Page 8 of Maybe This Time
His response felt like a punch to the gut, and an invisible vise wrapped around my throat.
“You did?” I tried my best to school my features and not let the anguish show, but I’d never been able to hide anything from him.
I’d never wanted to.
His features turned sullen as if he’d realized what he’d just said. Growing up, we’d never gone more than a few hours without speaking to each other. Even in college and when he’d left for Europe, no longer than a day or two passed without one of us calling the other. No matter how busy we’d both get.
Now, there were months and what felt like a lifetime unknown to each other.
“Um… I don’t mean to interrupt, but who are you?” a man’s voice asked, snapping me out of whatever trance I’d been in.
Ezra and I both looked behind me and that was when I remembered Andrew existed. Something that always happened when Ezra was around. Everything else faded and we’d get lost in our own bubble until my sister or one of our parents called us back to Earth.
“I’m her match, and youareinterrupting,” Ezra said, his tone taking an edge I’d never heard before. He was always calm and collected. Nothing ever seemed to faze him.
Andrew frowned. “But we’ve been?—”
“I don’t like repeating myself. So thank you for keeping her company, but I’m here now,” Ezra interjected, interrupting him.
I could only stand there and watch whatever stand-off the two were having. I should be irritated that he was being rude to Andrew and how territorial he was when he hadn’t spoken to me in months, but frankly, I was still in shock that my Ezra was here.
Even if seeing him again made my chest hurt.
He’s not your Ezra, my mind chimed in.
“Talya?” Andrew said, focusing his attention back on me. His fingers brushed over my inner wrist, lingering there for a moment.
I gently pulled my arm away. “Sorry,” I said, giving him an apologetic smile.
Andrew had been nice, but there weren’t any sparks and it wasn’t like I’d planned to take him home or accept his offer to be his match. Whatever that meant.
The single word made his entire demeanor change in a flash. A scowl twisted his previously nice features into a douchebag who’d just gotten his ego bruised.
“You weren’t that pretty, anyway,” he mumbled to himself before getting up and walking away.
I rolled my eyes at his sourness and didn’t deign him with a response. It was such small dick behavior and one of the many reasons I’d rarely dated. Boys never had enough self-respect to just walk away and insteadhadto critique your looks because they didn’t get what they wanted.
Like I cared what a stranger thought about my appearance.
I looked fucking hot and he was too prideful to take my rejection like an actual man.
I faced Ezra again to find him glaring at Andrew’s retreating form. I could almost feel the anger pouring off of him in waves and despite Ezra’s non-confrontational personality, he always stood up for me even if he knew I could do it myself.
I placed a hand on his arm. “He’s not worth it. He’s just being a dick.”
Ezra looked down at me and a chuckle, one I’d missed so much, escaped his lips. “Since when does Talya Morrone curse?”
I knew his comment was meant light-heartedly, but the earlier pang that had ephemerally tucked itself away, planted itself back right inside my chest.
I pulled my hand away. “You’d know if you hadn’t disappeared without a word.”
My words hit him right where I’d meant for them to, but as soon as he winced, I regretted them even when I shouldn’t. Didheregret not answering my calls and simply acting like I’d never existed?
Then why should I feel bad for telling the truth?
Fuck that.
“I have to go,” I added, my self-preservation instinct finally kicking in and propelling me out of my stool.
