“Joe, I?—”
His breath is warm against my ear. “Please. Just five minutes of your time. I’ve been trying to talk to you all week at school.”
I’ve been purposely avoiding him, but I suppose it’s best to have this conversation now and get it over and done with. He won’t give up otherwise. “Okay.”
I don’t protest when he threads his fingers through mine and leads me in the direction of the kitchen. “I’ll be back in a few,” I tell my friends as we walk past them. Nikki arches a brow while Renee mouths, “Don’t do it.”
The sliding doors that lead to the wraparound terrace and rear yard are open fully, and several students from school are congregated outside. Gwen is deep in conversation with Scott, and he looks like he’s hanging on every word. I’m not surprised she’s already making her move. Interest in Scott is high since his summer transformation, and Gwen wants to end thecompetition ASAP. She has never been afraid to go after what she wants, and I admire her lady balls.
My bestie has gone all out tonight, wearing a figure-hugging black minidress I last saw hanging in my closet. The little minx. She must have pinched it when she was at my house this week. If she’d asked, I wouldn’t have said no. She regularly borrows my things, and I never mind because she doesn’t have a huge budget for clothes or cosmetics.
The dress isn’t as short on her, reaching her knees, but she makes it work with skyscraper heels and chunky jewelry. Her hair is in glossy waves, tumbling over her shoulders, and she’s gone full-on with her makeup, sporting smoky eyes and red lips. She’s a smokeshow, and it’s clear the strategy is working. Scott already looks like putty in her hands.
Maybe I should have worn a sexy dress and heels, I think as Callan steers me into the kitchen and I spot the gaggle of cheerleaders, all dressed up to the nines, crowding Callan and Thor. Everyone knows Thor is taken, so it’s obvious all that effort is for the new star center forward.
Callan’s gaze snares mine, and his lips curl upward before his fledgling smile fades when his eyes lower to where my hand is encased in Joe’s. I try to yank my hand back, but Joe tightens his grip, heading for the mudroom like a man on a mission.
“Out,” Joe barks when he opens the door, startling the couple making out against the side door that leads to the double garage.
The couple doesn’t question it, separating and leaving without saying a word. Honestly, the way kids at our school worship the football players is so wrong. Joe’s not even the QB, and people defer to him like he’s a god. It’s pathetic, and the players shouldn’t take advantage of it. Don’t get me wrong, Joe isn’t a bad guy, and he’s probably the humblest one on the team. I wouldn’t have dated him for nine months if he wasn’t, but he’s no saint either.
“That was rude,” I say as he shuts the door.
“So is avoiding me,” he retorts, leaning back against the counter and folding his arms.
“You’re right, and I’m sorry. I don’t want things to be awkward between us. We can be broken up and still be civil to one another.” I’m on friendly terms with all my other exes.
Silver-blue eyes drink me in from head to toe. “You look stunning, Asti. Still the most beautiful girl in the room without even trying.”
“Thank you. You look good too.” There is no denying he’s hot, but it didn’t take too long for the attraction to fizzle out. At least on my part.
Combing his fingers through his dark-blond hair, he lowers his gaze to my mouth, and I squirm, hating the way he’s looking at me. He pushes off the counter and reaches for me, taking my hands and pulling my body flush against his. “I miss you. I want you back.”
“No, Joe,” I softly say, shaking my head and removing my hands from his. I take a couple steps back. “We both know whatever chemistry we shared was long over before we ended things.”
Hurt splays across his face, and I feel like a bitch, but there is no point in sugarcoating things. I don’t want to get back with him. The truth is, I have barely thought about him since we ended our relationship in July.
“I didn’t end things, you did, and that’s bullshit.” He scrubs a hand across his smooth jawline.
Time for some hard truths. “I don’t say this to hurt you, Joe, but I’m just not into you anymore. What we shared has run its course.”
“Your judgment is clouded by grief, babe.”
My mouth hangs open in shock and outrage. He did not just say that!
“I never wanted to break up,” he continues, oblivious to my feelings, “but I know you were going through a tough time with your gran, and I wanted to give you the space you needed.”
He is un-fucking-believable. I told him clearly I wasn’t feeling it anymore, and this is nothing more than pure fantasy on his part. “Us ending had nothing to do with my grief,” I snap, working hard to leash my mounting anger. I should have ended things sooner with Joe, butMormorwas gravely ill during the last few months Joe and I were together, and she was my priority. I only broke things off with Joe a couple of days before we got on a plane for Sweden when the situation forced me into action. “If you’re honest with yourself, you know things were dead between us.”
He vigorously shakes his head. “That isn’t true. I love you.” He reaches for me again, but I cross my arms and glower at him. This is fucking priceless.
“If you loved me, you wouldn’t have spent all of August balls deep in Nina.”
He curses under his breath. “I knew that was it. Who told you?” His gaze narrows as he studies my expression carefully. “Did she say something? She promised she wouldn’t, and she knew the score, that it was only a fling until you came home and came back to me.”
He is so delusional, and I’m struggling to see what I ever saw in this guy. “Come on, Joe. Seriously. This is Ryemont. Did you honestly think you’d be able to keep that a secret?”
“I’m sorry.” Air whistles from his mouth. “She meant nothing. It meant nothing. It was just sex. I was heartbroken, and well, I hadn’t had any in a while.”
