Page 80 of The Heartbreak List

“Personally I think it would be a hell of a lot easier if you hadn’t come into our lives.”

“Unfortunately we are past the point where that was possible. I’m here for as long as your sister wants me around.”

“Then you better look after her.” He thrusts the heavy bag at my chest. “That’s Indy’s meds and some of her clothes. Give it a few days and I’ll collect the rest.”

“You have my word.” I toss it in the backseat of the truck as he opens the Tesla’s door. My phone starts to ring. I pull it out as he climbs into the vehicle. I’m not scheduled tonight. Why the hell is the bar calling me?

I discard the call and get into the truck. Indy is exhausted and I want to get her home. My phone vibrates to life a second time.

“Take it.” Indy rests her head on my shoulder.

Her warmth is what finally makes my jaw unclench. Worst dinner ever and I’ll do it again as many times as she needs me to. I decline the call. “I’ll just text and see what they want.”

“Okay.” She closes her eyes.

A message comes back to me almost immediately.

Work: Hey man, we need you to come in. There’s someone here asking for you. It seems important.

I put my phone away and shift the truck into reverse. “Do you mind if we stop by the bar on the way home?”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Indy

“Indy,wakeup.”

My eyes flutter open as Theo pulls the truck into a parking space outside the bar.

I shift my head from his shoulder and cover my mouth as I yawn. I must have passed out before we hit the end of the driveway.

The leather seat groans as he moves. Cold air replaces the warmth of being pressed up against him. His lips graze my temple. “I’ve left the heater on for you. Go back to sleep. I won’t be long.”

“Okay.” But I’m awake now so I rub the sleep from my eyes and watch him jog up to the bar. He disappears inside before I press my fingers to my aching skull. My stomach churns. Tonight has been a lot, and I need painkillers. The vial in my purse is empty. But there’s a bag of my stuff on the back seat. Gray might be angry but he will still have packed my meds in there.

I climb over the seat into the back. As predicted they’re all inside. He also packed clothes. My favorite pajamas and robe. Toiletries. The box my engagement ring came in.

I clutch the pink leather box to my chest as pain pierces my heart. Prying the two sides of the shell apart, I stare at the ring I had worn with so much affection this past year. Why would he put this in here? I hope it’s because he can’t stand to have it in his possession. Not because he’s trying to leave that door open between us. The only thing I hope is that we can recover some of the friendship we once had before I die. It seems so impossible.

I toss the shell back in the bag and dig around for the painkillers. Uncapping the bottle, I pour two into my palm and then return to the front seat for my water bottle.

After swallowing them, I collapse against the leather. Am I crazy for walking away from Gray at the eleventh hour? For bringing Theo into the disaster that is my life? Definitely. I’m destined to hurt them both. I don’t have a future. But they do. Acting like this…it’s selfish. Wild. Completely unlike me.

Theo exits the club with a woman. Their heads angle toward each other they head for a jet black BMW. She seems happy to see him. Animated and friendly. She touches his arm more than once in that short walk. He keeps his hands stuffed in his pockets, his expression tight.

They talk for a few minutes next to the vehicle and he softens. Even laughs.

Here I am drawing him into my mess. Acting like we’re starting something new. Like we could be happy. When every fiber of my being screams it’s not true. The bucket list. My time with Theo. Everything. At some point this all ends in heartbreak.

She moves in to hug him, and he wraps both arms around her and holds on tight. A bitter taste fills the back of my throat. I don’t know who she is to him, other than they must have history to act like this with each other. But maybe he could be happy long term with her. Or someone like her. And I wouldn’t blame him for choosing that over this temporary thing we have.

They step apart and he kisses her cheek. Reaching for the handle, he opens her door. When she climbs in, he closes it for her. The BMW leaves the curb before he trudges toward me and the truck.

I slither down in the seat when our gazes lock. Stare at my knees and try to ignore the heat in my face that accompanies the burning desire to know who that woman is. I should want him to be with someone like her, right? Instead of counting down the hours with me.

He opens the door and climbs in beside me. His hand rests on the bottom of the steering wheel as he takes a labored breath. He doesn’t say a word.

Like that night we ran into Nelson, I can tell he needs the time to compose his thoughts. We leave the bar in the rearview mirror. It kills me to bite my tongue. To not ask who she is. Or why she was looking for him. What does she want from him? Should I be letting him go?

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