Now that the pieces of the puzzle have fallen into place, I feel like the world’s biggest asshole.That’swhy she seemed to have a personality transplant overnight. Because I hurt her. Worse still, I hurt her with hollow words I never meant.
“You didn’t mean what you said, did you?” Carrie asks quietly.
“I…”
I don’t even need to wonder.
No.
I didn’t mean a single one of them. Amy matters so much more than I pretended she did to Adam. I was bullshitting him, all so I could feel like I was in control of the situation, but now I’ve lost her—and I only have myself to blame.
“You aresucha clown.” Carrie sighs, shaking her head. “What are you waiting for? Go fix this.”
“Amy, hold up!”
I gaze desperately across the parking lot, but without looking back, she raises her arms above her head and flips me the finger—a double “fuck you.” Next to me, Esteban chuckles to himself.
“I’m gonna let you in on a little secret, jockstrap. Me and Amy… What we’ve got is special, you know? And when I first got here, my plan was to get her back to Brooklyn—back where she belongs,” he adds. “I never imagined she’d be crushing on some uptight, shitty basketball player.” He waits a beat, dead-eyeing me. “Yeah. Surprise, bitch—as crazy as it sounds, Amy Hitman fell hard for you. And you don’t even give a fuck. She’s a fighter, you know? Her plan was to hang on in there and ride it out. I thought I was gonna have to go home alone like a loser.” He shakes his head sadly, before glancing up at me, flashing me a grin. “But I’m a patient guy. AndI’ma fighter, too.Ihung on in there and rode it out. And it was all worth it in the end.”
He sounds so casual. So cocky. And all that does is fan the flames flickering inside me, dissolving all the self-restraint I had been clinging on to until now.
I strike without thinking, sending my fist flying into his cheekbone, and when he crumples to the ground, I lunge for him, feeling arms wrap around me, pulling me back.
Esteban staggers to his feet, shaking his head. When he lifts his eyes to meet mine, they’re full of loathing.
“Get the fuck outta here,” Don snarls at him.
Esteban spits at my feet, rubbing at the blood streaming down his cheek.
“Let me tell you something, asshole,” he says, stepping closer. “Some wasted guy came after her. Fucked up her eye. That was Wednesday night.”
“What?”
“Yeah. You know—the night she spent waiting for you at the bar. The night you never showed. He was hitting on her, and she didn’t like that. She blew him off… And he came after her.”
Is he talking about the Java? I frown. I don’t get it—I messaged to cancel; told her I was heading to Charlotte. I rummage for my phone and scroll through the conversation, but I can’t find the message I’m looking for.Fuck! I was in such a rush, I must’ve forgotten.Did she stand there waiting for me? And then get jumped? But if that’s true, then why didn’t she call me?
I turn to the girls. “Did you two know about this?”
“No!” Lois shakes her head. “She said it happened at the shop.”
“Lucky for her, I was there to protect her. A shoulder to cry on.” Esteban winks. “I should be thanking you. You did all the hard work for me, and now she’s sure—she plans on leaving town.”
People are gathering around us, rubbernecking. A smirk flits over Esteban’s face. As he slopes off, I can feel my rage falling away, replaced by a thick fog of confusion, when suddenly, the familiar rumble of Amy’s Pontiac shatters the silence. I jerk my head up. There she is, pulling out of her parking spot.
Carrie yanks on my sweater. “You can’t let her just leave like that.”
“Run,” Lane urges.
I don’t need to be told twice. I go bolting across the parking lot, my heart pounding in my chest, slamming both hands down on her hood when I reach her, feeling the metal throb against my palms.
“Get out.”
Her eyes narrow behind the windshield, and though the engine roars, I stay exactly where I am, my eyes locked on hers.
“Get out.”
The car bounds forward, the bumper grazing my knees—once, and then a second time. The third time is a warning shot. She’s threatened to run me down before, and this time I’m sure she means it. I thump on the hood with my fist and leap to the side, watching as she goes flying down the street.
