Page 40 of The Heartbreak Blitz

The hallway starts to feel like quicksand, and it takes every ounce of energy I have to navigate down it.

“Hey, Charley.” He grabs my hand. “Come on, what happened?”

I turn, and for everything Cade is, he’s genuine. His brows are pinched, concern settling into his gaze.

While I was squashing ants and doing dishes, I thought about Cade. Thought about what I would say to him to get one complication out of my life. I swallow to make sure my throat will work. “I’ve been thinking about it, and we’re too different.”

He steps closer. “If you’re upset about what happened, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pressure you.”

My heart slams painfully. The memories of those few moments of bliss both in the hotel room and bundled up in his arms on the bus hit like a Mack truck. It was like Cade was my shield. The problem is, my life is a battering ram. “I’m not upset.I’m just saying this isn’t going to work out. We might as well stop it now because this is…” I trail off because everything I come up with to say is a lie. Other thoughts spring forward but they’re contradictory to the point I’m trying to get across. Like my heart hasn’t gotten the memo from my brain.

Around us, the hallway empties out, and it’s just Cade and me and my uneven breaths as I try to figure out how to get out of this.

“You’re scared,” he says, lifting a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.

I maneuver out of his way. “I’m fucking terrified, but that’s not what I’m saying. Cade, please. This isn’t going to work. And I’m flattered you’re trying, and you’ve tried so hard, but I’m damaged. Obviously. You know this is going to end in heartbreak for both of us, so you should probably go focus on some nice girl who smiles at you and?—”

The corners of his mouth tip up. “You smile…sometimes. And it’s the most beautiful fucking thing I’ve ever seen.”

“You know what I mean.”

“I do, but you’re calling the wrong play, and you know it.” He takes in all of me. “You’re trembling. See?”

“I’m cold,” I lie.

“I’m not asking you for a commitment, Sunshine. Only lunch.”

“No.”

I try to turn, but he holds back on my arm. “I don’t believe you.”

“Maybe you should add English to your studies because I don’t think you’ve grasped your native language yet.”

“Spell it out for me.”

“I don’t want you,” I choke out.

“Lie.”

“We’re too different.”

“Lie.”

“We’re literally exact opposites.”

“Except in the ways that matter. Do I need to say it again?Lie.”

“You’re trying too hard,” I state, throwing his own words at him.

“I’m beginning to think there might not be atoo hardwhen it comes to you.”

“I don’t want to be your goddamn charity case.” I rip my hand from his grip and turn, tears threatening to spill over, fracturing the vision of the empty hall in front of me.

If I just keep my head down and walk, tune him out, I’ll be fine. I need to get some fresh air, remember why I’m doing this in the first place.

I don’t make it very far when he calls out, “Do you know who Chuck Norris is?”

What the hell? I don’t falter. This is just some weird tactic of his.

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