Page 59 of Broken

The only way I can prevent it springs to my mind. It’s time for him to tell me his truth.

His eyes are harder than I expect when I do face him. Why? What is he thinking? Probably that I’m an idiot, like everyone else in my life. The only person who has supported me is my best friend.

“Did you love her?” I blurt out.

A long moment of silence passes. I shouldn’t have asked that. I have no right. I don’t even want to know the answer.

“I did,” he says, letting his hand drop. “Very much.”

Did…

“Calli!”

We both look up the slope at the sound of my name being called. It’s Ruby, hugging Lucky to her side, they’re both laughing and Ruby trips, almost taking Lucky down. They’ve had too much to drink.

“Come on! We’re going to the club!” Ruby yells again.

“Yeah, come on!” Lucky holds up a hand with a bottle in it and whoops.

Behind them, the rest of the group are laughing and chatting, some of them are gathering up their things. Sin is off to the side pulling her hair up into a ponytail as she watches me. Well, now everyone knows I’ve been down here talking to Garrett. God knows what kind of questions I’m going to be asked when I get back up there.

There is no point in asking if he is going to come along. He won’t. There are things I need to work through after this conversation. He meant it when he said he loved the woman in his sketch pad. I’m not sure how to feel about that.

A buzzing sound distracts Garrett. He takes his phone from the back pocket of his jeans and glances at the screen. He frowns but answers. “Give me a sec,” he says into the phone. “You should go,” he says to me.

Before I make any kind of move, he puts the phone back against his ear and walks away from me. I hear the deep timber of his voice but not what he is saying as he slips further away.

By the time I reach the girls, I’ve brushed off the hurt and confusion over my conversation with Garrett. Lucky briefly looks down to where her boss is now leaning over the rail with the phone still pressed to his ear. She grabs my hand and pulls me along with her.

It’s stupid to ask, but I do it anyway.

“Lucky, can I ask you a question?”

“Why is he the way he is?”

“Yeah,” I’m slightly taken aback but at the same time, not all that surprised. Garrett is hot, he’s got that whole stay the hell away from me, sexy vibe going on. The kind women should run from but can’t help being drawn to.

“You’re not the first person to ask.”

“Oh.” The grass beneath my feet just became interesting.

Lucky grabs my hand, making me tilt my head back up. Ruby carries on walking back to the others. Her date greets her with abig smile, and she throws her arms around his neck. They’re cute together. It makes me think about how Garrett is the complete opposite.

“But Icantell you something I haven’t seen happen before,” Lucky says, drawing my attention.

“What?”

“Garrett taking an interest back.”

“What do you mean?”

“Garrett doesn’t have long, intimate conversations with women.”

“That was… Nothing.”

“Calli,” she nudges me with her hip. Surprisingly hard for someone of her size. She’s grinning as she hurries ahead and turns around, walking backward. “That, waseverything.”

There is no chance to ask what she means because Phoenix walks up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist, lifting her up. Lucky shrieks in surprise then giggles as he whispers something into her ear.

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