He expected that from her. She was prideful, just like Kacey, but unlike Kacey, she didn’t forgive easily. Nor did she let go of a grudge. Though she also knew that what she’d just done was unacceptable. “You will because you know that you shouldn’t have done that,” he answered and she shrugged. She worked her lip, tears falling from her eyes, and in another time, another place, a drunk mind frame probably, she would have been it for him. But she wasn’t, and as much as it hurt her, it did upset him. He had cared about her. After this though, he wasn’t sure he could ever speak to her again.
“I do love you, Jordie,” she said then, her eyes meeting his. As she dropped the napkin, he knew that her nose was broken, which made him flinch. That woman of his had a temper and a mean right hook.
Squeezing her shoulders, he said, “Do yourself a favor and stop. Find someone else who can return that love. But first, go get your nose taken care of. Forward me the bill if there is one.”
She shook her head as she covered her nose. “I can’t believe she hit me.”
“I can,” he said slowly. “She loves me, and real love brings out the irrational part in people. Now I have to go home and convince her she has nothing to worry about. I doubt you’ll wish me luck,” he teased and she shrugged.
“I won’t.”
“Didn’t think so,” he said, fishing his keys out of his pocket. This was one of those moments when what Benji said rang true. Natasha didn’t add to his life; she messed it up, so she was out of it. “This is goodbye, Natasha. Don’t contact me, and I won’t contact you.”
She swallowed hard, wiping her face as she stood a little taller. Her nose was already bruising on her pretty face, but that wouldn’t hold her back. She was flawless no matter what, but he still didn’t understand how she could do this. Then his previous statement came back to him. She was in love with him, which made her irrational, and he felt horrible for hurting her feelings, but he had never lied or promised her anything. His heart was always Kacey’s.
He just had to hope Kacey remembered that.
Slowly nodding, Natasha looked away as she whispered, “Sounds good.”
“Good luck,” he said before turning.
“You too,” she called out to him and he waved a thanks.
Because he was going need it.
Walking in the back door, he found Kacey right away.
Sitting on the barstool, she was demolishing a pint of Ben & Jerry’s, Notting Hill on the kitchen TV.
“You and this dumbass movie,” he joked, but she didn’t even knowledge him.
“Go pack your shit up and leave,” she called and he scoffed.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said and she glared at him over her shoulder.
“Yes, you are, out that damn door,” she yelled, turning off the TV and getting off the barstool. “Our whole relationship is a lie.”
Confused, he held his hands out. “What the fuck are you talking about? How is it a lie? I love you. That’s pretty well-known and true.”
“No, you never told me about her, that she was what helped you get through rehab. You lied to me!”
“Um, no, I didn’t. But really, why does it matter who helped me as long as I got through it and became the man you needed?”
“It matters because you didn’t let me in! I wanted to help you.”
He set her with a look as she chucked her Ben & Jerry’s in the sink, the spoon making a loud noise, before she turned to look at him. She was blisteringly mad and he got that, but really?
“Do you know how stupid that is? You’re mad, no, not even mad, jealous because someone else helped me and it wasn’t you. But the thing is, you’re helping me now. Just by loving me, you help.”
Her eyes widened as heat crept up her neck. “No, I’m not jealous! I’m broken.”
“Broken?” he asked, completely confused. “Please, enlighten me because I really don’t understand how the fuck you’re broken.”
She glared at his display of aloofness. “You hid her because she meant something to you. She was probably your backup plan if I didn’t give you a second chance.”
He pointed at her. “Wrong. If I couldn’t have you, I wasn’t going to be with anyone,” he said simply before crossing his large arms over his chest.