I cock a brow.
“The sight of blood used to make me lightheaded,” she goes on. “When the knife pierced my skin, I hit the floor.”
I look her over from head-to-toe. “It looks like you’ve worked through that. You’re steady on your feet.”
“It’s all smoke and mirrors. I’m going to grab a bandage and wrap this up.”
I step aside when she brushes past me headed back toward her work area.
I follow behind her, easily keeping up with her hurried pace.
Popping open a plastic container on a bench near the table, she yanks out a bandage. She unwraps it and has it around her finger in an instant.
Tossing the tissue and the bandage wrapper in the trash, she finally turns her full attention back to me. “How can I help you, Liam?”
I wish to fuck I knew. I left my apartment this morning in search of fresh air and I ended up in this neighborhood. I never expected to find Athena at work this early. She got stuck in the middle of a shitty situation last night because of me and I want to make that right.
I didn’t anticipate that Wren would pull the plug on our relationship. We had our issues, but we were working through them. I thought we were headed toward better times, not a breakup.
Waiting for me to answer, Athena rounds the table, being mindful not to step on any pieces of the broken vase.
I do the same. I follow her lead when she crouches to pick up the glass.
The heels on her black boots are less than an inch. By my estimate, she’s no more than five foot two or three. I’ve got more than a foot in height and a hundred pounds on her, but down here, face-to-face, we’re on a level playing field.
“You don’t have to clean up my mess for me,” she says.
Reaching for a large piece of glass, I huff out a laugh. “It’s the least I can do after wasting hours of your life last night.”
Her hand lands on my wrist, stilling my movements. “You didn’t waste my time.”
I lock eyes with her. I know kindness when I see it. “I put you in a bad position last night. I’m sorry about that.”
“Not bad,” she corrects me with a lift of her brow. “Awkward. It was awkward, but there was a bright side to it.”
Curiosity draws my brows up too. “I don’t see a bright side.”
“For me.” She taps a finger to her chest. “Not you.”
“Ouch.” I fight back a smile. “That hurt.”
She drops the jagged piece of glass in her hand. “Oh no. I didn’t mean that.”
A pink flush floods her cheeks. Studying her face, I realize that she’s not wearing much makeup. I’m far from an expert, but it looks like a coat of mascara and a dab of something shiny on her lips.
“What did you mean?” I question back.
“I connected with some potential new customers last night.” She tugs on the sweater, sliding it back up her shoulder. “One at the photo studio and another at your office.”
She must be talking about Audrey, but I don’t know if the other person is Wren. I won’t ask. I’ve never chased after a woman once a relationship is over.
Why waste my time on someone who wants me to go to hell?
Wren’s words in her note were crystal clear. I don’t exist to her anymore, so I’ll move on. Simple.
Picking up a piece of glass, I toss it into the wastebasket. “I’m glad to hear that.”
Biting the corner of her lip, she looks into my eyes. “I’m sorry about what happened to you last night.”
