His ex stood close to him.She broke in to speak to half the people, and every time she did, Josh’s shoulders sank.
I did not like the woman.
“Do you want to get food?”Sage asked, dragging me back to the table.
I smiled at her and nodded.“Sure.I could eat.”
The three of us wove through the tables, stopping to say hello to people Ashlyn and Sage knew.They introduced me to everyone, and it wasn’t long before all the names and faces ran together.I met too many people to keep straight, and I was good with names and faces.
We returned to our table and found that a few others had joined us.I accepted thewelcome to towngreetings from everyone.As they all fell into conversations I didn’t follow, I watched Josh.
In the days after I saw him with Hannah, he shared that she was a good mother but demanding.He never said anything outright bad about her, and watching them together made me wonder if he was still in love with her.He said he wasn’t, but if she left him and remarried, he could be hiding his feelings.Was that why he’d never dated?Why he was still single?I didn’t really know what happened between them, and the more I watched them, the more curious I was.
Which meant it was time to go.
I leaned over to Ashlyn and said I was going to take a break in the house, using the heat as an excuse.She nodded, then continued her conversation, leaving me to escape alone.
I was a coward, but I couldn’t help it.I was not looking to get involved with a man who wanted someone else.It hurt that he flirted with me, lied about his ex, then kissed me and made me feel like he wanted me.Then he disappeared for weeks and pretended not to know me.It was better to just stop thinking about him.
When the door opened a while later, I didn’t bother to leave my room, knowing Ashlyn would find me.She poked her head in, then walked over and sat on my bed.“You okay?”
“Yeah.Just warm and didn’t know anyone, so I figured I’d hide in here.”
“I’m sorry.I didn’t really think about how you’d feel being at a party for someone you’ve never met.Especially when your one and only encounter with her father was less than positive.”
I nodded, avoiding her gaze.
“People are leaving.I was going to put on my pajamas and watch a movie.Want to join me?”
“Sure,” I said, smiling and swinging my legs off the bed.“What are we watching?”
“Something about men who don’t cheat and women who get lots of orgasms.”
I snorted.“Definitely fiction.”
Ashlyn laughed loudly.“Yeah.”
I wokeup early the next morning, as always.I debated staying inside, but I refused to let a man influence my choices.Josh didn’t own Ashlyn’s property, and he didn’t get to control what I did.Besides, he hadn’t shown up in weeks.I wasn’t going to avoid the sunrise because he might see me outside.
I grabbed a blanket and walked out, curling up in a chair near the fire pit.The tables and chairs from the tent were all gone, stored or removed after the party while Ashlyn and I watched a movie.It gave me a little relief that Josh had a late night and was even less likely to be up early.
That hope was dashed when I heard a door close and saw him walking out of his house.He carried two mugs and headed my way with a look in his eyes that I couldn’t read.
“Hey,” he said, offering me a mug.
I took it.“Hey.”
“Can I sit?”He gestured to the chair he usually occupied.
I shrugged.“It’s up to you.”
“You’re mad.”He sat, placing his mug on the table between us.
I shook my head.“No.I’m confused.A little hurt.But you didn’t make any promises to me, so I have no right to be mad.”
He drew a deep breath and leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees.“I should have come out here over the last two weeks.”
“No.Don’t do that.Don’t start with things you think you should have done.I’m too old for games, Josh.”
