, to finally be with someone who was as into me as I was her.”
“You’re blaming me,” I deadpanned. “For you cheating on me.”
He sighed and reached out to touch my cheek, but I jerked away. Lips in a tight line, he scanned my face. “Well, yeah. If I would’ve been taken care of by the woman I was engaged to, then I wouldn’t have needed to find release somewhere else. Men need sex, and you just didn’t want to be who I wanted you to be. And of course, there’s the whole….” He winced. “No one really likes you. They think you’re cold and not fun, which was hard to be around when everyone loves me.”
My jaw went slack.
He had to be kidding right now.
Pushing off the wall, he came to stand directly in front of me, his loafers touching the toes of my wedge boots. “But I think you see the error, how you needed to change to be better. You understand what it means to be good in your role.”
“My role,” I whispered, barely able to get the words out around the angry tears that clogged my throat.
“Yeah, as a girlfriend, fiancée, wife. Which is why I wanted you to know I’d do it.”
“Do what?”
