Page 20 of Burned By Love

Jonathan stopped moving and bit his lower lip.“I know he’s not.I still can’t do it.It’s not just that part of me thinks that he might be like Sal, but another part of me wonders why he should be with me.I’m a mess.I think I’ll always be a mess, and I doubt that I can be whatever West is looking for.IknowI can’t be what he deserves.Sal ruined me.”

“He didn’t.He was a dick, and he hurt you, but being hurt isn’t the same thing as being ruined.You pulled yourself together after you left him, and you continue doing so every day.You’re working on your fears, and that’s good, but you’re still allowing Sal to control you.He’sthe reason you said no to West.I know you like him, and you’ve been texting him like crazy.”

And now, Jonathan had lost him.There was no way West would want to continue texting him.Why should he?Jonathan had rejected him.He’d lost a friend, and he was going to miss West.

But this was better for everyone.Jonathan would have the opportunity to continue working on himself, while West deserved someone who wasn’t as wounded by his past as Jonathan was.He’d find someone.He was an incredible man—a firefighter, gorgeous and gentle.Who would say no to him?

The only person crazy enough to do that was Jonathan, and now that he had, West was out of his life.He already regretted it.

Chapter Seven

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WEST WOULDN’T SAY HEwas moping.He’d been a bit sad, but it was to be expected since he’d been rejected by the guy he had a crush on.Anyone would feel down in his place, and most people wouldn’t feel up to smiling and going on with life as if nothing had happened.

In the grand scheme of things, nothinghadhappened.It wasn’t the first time West asked someone out and was rejected.It probably wouldn’t be the last, either.

Jonathan had felt special.West didn’t know what it was about the man that had pulled him in the way it had, but even though Jonathan was out of his life now, West couldn’t stop thinking about him.It had gotten to the point where his friends kept looking at him in concern, which wasn’t conducive to them focusing on their work.

He wasn’t texting Jonathan anymore.In fact, his phone didn’t come out at all during work these past few days.When they weren’t out on calls, he spent his time either sleeping or cleaning around the station.He needed a distraction, but even cleaning the bathroom didn’t help as much as he needed it to.His thoughts were still firmly on Jonathan and what he’d said.

He hadn’t said that he didn’t want to go on a date.He’d said hecouldn’tgo on a date, and West couldn’t stop thinking about that.Why couldn’t Jonathan say yes?Did he want to?Maybe he had a boyfriend, although West didn’t think so.Jonathan wasn’t the kind of person who would’ve texted him as much as he had if he already had someone in his life.No, there had been more to it, but West would never find out because this was it.He wouldn’t bother Jonathan.He didn’t know if they could still be friends, so it was better to cut him out.If Jonathan wanted to talk to him, he knew where to find him.As much as West wanted to be Jonathan’s friend, he wouldn’t push.

“Okay, that’s it.”

West looked at Austin through the open door.He’d hoped his best friend wouldn’t find him in the closet.“What?”

“Why are you doing inventory?”

“Because it needs to be done.”

“Not that often.We did it last week, so it definitely doesn’t need to be done today.You’ve been avoiding me.”

“I’ve been working, which is something you should do, too.”

Austin looked around, then pushed past West and stuffed himself into the closet.It was a tight fit, especially after he closed the door.West had to press back against the door.He wished he could be anywhere but here.

“I know we’re close, but notthisclose,” he complained when Austin elbowed him in the stomach.

“I wouldn’t have to do this if you just talked to me.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“That’s bullshit.You’re not fooling anyone, let alone me.You’re my best friend, remember?I know when you’re down, and right now, you’re so down that you’re visiting the giant squids in the Mariana trench.”

West blinked.“I’m sorry?”

Austin caught West by the shoulders and gave him a little shake.“Talk to me.What happened?One day, you were fine and kept giggling at your phone, and now, you’re like this.You haven’t been texting Jonathan.”Austin hesitated.“Is it him?Has something happened to him?”

“I happened to him.”

“You’re going to have to explain that because I have no idea what it means.”

West sighed and thumped the back of his head against the door.“I went to the shop and asked him out like you pushed me to.It didn’t go well.”

Austin let go of West’s shoulders.“You mean he said no?”

“That’s whatit didn’t go wellmeans.”

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