An Ex for Christmas (Love Unexpectedly 5)

I feel a million emotions at once as Mark and I stare each other down across the crowd. Panic. Lust. Hurt. Anger.

Love.

I love him, and he’s just watched me kiss another man and agree to a date.

“Mark.”

I say his name. Or at least I think I do, but maybe not, because nobody else seems to respond, not even Colin, and even as Colin says something about giving me a ride, my eyes don’t leave Mark.

His leave mine.

Without a word, he turns and walks away.

Kelly Byrne’s Ex List: Version Eight

Jack Chance

Joey Russo

Chad Morrister

Doug Porter

Stephen Hill

Adam Bartley

Colin Austin

Damn it!

December 23, Saturday Evening

“Mark. Mark! Stop! Would you wait?”

My best friend doesn’t turn around, but I don’t stop chasing him.

And neither one of us so much as glances at the horde of people staring at us.

And don’t even ask me about Colin. I don’t know where he went, don’t care. I’ll owe him an email later, but Mark…

I owe him so much more than that.

“Mark. Damn it!”

I see a mom cover the ears of her kid and glare at me, and I feel bad, I do, but this is my heart on the line, people!

I catch up with him just as his hand is on the handle of the truck door. I bat it away, and he whirls around.

What I see on his face nearly takes my breath away. Anger, yes, but also hurt, hurt that’s so unabashedly undisguised that my own eyes water.

“I—” I realize I’m so ill-prepared for this moment. For this whole scene, really.

“What?” He shoves his hands in his pockets, shoulders braced against the wind and the increasing snow, and…me. He’s braced for hurt from me.

“He just showed up,” I say. “I didn’t tell him to come, I swear.”

“Did you want him to?”