Page 2 of Basil

"They don’t mean it like that."

"You’re overthinking."

"You’re being oversensitive."

"They’re just teasing, Summer."

But it wasn’tteasing, it wasbelittling.

“Hey, Summer, how’s it going?” Gareth, one of Basil’s tech bro friends greeted me. His tone was slurred, and he was a mean drunk, I knew from experience.

“Good. And you?” I was polite, but I was also looking for an exit.

“Great.” He then insolently looked me up and down. “So, how’s the hippie business?”

Kill me now!

“It’s great,” I replied dryly.

“It must be awesome to be with Basil,” he slurred as he swayed. “Guy’s got a shit ton of money.”

Yeah, it was time for me to go home. I’d call an Uber and get the hell out of here. Basil expected me to stay the night, but that wasn’t going to happen. I’d had it up to here with his money-mad friends.

“You must have magic pussy that’s real tight if he’s?—”

“Shut the fuck up, Gareth,” I snapped and walked away with as much dignity as I could muster.

I was seething as I walked out of the rooftop lounge to get to Basil’s place, which was on the same level. I was still holding my wine glass, tight, so tight that I thought I’d break the stem, and a part of me wanted to. I wanted to scream. Make some noise. Do something to release this frustration inside me.

The man I loved hung out with assholes, who he refused to see as assholes, so what did it make him? Worse, what did it make me for putting up with this shit? It made me pathetic. It made me stupid. It made me a doormat. No love was worth this. I’d rather experience heartbreak than deal with these toxic people any longer. I didn’t fit into Basil’s world—not that his world had even tried with me—and that was that.

We’d been heading toward this moment for a while, and drunk or not, Gareth was proving to be the final straw.

Oh, I wish he’d been thelastbecause right after, theactualandfinalone struck.

2

YOU’RE SO INSECURE

SUMMER

Istormed into Basil’s condo with the intention of picking up my purse and overnight bag from his bedroom, but I didn’t get that far.

My stomach dropped when I saw Basil with Drew in the dining area, right by the floor-to-ceiling windows. She was on tiptoe, brushing her lips against his. His hands were on her waist, hers on his shoulders. Then her hand rested lightly on his chest, and his lips curved into a familiar, intimate smile.

Basil saw me and smiled. “Hey, Sunshine.”

Was he fucking kidding me?

Drew didn’t bother to step away, just turned so his hand continued to be on her waist. Granted, they were friends. Meadow was mine and she’d never kissed me onmylips.

I didn’t knowwhatto say.

Had I just caught my boyfriend cheating on me? And if I had, why was he behaving like this wasnormal? Did I miss something? Were we in an open relationship and I didn’t know about it?

“I just told Drew that I’m promoting her to COO.” He looked at his friend warmly.

And she decided to say thank you by kissing you on your fucking lips? I’m sure HR would have a problem with it, though your head of HR is out on your rooftop lounge getting drunk so what the fuck do I know? I just run a hippie store in Fremont.

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