Our Way

I’m weak as fuck when he’s around.

He cups my cheek in his hand and brings my face up to his. “But it cemented something for me.”

His eyes search mine.

“It’s you Eliza. It’s always been you. And I know that my love for you started out platonic, but you have owned me since the day we met.”

We stare at each other and, God, I want to take back the last six months. I want to throw myself into his arms and kiss and make up.

But I need to have some backbone and stand up for myself. “What are you saying, Nathan?”

“I love you. I will always love you.”

I stare at him.

“I want us to try again.”

“No.” I shake my head, the hurt all still too raw to even contemplate it. “I can’t.”

“Why not?’

“Because I can’t depend on you like I did. It’s not healthy to be as we were, and of course, we failed. It was a car crash waiting to happen. We know each other too well, Nathan.”

“That’s impossible.”

“I don’t want to get back together.”

He frowns, and I see a glimmer of his temper hovering just below the surface. “You can’t know each other too well.” He spits. “That’s ridiculous.”

“I want to be friends,” I announce. “I’m moving back to San Francisco next week.”

“You’r

e moving home?” he asks hopefully.

“No, I’ve got my own apartment.”

He sits back in his seat, affronted. “Well, this is nice, isn’t it?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I come here and lay my heart out for you, and you reject me again anyway.”

“What?” I snap. “Don’t you dare get angry with me for not jumping back into your arms.” I pick up my drink and take a huge gulp. I’m getting angry, too, now. Does he think I should jump into his arms at the snap of his fingers? “While you’ve been fucking yourself better, I’ve been devastated. So, forgive me for not wanting to jump back into bed with you, Nathan.”

He rolls his eyes. “How long are you going to throw that in my face for?”

“You know what?” I stand in a huff. “I’m not. That was the last time.” I turn and storm out of the bar. Who the hell does he think he is?

Nathan Mercer is still an asshole.

27

Eliza

I march up the sidewalk, toward the cab rank.

“I can’t believe I wasted my time even talking to him,” I mutter as I storm along. “Comes back here, says a few pretty words, and thinks I should drop to my knees and suck his second-hand dick. How many people has he fucked while we were apart? I’m done. So fucking done with him.” I’m banged hard on the shoulder by a man walking past me. “Ouch.”