“A word of advice if you decide to come here alone: don’t sit at table number four,” Bree said. “It’s the booth in the corner over there.”
I looked at the booth, then back at Bree. “Why not?”
Lowering her voice as we headed toward a different booth, she replied, “Kyle had sex with the owner’s daughter on that table.”
I screwed up my face. “What? That’s disgusting.”
Bree chuckled. “Exactly. The owner, Tess, apparently didn’t let Kyle in for like four or five years. Did I mention she caught them in the act?”
I laughed. “I’m surprised she even allowed him back at all.”
“I’m pretty sure he laid on some heavy-duty charm to get back into her good graces.”
“Must have.”
We both slipped into the booth and a young waitress walked over and handed us our menus. I took a quick glance around and saw there was only two other people in the restaurant.
“Hey, Bree. How’s it going?” the waitress said.
Bree smiled. “It’s going well, thanks, Melissa. Where’s Tess today? I don’t think I’ve ever been here and not seen her.”
Melissa smiled. “She took the day off! It’s a big secret why, but I’ve got a fifty riding on her going on a date today. There’s an older gentleman who’s been coming in a lot lately. He lives up the valley some. They flirt. A lot.”
Bree chuckled. “I hope she is seeing someone.”
“So do I,” Melissa said before she swung her gaze over to me. “What can I get you to drink, sir?”
I let out the breath I’d been holding in. “I’ll have a Diet Pepsi.”
“Diet Pepsi? When did you start drinking soda?” Bree asked.
With a shrug, I replied, “A couple of weeks ago. I think it’s some weird phase.”
“You know,” Melissa added, “if it’s the carbonation you like, you should try Waterloo sparkling water. The black cherry is to die for.”
“No, it’s not the same thing. That stuff tastes like shit,” Bree stated as she shook her head and folded her arms over her chest.
Whipping her head to look back at Bree, Melissa gasped. “You’re kidding me, right? Tell me you’re lying right now.”
“Nope,” Bree said, popping the P. “That stuff is gross.”
Melissa turned back to me and leaned in closer. “Don’t listen to her. It’s way healthier for you.” Straightening, she grinned widely. “I’ll get your drinks and be back for your order.”
Bree handed me a menu. “She didn’t ask what you wanted,” I said.
With a chuckle, Bree replied, “You’re in Boggy Creek now, Luke. It’s a small town, and when you come to the same diner at least three to four times a week, they know what you drink.”
I glanced at Melissa who was making our drinks and chatting with an older gentleman at the counter.
When I looked back at Bree, she was staring at me. Something was off with her expression. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
She cleared her throat before she spoke. “This is the first time we’ve ever walked into a restaurant together and sat down in the open. We didn’t slip in from the back kitchen area to a private room or meet in a dark corner after arriving separately.”
My heart dropped, and all I could do was nod until I got my emotions in check. I hated that I assumed everything had been okay with us. That Bree would have been fine going on as we had been, while I lived the best of two fucking worlds. “I’m sorry, Bree. I’m sorry I made you do that.”
She shook her head and let out a bitter laugh. “You didn’t make me do anything. I went along with all of it because I wanted to, until…” Her voice trailed off, but then she smirked. “In case you’ve forgotten, I broke up with you.”
With a slow shake of my head, I replied, “No, I haven’t forgotten at all. There hasn’t been a day that I haven’t thought of you.”
She raised a single brow, her face void of any real emotion. “Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t seem to have a problem turning and walking out of my office that day.” She sniffled and quickly wiped at a tear before she sat up straighter and whispered, “I’m no longer that woman you so easily walked away from.”
I felt a pain so sharp in my chest, I could hardly breathe for a moment. It took me another few seconds to find my damn voice. “First, walking out of your office that day was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, Brighton. There wasn’t anything fucking easy about it. You gave me no choice. I tried calling you, I texted you, but you wouldn’t even let me explain. Then you demanded I leave.”
Her expression remained the same, so I went on.
“The entire time we dated, I lived in fear.” My words caused her brows to pull together. “Fear of letting the outside world into this perfect dream I was living. I wanted to believe everything was okay, that you were okay with how things were, that I was okay with it…when nothing could have been further from the truth.”