“He’s not aboy, Bennett. He’s a man,” I snap, returning his glare with an anger to rival his own. “And I have no intention of hurting him. You should mind your business.”
Bennett is quiet for a moment, and after he studies me and my reaction for a ridiculous amount of time, he speaks again.
“Why now? You’ve kept to yourself perfectly fine. Why come out of your little hole now?”
I scoff, turning my attention back to the window as I watch the leaves fall from their branches. They’re almost bare.
“You don’t know anything about me. I don’t owe you an explanation. Go bother someone else, you don’t own Elijah or his time.”
I do.
“But I do know you, Rowan," he says. "I know that you’re weird and stuck up. I know that you think you’re better than everyone else and always have. And I know that you’re a fucking stalker.”
My eyes shoot back to his, and I find myself clenching my fists on the table. Bennett sees it, smiling widely at the reaction.
“Excuse me?” My voice is quiet, deadly.
“Oh yeah. I see you out there, hiding in your truck. Taking photos of him like a creep. Does he know? Is he aware that the guy he thinks is so nice and misunderstood is following him around, snapping unsolicited pictures of him?”Bennett seethes.
I can’t help the panicked, angry expression that overcomes my features.
“You don’t know anything—”
“But I do. And he will too, if you don’t leave him alone. I met him first, you know. From the moment I saw him, and he gave me those big, flirty eyes, I knew I’d have him. So you can either back off and let me have him, or I can tell him what a freak you are.”
I’m standing before I register my own movements. My face is inches from his as I sneer, my breath leaving in pants.
“Don’t fucking push me, Bennett. Elijah is not meant for you. Keep your hands off—”
“Row,” Marissa’s voice cuts in, her hand wrapping around my bicep gently. I blink, pulling my attention from Bennett as I look to my best friend. “You’re making a scene.”
She’s right. Mr. Grames and the younger couple in the corner are staring at me with wide, concerned eyes.
In this town, it doesn’t matter what has really happened. Bennett is the golden boy, and I’m the outsider. He’s successfully baited me, and I’ve lost.
“Have a great breakfast, you two,” Bennett smirks, backing away slowly. “And remember what I said, Rowan. No amount of money or skill with a camera can distract a man from what youreallyare.”
Then, he turns and heads back toward the kitchen, and Marissa pushes me back into the booth. Once she’s sat across from me, she glares in the direction in which Bennett fled.
“I don’t know what just happened, but I take it back. He isnothot. Are you okay?” she asks gently.
I shake my head, my eyes once again focusing out the window to my left.
I’m not okay. Not okay at all—because I will not be heeding his warning. In fact, I intend on shoving how happy I make Elijah right up his ass. So deep he chokes on it.
“About that groveling plan,” I say, and Marissa grins.
“Let’s start with another apology.”
We dive into how I’ll work out an explanation and an apology to give Elijah without having to break the news of our previousinvolvement to him, and I try my best to stay focused on the conversation.
But as a different waitress drops off our food, I can’t help but replay every word Bennett said to me.
Freak. Creep. Stalker.
Will he actually tell Elijah? A major part of me knows that he will. That if he sees us together, he won’t hesitate to out me. But if the alternative is Bennett getting his dirty hands on him, I’d rather tell Elijah myself.
Anything is better than losing Elijah—anything at all.
