“No,” he insists. “I’m not breaking up with you on your birthday.”
I blink as it slowly dawns on me.He wants to be the good guy. He brought me to this nice restaurant and is feeding me excellent food for a reason. He’s dumping me over the entrée so I’ll have dessert to console myself with.
And the restaurant review site will pay for all of it.
I’ve been thinking things weren’t right with our relationship, but an ambush on my birthday? Especially when he’s been saying, “Love you, babe,” every chance he gets? I’m starting to feel annoyed at being lied to and manipulated. Pain and humiliation slide into my chest like jagged glass. He must’ve laughed at me behind my back for allowing him to manage me with meaningless professions of “love.”
“Then why do we need a ‘breather’? You’ve been saying you love me constantly.” My voice is dry to hide the anger and hurt.
“You don’t have to remind me. I’m not senile,” he says tightly, obviously irritated I’m arguing. “But that was before I met Dana.”
Dana?“Before or after you said, ‘Love you, babe,’ this morning?” I press.
He scowls. “I don’t know why you’re upset that I was being considerate.”
“Considerate?”
“Obviously I can’t say, ‘I don’t find you attractive anymore, babe,’ when I’m trying to be nice to you. I was telling you what you wanted to hear.”
His final statement slaps me into utter silence. It’s one thing to realize he’s been lying and manipulating me, but another to have it confirmed so baldly. He doesn’t even seem sorry. He’s scowling likeI’mthe one at fault.
I wish I could freeze time and come up with the perfect comeback. I can’t believe I thought we might still be able to fix our relationship because he loved me. Did heeverlove me? Or was it just something he said to control me from the very beginning?
“Anyway, you would understand if you met her.” His eyes go soft. “She’s perfect. Promotes breweries and other local businesses on Instagram. You might recognize her if you saw her photos.”
“Are you talking about DanaMincer?”
“Yeah. You know her?” A smile splits his face, and his chest puffs out. He’s obviously full of pride for Dana’s fame. Suddenly, I realize with painful humiliation that he’s never had that look when he talked about me. “She’s just a better fit. The kind of woman I need to be seen with. You’re a great girl, Molly, but you just aren’t right for my personal brand.” He makes a wry face and puts his hands out, palms up.Surely you understand, don’t you?He couldn’t be more eloquent.
Owen might as well stab me with his breadknife. The dull ache in my chest spreads.
You have to make men shine if you want to hang on to them.
Dad’s voice rings in my head. If he finds out what just happened, theI told you sos will never end. If only I were hotter, had a more engaging personality, more charisma—if only I were more like Mom—Owen would never dump me. Especially on my birthday.
“I’m trying to help by letting you know sooner than later,” he says. “Now you can find somebody who suits you better while there’s still time. The clock’s always ticking, right?” Sincerity oozes from him. He could be citing the Bible for all the grave earnestness he’s projecting. “When you look back ten years from now, you’ll thank me.”
Thank him?More like curse him.
As I stare at his smarmy, I’ve-done-nothing-wrong face, I realize I let him use me for far too long because he said, “I love you.” I was too emotionally invested because he was my first boyfriend to say it, and I wanted to feel loved more than I realized.
“I gave up my apartment.” My voice cracks with yet-to-be-fully-processed shock. Out of all the things swirling in my head, this seems most urgent somehow. After all, I can’t possibly live with an ex who dumped me because I wasn’t good enough for his “personal brand.”
Owen’s face grows lax with faux thoughtfulness. “I’m not a complete asshole, Molly. You know me better than that.”
“Do I?”
He acts affronted. “You can stay at my place until the end of the month. Give you time to look for a new apartment.”
“The end of the month? Are you kidding? That barely gives me a week!”
He gives me the open hands again. “Dana wants to move in next month. I don’t want to upset her.”
My face heats with humiliation. As the initial horror dissipates, I’m starting to register certain things. The mild condescension in Owen’s expression. The pity and contempt in his gaze, like he’s been slumming all this time and now he’s done screwing around with somebody who’s beneath him. Confidence shines on his face. He’s convinced I’m going to give in gracefully. I’m the kind of girl who knows her place, her social ranking. I’m bound to retreat meekly and spare everyone an embarrassing scene.
The knowledge throws gas on the fire burning inside me. I’ll be damned if I do what he wants.
“I can’t believe you.” My hand wraps around my knife as I struggle with an intense desire to throw it at him. It isn’t that he doesn’t deserve it, but I’m afraid I’ll miss and hit an innocent diner.
