Page 63 of Vitamin Sea
“Yes.” Her voice sounded a little hoarse. “That was Liam. I haven’t seen him in seven months. I have no idea why he just showed up like that.”
Jack took a drink of wine and leaned back on the couch. He looked like he might have a pretty good idea as to why her ex-boyfriend had suddenly appeared on her doorstep, but he kept quiet.
“He said he wants to talk to me.” She turned and looked at Jack.
“Do you want to talk to him?” he asked.
Chloe shook her head.
“No. I mean, yes. I mean, nottalktalk to him. I only want to find out what he wants to talk to me about.”
Jack nodded in understanding.
“I get it.” He looked at her with resignation and then drained his glass of wine. “Listen,” he said, placing his empty glass on the coffee table, “I’m going to call it an early night and give you a bit of space to process. I know we aren’t committed or anything, but I really like you and I really like where things between us have been heading. I also know what happened between you and your ex and I can tell what a shock tonight was for you. It’s probably best if I give you some space while you figure things out.”
That snapped Chloe out of it.
“No!” she protested. “I don’t want any space,” she said sincerely. “I’m over Liam. Honestly, Jack.”
“I believe you.” He nodded his head. “I just know that when things are unresolved, that’s where problems can creep in. And I wouldn’t want to keep you from any resolutions.”
“Please,” she pleaded. “You’re not keeping me from anything. I love spending time with you and I’m over the moon with how things have been going between us.”
He looked reassured at that.
“I believe you,” he said again. “Why don’t you sleep on it and text me in the morning.”
Chloe nodded. She could live with that.
Jack stood up and brought his glass and plate to the kitchen before heading for the door.
“Thanks for dinner tonight, Chlo,” he said as he was putting on his shoes. “It was great.”
She went in for a hug when he stood up and she kissed him on the lips. Softly at first and then harder. He kissed her back with just as much enthusiasm and planted a kiss on her forehead before he walked out the door.
Left with her own thoughts, she went directly for the apple pie before finishing off the remainder of her glass of wine. With her belly full and a lubricated mind, she went to bed and spent an hour tossing and turning before she fell into a deep slumber.
???
Beep!
Chloe blearily reached around on the bed beside her, searching for her phone.
Her alarm hadn’t gone off yet, which meant it was before 6:30 a.m. She berated herself for forgetting to turn off her ringer. Who could possibly be texting her at such an awful hour?
Her hands connected with the rectangular object and as she clicked it on, she squinted her eyes: 6:14 a.m. Damnit. She could have slept for another sixteen minutes.
A jolt went through her when she saw who the text was from—Liam. Unable, according to him, to stop himself from messaging her so early because she was on his mind.
What in the everloving fuck,she thought.
Was this some kind of sick joke? Some cruel irony the universe or Jesus or her ancestors were playing on her? She wasfinally over her ex and had moved onto someone new andnowLiam decided to make an appearance?
She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. After all, she didn’t actually know what Liam wanted. And just because he had reappeared, it didn’t mean she had to let him back in her life.
It was ironic, really. When she was going through the misery of their breakup, she had fantasized about him appearing on their doorstep, begging for her back and apologizing for breaking up with her.
She snorted to herself. Good lord, she really had been in a sorry state back then.
