When I was dating Kyle, seeing him wrapped around his gorgeous best friend would’ve been my worst nightmare. I’d always been uncomfortable with their relationship; he’d always convinced me to trust him anyway. But that night, when Sophie’s husband sent me that text, I went straight down there to see it for myself. And I’m glad I did, so there could be no misunderstanding here.
I will always be grateful to Pete for having my back like that. For saving me from making the mistake of seeing potential with Kyle, holding on, when there was no reason to. The way Kyle treated me when he broke up with me and ricocheted into the arms of the nearest hottie made it clear that he didn’t really care.
While I was hurting, he was getting laid. And when I confronted him about it at the bar that night, all I got was more arguing.
I didn’t get an apology that night, or any day since.
“I’ll pack up your mom’s wine glasses, too,” I tell him coolly. “She wanted them back.”
He follows me into the kitchen, where I start wrapping the wine glasses in paper towels to protect them, and tucking them into the bag with the records.
“Sierra. Jesus.” He scrapes a hand through his hair. “You’re not making this easy for me.”
In my head, I hear Mason’s tortured voice that first night in bed, and a shiver runs down my spine.You’re making this so hard for me.
“I don’t need to make this, or anything else, easy for you, Kyle.”
“But I’m trying to tell you ... Estella and I split up. It didn’t work out. We’re not together.”
I take a deep breath.Thisis what he wanted to talk about so badly? Not us, buther?
I realize he wants some reaction from me, but I literally have none to give.
“I’m sorry,” I say flatly. “You guys made a good couple.”
“Come on, Sierra. It doesn’t have to be like this. I never cheated on you with her.”
“I’m not going to argue the finer points with you, Kyle. Let’s just agree to disagree about how loyalty works.”
“I just think ... it’s a shame to toss away three years.”
“Yeah. It is a shame.”It’s a shame that I wasted them on you.I bite my tongue on that, because there’s no reason for us to be enemies. We have a history, but that’s all it is. “But it’s over now. And I need to move on. Because I deserve better.” I turn to face him. “Honestly, we both do. We weren’t good together.”
“How can you say that?”
“Because that’s how I feel. And maybe it’s not your fault that I never told you so. But I’m telling you now. With you, I always felt like I was trying to do some overly complicated yoga pose that I could never quite get into, you know? Or trying to squeeze myself into a dress that didn’t quite zip up, only because it was expensive andyouliked it, and that meant I was supposed to like it, too. But the whole time, the real me kept trying to fall out, and I just wouldn’t let her.”
“What are you talking about, Si?”
“I’m talking aboutme. Because that dress never fit, and no matter how much I try to fix it, it never will. Because it was never supposed to. So, it’s time to unzip that dress and see what’s underneath.”
His gaze flickers down my dress.
Oh my god. He doesn’t get it.
“I’m not talking about getting naked, Kyle.” I sigh, frustrated. “I mean, I kind of am, but not the way you think. What I mean is ... it’s time for me to get on with my life. The lifeIchoose. And it’s time for us to say goodbye.”
He blinks at me. “You really mean that.”
“Yes, Kyle. I really mean it.” I hold out my hand. “Can I please have my key back?”
He frowns.
Then he digs in his pocket. He works the key off his keychain and holds it over my hand, but hesitates there. When his eyes meetmine, there’s anger in them. Contempt. Resentment, disbelief, and disapproval.
But it doesn’t bother me like it would have in the past.
“You’re going to regret this,” he informs me. He presses the key into my hand, then seems to be waiting for me to cave or something.
