I stiffen and back away but try to pick up my mug nonchalantly. “Who?” I blow into the cup before taking a small sip.
But Trent’s not buying it and turns on me with a ferocity in his eyes. “You know who I’m asking about, Leslie. Don’t play dumb.” David. It always comes back to David.
“I don’t know, Trent. Honestly. I haven’t posted anything about it.”
“And he hasn’t reached out to you about it?”
“No, he hasn’t said anything. You know he doesn’t reach out at all, just comments on things.” Random weird things.
“And never misses your birthday.”
I wave a hand at him. “Oh, that’s just ‘cause he gets the reminders.”
“I don’t like him, Les. I hope you don’t expect me to be pleasant.”
“It was a long time ago. And you won, so you should be having the last laugh.”
“Except sometimes it feels like he’s just waiting on standby in case something happens between us so he can swoop in like last time.” Is that how Trent feels about the whole situation? I’m not sure what I’ve conveyed that makes him feel that way.
“Well, I don’t know why you’d think that because I’m sure that’s not the case. He’s probably married for all I know.” Actually, I know for a fact that he’s painfully single, if only because his social media reflects the life of a completely solitary character. The man doesn’t even own a pet as far as I can tell.
“Would it matter? Tell me right now, in all honesty. If he was single, and you ran into him at the reunion and he told you he was still in love with you, would it mean anything?”
“No.” But I answer too quickly. And I can tell that he was wanting me to really think about it by the way he deflates.
“That’s just your go to answer.”
“No, Trent, I mean it. There’s absolutely zero part of me that still has any thoughts or feelings about David.”
“Then why are you still his friend on social media? Why do you continue to let him comment on things and wish you a happy birthday?” That one stings. Because he’s right. There’s no reason for me to allow it to continue. I wouldn’t like if he was hearing the same things from an ex whatever. And David was somebody special to me at one point.
“You’re right. I shouldn’t still have him as a friend. At first it was one of those just catching up things, but now it is a little weird.” I put my hand on his cheek and turn his face to me. “Trust me when I tell you that I love you and only you. There’s no backup plan for me. It’s this or bust.”
He leans down and brushes his lips against mine before pulling back and squeezing my hand. A quick kiss to my palm and he turns back to the stove, but the pain still resides in his eyes.
Pain that I put there.
Why does he think I’m so perfect again?
Chapter 16
Eight Years Ago
TrentandIhavebeen back together for about three weeks. We ran into each other in one of the lecture halls. He was on his way out while I was on my way in. He waited ninety minutes for me outside of the building before I came out just so he could walk me back to my dorm room.
Then he kept waiting for me. Sometimes with coffee, sometimes with flowers. Rain or shine, it didn’t matter, he’d be there waiting.
Since he’d never really left my heart to begin with, it was easy to let him back in. After a few weeks of walking me back to my dorm and us chatting and getting to know each other again, he asked me out on a date. Of course, I said yes, and we’ve been a couple again ever since.
Things are easy, like they used to be. We spend most of our time together, including studying.
At the moment, I’m in his room with my head in his lap while he plays with my curls and we watch a romcom. He hates them, but he watches them to make me happy. He’s been doing a lot of things that I love that he maybe doesn’t lately. He told me he’s sorry for ever breaking up with me in the first place and just wants to make it up to me. And that means he’ll suffer silently to see me smile.
I laugh at a joke on the TV and his fingers falter in my hair. That’s my sign that something is bothering him.
Reaching for the remote, I pause the TV. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
