“You heard me. She’s been wanting to get you with one of us ever since she met you. Honesty, she was starting to worry.”
I gasped, “Then why the hell did she encourage this date when I told her about it? Why in the hell does she act like she’s cool with Carter and I spending time together and then be bothered by it at other times? Why the hell, when we go to the city to a few bars, has she tried to get me to talk to any of the guys?”
Garrick smirked, “Honey, if you can’t see that she’s showing you different types of men that are so far unlike Carter, then you’re crazy.”
I paused then.
Because that was true.
And at that, I narrowed my eyes up at him, “And how would you know that?”
He rubbed the back of his neck as his cheeks got slightly pink, “Well.... you see...”
I felt my eyes narrow into slits, then I pulled my phone back out and called Carter.
He answered on the second ring, “You with Garrick?”
I snapped, “Not yet. Why do I get the impression that you’ve mentioned me finding a man with Talia?”
“Because I’m not worthy of you, and you deserve better.” He said so low I almost missed it.
But I heard every single word.
And him thinking he wasn’t good enough was a bunch of bullshit, which was why I snapped, “Yeah, that conversation you wanted to have, don’t fucking bother with it.”
He chuckled, “Harlee Belle, let me...”
I growled wine wine-lidded brain for the epic embarrassment I’m about to have, “No. Damn you, Carter Alexander Griggs. No. I’ve been madly in love with you since I was seven years old. Seven. Years. Old. And what? Y’all think it’s funny to cram men in my face as if to say, well, it’s clear Carter doesn’t want you because you aren’t good enough for him, so how about we show you the men that you are good enough for.”
“Harls,” it was that pained tone that did me in from my best friend, who I didn’t know had come in.
I hung up, pulled my wallet out, and pulled some cash to pay for my meal, only for the waitress to say, “Oh, honey, your meal is covered.”
I narrowed my eyes and then snapped at the nice woman, who wasn’t so nice right now, because I understood what she was saying.
Carter had done that.
I threw the money on the table and said, “Nobody takes care of me. And especially not some man who I was stupid enough to put on a pedestal and would lay my body down on the line for, and his family thinks I’m not good enough for him.”
And with that, I walked out.
Ignoring Garrick.
Ignoring Talia.
Ignoring my vibrating phone.
I walked home.
Thankfully, I didn’t live too far from Milagros.
And in the morning, I would more than likely feel like shit for blowing up at him while he is working, because nothing needs to be in his head other than work, even more so when you are one hundred plus feet down in dark depths.
Talia
I looked at Garrick and then winced, “I feel like shit.”
Garrick took his eyes off the road for a second and looked at me. “Yeah, me too.”
