Breaking Even (Sterling Shore 5)

He’s stolen my sanity. Yep. It’s gone.

“No. Not this time. Sorry, Ash. I’ll try to make the next party.”

I can actually hear her pouting from the other side of the phone as I cross the street to go to the drycleaners.

“I have

a date for you. It’s not going to be awkward. I can promise Rye will be on his best behavior if you’re worried about seeing him.”

“No,” I groan. Relentless matchmaker. Terrible, terrible matchmaker.

When I finally reach the other side of the street, my eyes lift up, and my heart sinks to my toes, cementing me to my spot on the sidewalk. Rye is about fifty feet away, and he’s not alone.

On the patio of a restaurant, he’s smiling and eating with a woman. And she’s leaning over, touching his arm, and biting on her lip very suggestively.

Sick. I’m so, so, sick.

I knew it would happen eventually, but I really didn’t expect it to happen just now. This soon. Four days ago he went and punched my ex on his way to get my car. Now he’s here. With her. A woman more suited for him than I ever was.

“Brin? You still there?” Ash prompts as I stare mindlessly at Rye.

He moves his arm from her grasp only to grab a bite of the dessert in front of him. He stands and moves toward a waiter, and I just watch. I watch as he talks to the guy and grabs the check. I watch as he hands him cash. And I watch as he returns to say something to the woman who stands.

I don’t watch him touch her, because I turn away from the sight and move toward my car again, abandoning my mission to collect my dry-cleaning.

“Brin?” Ash prompts again.

“Go ahead and set me up,” I murmur softly, holding back the onslaught of tears that are beating against the backs of my eyes.

“O...kay. Um... Great. I’ll see you in two days.”

I don’t say anything as I make it back to my car, and I hang up the phone. Once I drop to the seat, I put my head on the steering wheel, and I listen to the roar of a familiar engine. I look up just in time to meet his eyes, and he brings the bike to an abrupt halt.

Once upon a time I was a plain girl in an unimpressive car that no one ever noticed. But this man sees me even when I try to hide.

He pulls into the spot behind me, and I contemplate gassing my car and speeding down the street. But there are too many crosswalks, so a speedy getaway wouldn’t work out.

He pulls his helmet off and walks around to my window that I reluctantly roll down. He drops down to where he can see in, and I force a smile.

“Hey,” he says softly. “You just get into town?”

“I need to go the drycleaners,” I tell him, keeping my lips sealed about the leggy brunette I just saw him with.

“I’ll walk you,” he says while opening my door.

Shit.

“I can walk myself,” I grumble, but he ignores me.

Just as we go to cross the street, his date comes riding by in her Mercedes, slowing down as she approaches. I really want back in my car.

“See you at Tag’s party,” she says with a smile.

He nods and puts his hand on the small of my back as she drives off, and he guides me across the street. I don’t speak. Nothing would come out very friendly right now.

“That’s Hillary Barns,” he says, even though I didn’t ask.

I don’t want to know anything about her.