Page 9 of Off The Ice

“No,” he interrupted, his tone icy and absolute. “People don’t ‘make mistakes’ like that when they care about someone. That’s just an excuse. He was looking for a way out, and he found one. Don’t kid yourself into thinking otherwise.”

I flinched, his words stinging worse than I could’ve expected. Tears welled up, forcing me to blink them away quickly before I could give the guy any more ammunition to use against me. He might have been right, but hearing it out loud, from a stranger no less, made me feel exposed, like he’d just peeled back a layer of my skin and took joy in poking right at the rawness underneath.

“You don’t understand.”

“No, I think I do. I think you’re upset that you wasted your time on a guy who you let walk all over you for years. I think you’re trying to justify it in your mind that if you get back together now, all those years won’t have been for nothing. But I also know that if you go back to him and somehow forgive him for everything he’s done, you’re going to have a miserable life until you end up middle-aged, divorced, and in the same spot you’re in now.”

At that, the floodgates burst open. Tears spilled dramatically in a way I hadn’t let them in years. At least not when anyone was around. They streamed down my face in ugly, wet blobs until I felt my cheeks soaked with my own misery.

Liam froze, wearing an expression of shock and horror that might’ve been humorous on a man his size if I had been calm enough to appreciate it.

“Shit,” he muttered, staring at me in bewilderment, like I was a bomb he couldn’t figure out how to dismantle. “Stop crying. Please. I didn’t mean to make you cry. Damn it.”

Turning off the stove burner, he came around the kitchen island so he could stand in front of me and give his orders up close.

“Stop,” he blurted out. “Don’t cry. Maggie’s going to kill me.”

His eyes darted around frantically, maybe looking for a tissue to give me, maybe looking for an escape. Who knew?

Finding a hint of amusement in his franticness, I used the sleeve of my sweater to wipe away the tears and snot that had taken residence on my face before staring up at him.

“Crying girls are your undoing, huh?” I said through red-rimmed eyes.

“Look,” he breathed out, running a hand through his dark hair. “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean to be so harsh. I just don’t think it’ll do you any good to go back there,” he explained, seemingly genuine. “I know guys like that. They’re not worth it.”

A small, hiccupping laugh escaped me, the absurdity of the situation cutting through my sadness for a brief moment. He was this towering, brooding guy who could probably intimidate an entire army, and here he was, practically flinching at the sight of my tears. It was almost sweet in a weird, messed-up way.

“Well, I hope you’re happy,” I said, rubbing my nose on the back of my sleeve, “because I definitely can’t face Dave now. Meaning, I might need to crash here after all.”

“It’s fine,” he said, and this time, there was considerably less aggression in his voice, making me think he really meant it.

“But only for tonight. I promise. Tomorrow, I’ll be out of your hair. You won’t ever have to see me again. In fact, I’ll be gone before you wake up.”

“Cassie,” he said, startling me with the use of my name. “Really, it’s fine. I’m sorry I was a jerk. We can stick to the original deal, and you can have a few weeks to figure out a plan.”

“Yeah, right.” I snorted out a laugh. “After that welcome parade you greeted me with?”

He winced.

“I’m kidding. I get it. You’re a guy who likes privacy. That’s totally fair.” I personally couldn’t relate, considering I was the type of person who hated space so much that I would obliterate the solar system if given the chance, but hey, to each their own. “So, I’ll take you up on the offer, if you’re actually making itthis time, to stay for a few nights, and in the meantime, I’ll be working on living plans. Pronto.”

“I am. Offering, I mean,” he said, looking relieved.

“Well, thank you,” I said, giving him a small smile. “I really don’t have anywhere else to go. Obviously, this isn’t super ideal for me either.”

“We’ll make it work.” He shrugged. “It’s not forever.”

“Right, exactly.” I nodded, appreciating his sense of perspective.

It would’ve been terribly uncomfortable for him to view me as an intruder for the entirety of my stay here.

“You can stay in the guest room upstairs to the left. It should be all made up and everything.”

A big grin settled on my face as I looked up at him, biting back a laugh.

“What?” he asked.

“Now, why would a guy who likes his privacy so much need a guest room?” I smirked at him.

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