Page 56 of Whispers and Wildfire
I scowled at him. Again.
“I get it,” he said. “Before Fiona, if I had to see my ex all the time, it would have driven me crazy. And not because I wanted her back.”
“It wouldn’t drive you crazy now?”
“No. She doesn’t matter anymore.”
That was how I should have felt about Melanie. Indifference.She could do what she wanted—date who she wanted—and it shouldn’t have mattered to me.
But being there, sitting in a restaurant while she was on a date with some jackass, was absolutely driving me nuts. I couldn’t hide it. Anger consumed me. I wanted to grab the guy, drag him outside, and beat the crap out of him.
That wasn’t me. I’d never been one to start shit. Even when Evan and I had been cutthroat rivals, I’d never been this angry at him over anything. Not when he beat me out to get a client I’d wanted or a car I’d been hoping to buy and restore. Not even when Fiona chose him—definitively—over me.
I didn’t even know who I was mad at. The guy for taking Melanie on a date? Or at Melanie for… for what exactly? For being in my head and pissing me off?
I was angry at her for making me mad. That made a ton of sense.
My appetite was gone, so I crumpled up the wrapper with what was left of my burger in it. “I should get going.”
“Yeah, me too. Fiona and the kids will be home soon.”
My phone buzzed with a text. It was Jenna. Standing, I slipped it in my back pocket and gathered up my trash. Why had I been so hesitant about Jenna? It couldn’t have been because of Melanie. That made about as much sense as being angry at her because she made me mad. I didn’t have feelings for Melanie—not those kind, at least. She could do whatever the fuck she wanted.
So I would too.
I followed Evan outside and said a quick goodbye, then got out my phone.
Jenna:Hi! Just wondering if we could get together soon. My grandpa lives right up the street from me, so you could just come here first.
Me:How about I pick you up Friday at 6? I can look at the car, then we can go out.
Jenna:I’d love to. That sounds great!
Me:See you then.
I cast a glare at the Zany Zebra.Have a nice date, Mel.
CHAPTER 15
Melanie
I suckedmy chocolate milkshake through the straw, not really tasting it. It had sounded good when we’d decided to stop at the Zany Zebra after dinner, but Luke had ruined it.
He ruined everything.
Fortunately, he’d left. And Hank had been oblivious to his presence, and the fact that it had taken every ounce of my self-control to keep from telling Luke to stop messing with my very nice date. In my outside voice.
Because it had been a nice date. A great one, as a matter of fact. Hank was awesome. He was smart, interesting, funny, attractive. Great hair, warm brown eyes, chiseled jaw, nice smile. He clearly spent time in the gym. He looked fit and strong.
So why was the fact that he was objectively handsome doing absolutely nothing for me physically?
This was a problem. I wondered if I was broken. Had it been so long that my hormones had decided I was finished with things like attraction and arousal? Were my lady parts planning an early retirement?
We’ll just ignore the rush of heat I felt when I walked in and saw Luke. Nope. Didn’t happen.
The man who should have been giving me pleasant, tingly feelings was sitting across from me. And he just… wasn’t.
“Are you done?” Hank asked.
