Page 85 of The Edge of Summer
It’s not like I want to be anywhere near him. I don’t evenwant to let him into the restaurant any further. But if I drag him outside, half of Kip Island will know all my secrets by morning. I like my clean slate here. I don’t want to mess that up.
I offer her a grateful smile. “Tempting, but I think it’s safer if I take care of it.”
“I’ll stay here,” she offers. She pulls out the unused chair beside my sister. “Miss Soph can share her pizza with me.”
I can feel Parker’s eyes on me as I make my way toward my ex boyfriend. I offer my brother a reassuring smile over my shoulder before turning back to the front. Then my mouth settles into an unimpressed line. Mitchell’s perusal of the room finally ends when his eyes land on me. He looks taken aback. Perhaps because I am nothing like the woman I was when he saw me last.
Once upon a time, I thought I loved him. I thought he loved me. But love isn’t supposed to hurt—not like that.
“Delilah?”
I cross my arms. “Mitchell.”
His eyes rake over me, though they don’t manage to set my blood alight like Luke’s gaze does. I know I shouldn’t even compare them. But I can’t help it. What I have with Luke—however fleeting and temporary—has shown me that I don’t have to settle for terrible sex and an even shittier relationship. That it’s not wrong to want things.
“You look…good,” Mitchell says. Then his gaze narrows on my shoulder. “You got a tattoo.”
Ah, yes. How could I forget? I mentioned wanting a tattoo once when we first started dating and he was quick to point out how trashy I would look. The first thing I didpost-breakup was book an appointment with a local tattoo artist.
“I assume you aren’t here just to scrutinize my appearance.”
His eyes finally find my face. “I want to talk.”
What about whatIwant?He never cared about that before, so I shouldn’t be surprised that he doesn’t care now.
I sigh. “Fine. But we aren’t doing it out here.”
I turn swiftly on my heel and walk toward the back of the building. Mitchell’s loafers slap on the floor as he follows after me. Everyone in the kitchen gives me a strange look when we walk past and I herd him into Clara’s small, boxy office. I close the door behind us and then lean on the edge of the desk, trying to look unbothered. The exact opposite of how I feel.
I’ve tried my best not to think about Mitchell since moving to Kip Island. When I met Luke, my ex simply didn’t matter anymore. What he did to me didn’t matter anymore. Him showing up here after I have carved out a place for myself feels worse than him leaking my pictures. It’s hard to move on when the past keeps getting thrown in my face.
“You wanted to talk,” I say. “So talk.”
His eyes flash with annoyance. “I don’t want to talkatyou. I want to have adiscussion.”
“Discussions are two-sided. I don’t have anything to say. I’m offering to hear you out, but then you have to go.” More than he deserves, but I’m feeling generous. And I’m not in the mood to deal with his temper tantrum if he doesn’t get his way.
“You need to come home,” he demands, finally cuttingto the chase. “This little game you’re playing isn’t funny anymore.”
“I’m not playing any kind of game, Mitchell. This is my home now. Even if it wasn’t, you have no right to tell me what to do.”
His eyes flash with annoyance, therealMitchell finally coming out to play. “What would your parents think?”
It’s a low blow and he knows it. I was always concerned about what my parents would think. But something inside of me broke the day they died. I still ask myself that question every day, but I’ve had to learn to navigate life in spite of their disappointment. It’s freeing, in a way.
I shake my head, choosing to ignore his question. “How did you even know where to find me?”
I know that our move wasn’t top secret information, but I’m curious to know how he found us. Foundme. Did he hire a private investigator? Hack my credit card statements?
“Parker messaged me.”
I can feel all the blood draining from my face. “Hewhat?”
I don’t even have time for the betrayal to set in because the door to the office suddenly swings open. I jump at the intrusion. Luke is standing in the doorway and he lookspissed.
“I’m sorry!” Clara yells from the hallway, blocked by her brother’s broad frame. “I tried to stop him!”
“It’s fine!” I call back, even though it’s anything but. I place a hand on my temple, trying to rub away the headache that has begun to form. “Can you take Sophia and Parker home? I’ll meet you there after I deal with this.”
