Hating You, Loving You (Inked Hearts 4)

Ryan surveys the shop. At the moment, it's just the three of us. Walker is at lunch. Brendon is on vacation.

He looks to Emma. "Do me a favor, Em."

She smooths her dress. "Sure."

He pulls a ten from his wallet. "Grab a cup of coffee. Come back in twenty."

Her eyes go to the clock. "You sure you want to deal with him?"

"Who else is gonna do it?" he says.

"Fuck you." This is bullshit. I have an appointment in twenty minutes. I'm trapped here. I have to listen to his lecture.

I move to the Keurig in the lobby. Plug in a pod. Fill a cup with water from the cooler.

It's not like I'm gonna drink the shit tea this thing makes.

But I need some sort of distraction.

Ryan and Emma whisper. She nods in agreement then moves toward the exit.

"I'm sorry, Dean. I hope you two work things out." She pushes the door open. "Let me know if you need to talk." She steps outside and disappears in the afternoon light.

Ryan crosses the room to me.

He nods to the teal bench against the window. "Let's talk."

I stay put. "Let's not."

"What would you do if you were me?"

"Give you shit until you explained."

"So, skip the middle step."

It's a reasonable suggestion. But reasonable isn't appealing at the moment. Reason isn't getting me anywhere.

Things were good with me and Chloe. I was there. And now, exactly when she needs me, she's gone.

Reason suggests she doesn't trust me.

That, like everyone else, she sees me as a good time and nothing more.

Reason is my fucking nemesis.

Reason can die in a fire.

Tea fills the paper cup with a steady drip, drip, drip. It's total crap. It even smells like coffee.

Ryan takes a seat on the bench. Leans back. Rests his head against the window. "Never seen you this miserable."

"'Cause you haven't looked."

"I know you've been this miserable. But I've never seen you wear it with pride."

Pride is the wrong word, but he's in the right ballpark. I shrug. "Am I getting on your turf?"

"No." He folds one leg over the other. "Being an asshole isn't gonna get me to back off."