Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 103061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
“I don’t know.” I blew my nose one more time and tossed out the tissue. “But what reason would he have for saying he lied? Just to mess with me?”
“No.” She thought for a moment. “But it seems kind of selfish of him to drop that bomb on you and run away.”
“I don’t think that was his original intention.” I went back to my chair and dropped into it. “I think he only meant to ask me if we could be friends and it . . . escalated.”
“Because being friends with someone you’re in love with always works so well.” Ellie checked the sandwiches and turned off the gas.
“He didn’t exactly say he was in love with me.”
“Based on what you told me, I think he made it clear.” Ellie lifted our sandwiches from the pan with a spatula, setting them on a wooden cutting board. “He loves you, but he doesn’t think he can handle being the guy who loves you. It’s fucked up, but it’s clear.”
“Yeah.” I sniffed. “This is a new one, huh? A guy breaking it off because he does love me, not because he doesn’t?”
“It’s not your fault,” she said loyally. “Those unavailable asshole types really know how to get under your skin.”
“I guess.” I fidgeted in my chair. “But he was so different than those guys. He wasn’t a selfish jerk. He sewed my dress, and he brushed my hair, and he cooked for me—badly, but he tried—and he’s so protective and brave and determined to be a good father . . . he isn’t an asshole deep down, Ellie. I know he isn’t.”
She eyeballed me over her shoulder. “Don’t tempt me to like him again. I don’t want to.”
I bit my lip. “He rescued children from a burning house.”
“Goddammit, Winnie.” Ellie pulled a big knife from the block on the counter and sliced each sandwich in half. White cheese oozed out over thick slices of bacon.
Despite my broken heart, my mouth watered. “What kind is this again?”
“This is bacon and brie with peach bourbon jam.” She licked her fingers. “And it’s so good, it’s going to make you forget all about hot single dads who rescue children from burning houses.”
“And sew.”
“And sew.” Ellie placed each sandwich onto a plate next to a pile of salad greens tossed with vinaigrette.
“And adopt cats.”
She grimaced as she set one plate in front of me. “And adopt cats.”
“And have magic hands and big dicks and give you multiple orgasms every time.”
Ellie shook her head. “You’re killing me.”
“Sorry. I had to get it out.” I picked up my sandwich. “But this looks delicious and it’s going to make everything all better. Dexter who?”
She laughed as she poured us more wine. “I mean, it might not give you multiple orgasms, but it is a damn good sandwich.”
After dinner, Ellie walked me out to my car and hugged me goodbye. “I’ll see you in two weeks,” she said, “and I’ll miss you like mad in between.”
“Same. Thanks for dinner—and for always making me feel better.”
“Of course.” Releasing me, she folded her arms over her chest. “You gonna be okay?”
I nodded, happy that my throat didn’t close up. “Yes. I have my family, I have you, I have my cat, I have a new job waiting for me—how much more can I ask for?”
“You can ask for anything,” she said fiercely. “And you’d deserve it.”
“Thanks.” I smiled and glanced up at the sky, taking a deep breath of cool autumn air. “I’ll try to remember that.”
“Win, I’m curious. If Dex had asked you not to take this job and make this move, would you have stayed?”
“Honestly, I don’t know.” I thought for a moment. “But it would have been nice to know that he felt strongly enough to ask for something big and crazy like that.” I laughed. “That’s how I want to be loved—big and crazy. Because that’s how I love.”
She nodded. “I know. Drive carefully, okay? And text me all the time.”
“I will. Love you.”
“Love you too.” She blew me a kiss, and I drove away.
The next morning, I left my parents’ house bright and early, kissing them goodbye and setting out for my new life, determined to leave my broken heart behind.
Twenty-Five
Dex
The crunching woke me even before the shit-talking.
Through the haze of a dream—in which I was trying to climb a tree to rescue Freddie Purrcury, who just kept jumping from branch to branch—I heard the crackle of a bag and then loud munching. Were those little shitheads eating chips for breakfast?
“Daddy’s earlobes are funny. Don’t you think?” Crunch, crunch, crunch.
“Funny like how?” Luna asked.
“I don’t know.” Hallie stuck something in her mouth and spoke around it. “They’re just so big and lobey.”
Luna giggled. “Yeah.”
More crackling of the bag. More crunching. And if I wasn’t mistaken, I felt some crumbs drop onto my chest.