“Glad to see you can still evaluate problems, Mr. Wolfe,” I reply flatly. “What concerns did you have about Heath?”
“You know damn well I have no issues with my kid.” His gaze flicks up to me, and I stop breathing. “Saw you and wanted to come say hi.”
“Hi,” I practically choke out. “And bye.”
I begin to round his body, but Micah’s words ground me to my spot. “Don’t make me touch you, Miss Vesper, because I will. Agnes and Maebelle are around here walkin’ around in everyone’s business and, with my luck, they’ll see it.”
“I don’t want to talk to you, Micah,” I say under my breath. “There’s nothing else to say.”
“There’s plenty to say,” he retorts evenly, but his voice is still a bit playful. “However, it’s not going to do me any good or change the fact that I hurt you.”
“You didn’t hurt me,” I scoff because my pride will not allow him to believe I’ve been sculpted in any way that has to do with him. “We were barely a thing.”
“Is it the same thing with Jonah?”
Mindlessly, I avert my eyes because I won’t be discussing Jonah or any other man I’m in contact with. Whether that’s grabbing my mail, my morning coffee, or stopping to have a random conversation.
Micah is not in my life anymore, and he’s never going to be again.
“He’s a good choice,” Micah continues through my silence. “Jonah and I went to school together. He’s smart, never really got into any trouble, a country boy through and through, neverwanted to leave home. Just wanted to stay in a community and help.”
“I wasn’t looking for your approval.”
“Well, you’re gonna have to get it.”
I’m surprised my neck doesn’t snap my head off when I look back at him. The sheeraudacityhe has going on with that commentary and his need to approach me after everything, I’m ten seconds away from either slapping him in the face or punching him in the throat.
“Excuse me?”
The corners of Micah’s lips hoist higher, a clear indication that he knows exactly what he’s doing here, and he has zero qualms about speaking his piece. “It doesn’t matter if we were together weeks or years, Sienna…any man that’s going to be putting his alleged time into you is going to have to show up and out for me not to put a stop to it.”
I glower at him. “You’re not going to approve of anything, Micah Wolfe, because I’m not your concern, I’m not your problem, and I’m a grown woman who can make my own decisions and handle myself. This has nothing to do with you.”
“It has everything to do with me when I wanted you first.”
My body rejects his comment because my feet move to throw some space in between us. “You’ve got a lot of nerve to be talking to me like you didn’t just slam your door in my face.”
His head drops a little, followed by his tongue pushing out his right cheek. “Bad night, sweetheart, and it’s not an excuse. I’m sorry?—”
“Saveit,” I grind out. “I’m not hung up on you. I’m notthinkingabout you. I don’t even want to be associated with you, but hey, I’m your son’s teacher. We only have a few more months until I’m not.”
“Well, half of that is a lie?—”
“Goodnight, Mr. Wolfe. Enjoy the rest of the?—”
“Sienna,” he grinds out, his tone dipping into this red zone of impatience and nonchalance. It’s confusing. And I’m not here for it anymore. “If you thought we fizzled out in one day, we didn’t. I haven’t forgotten about?—”
“I wish you would.”
I’ve never seen Micah speechless before, but for once, he just stares at me with a twinge of hurt and regret.
That’d make two of us.
I, for whatever reason, opened myself up to him barely knowing him, and I got burned.
I’m not doing it again.
Not with someone so fast and not withhim. Jonah hasn’t pushed for fast; he may still be navigating through it as I am, but I will not be burned twice in one year by a man.
