Page 47 of Third Time's the Charm

I turned back. “Yeah?”

“Did you set the movie night up?”

My heart thudded hard and for a moment I got tunnel vision. What was this feeling? It wasn’t embarrassment, but it was something like it. I shrugged, trying to get rid of the sensation. “I thought it would be fun.”

She went a little pale. Her mouth opened once. Twice. “It was fun,” she finally said.

“Good night, Berlin.”

“Good night, Jack.”

Chapter 15

The iguanas were all fine, by the way

Berlin

“You didn’t have to sleep over. I’m fine.” Cynthia yawned.

I was crumpled on her couch. “How are you fine?”

“I’m so, so sorry I passed out on you, but it wasn’t because I was dying of alcohol poisoning. I haven’t slept in two days. Add in a little bourbon and a beer? Done.” She made a cutting motion over her throat. “How did you get me home?”

“Jack carried you.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Jack?”

“He was cleaning up the square. He offered to help. It’s not like I could carry you home.”

She nodded slowly. Examining me. “Well thanks for sleeping over and making sure I was okay. Now go home to Ryker.”

I cringed. “He moved out.”

“What?”

“He didn’t have that much stuff.” It was a shockingly small amount, actually. When he packed his truck and it all fit so easily I started to wonder how much of our relationship I made up in my head.

“The wedding is off?”

“The wedding is off.” I shrugged. “He didn’t want to go to the Orkney Islands with me.” To anyone else that would have sounded insane. You broke up over a trip?

But Cynthia got it. Her jaw fell open. “He didn’t want to go? On your dream trip? Oh hell no.”

“Exactly.”

Cynthia opened and closed cabinet doors. “Oh and thanks for the water and crackers. It helped.”

“That was Jack,” I said with a wave.

“Well that was thoughtful of him. I’ll thank him when I see him. He’s been around a lot, actually.”

I got up, folded the blanket I used and ran my fingers through my hair. “Holidays.”

“Okay, I can see Christmas, but New Years? In the middle of hockey season?” She pulled down mugs and started the coffee pot.

“What’s your point?”

She grabbed a box of bagels. “Toasted?”

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