“This is Logan. He’s justdropping me home,” I said, nudging Logan’s foot under the table in the hopesthat he’d save me.
“Ashley was just telling mehow good the eggs are,” he said cheerfully. “And how pretty the waitress is.”
Despite the fact that Loganwas clearly full of shit, Margery blushed. I thought maybe shehadbeenpretty when she was younger—her bone structure was good, and her eyes were thekind of bright, clear blue people would have killed for.
I had no particular opinionnow. Margery had never directly done me any harm, but no one in this town wasinnocent. They all worked together to make it the suffocating place it was.
Not even on purpose, andthat was almost worse. They were like this because they didn’t have theimagination to bebetter.
I could feel the wallsclosing in on me, endless Saturday breakfasts in this place with… who? My sister?Did I have any friends left here, or had they all gotten out?
Had Ieverhad anyfriends, really? I couldn’t think of anyone I was desperate to see.
As if the universe had heardmy thoughts and decided that I wasn’t suffering enough, the door opened and fourpeople crowded through. Two adults, one excited toddler, and a baby in itsmother’s arms.
One of the adults was MikeEverly.
The other was KateyFellowes.
My stomach sank.
Logan ordered for both of uswithout consulting me, which was a small mercy. Margery went away.
I tried not to look at Mikewhile I watched him herd his little family into a booth, grinning at thetoddler—a girl, in a pretty yellow sundress with ribbon roses circling thewaist, her mousy-brown hair tied in pigtails.
Mike and Katey had gottenmarried.
Mike and Katey hadgottenmarriedafter Mike’s big speech to me about wanting to see the worldand meet other people and not be stuck with his only option.
He’d married the other option.
The thought stuck in mybrain, turning around and around as panic rose in my throat. Mike was married,and he had two tiny children, and he was laughing and happy.
And I was sitting herefeeling like the world was ending.
Prom night all over again.Mike happy. Mike happy with agirl, the one thing I could never be. Itwasn’tas if I wanted him anymore, it wasn’t as if I had anyreasonto be jealous,but…
“Imustlike you,” Logan said,cutting through my panicked thoughts with his warm, even voice. “If I’m gonnasit here and drink bottomless filter coffee while you eat breakfast.”
I opened my mouth torespond—to laugh at the joke, to make a smartass comeback,anything—butnothing came out.
“Ash?” Logan’s brow creasedas he leaned closer, reaching out to me. “You okay? You’ve gone pale.”
What if, six years from now,I ran into Logan with a wife and two kids?
The thought made me feelsick.
I knew I was going to losehim, but the thought of seeing him years later at the head of a happy familyhurt. Cut deep.
I didn’t care that Mikewas married. I cared thatLogan was leavingand I couldn’t do a goddamnthing about it.
“Mike,” I said, wishing assoon as I did that I hadn’t. Logan’s face darkened.
“Where?” he asked, turningaround before I had a chance to say anything.
“Blue t-shirt. Wife and twokids.”
As if he’d heard me, Mikechose that moment to scan the diner, his gaze connecting with mine as it sweptthe room.
