Considering she’s his girlfriend, that’s an awkward thing to hear her say.
“If you knew the whole story, you wouldn’t be suggesting that.” Aidan’s harsh tone startles both of us, and I whip my head in his direction to see him shirtless and pissed. “Coming back here was a bad idea. Don’t start encouraging her to be around that son of a bitch,” he adds, glaring at Whit.
She frowns while studying him, then turns back to me.
“What else happened?”
I clear my throat while standing up. “Like I said, I was a dramatic teenager. Everything is better when you’re a kid. It’s also a lot worse.”
Downplaying everything and keeping it on topic is ideal. I glare at my brother as he takes the seat I vacated, and he glares back at me. Chase had nothing to do with what happened later on. It was never his fault.
It doesn’t stop Aidan from hating him with an intense passion…
I start to leave the kitchen, but Whit follows me, glancing back at my brother as he pulls out his phone.
“What were you doing with Blake last night?” she asks. “Were you trying to make Chase jealous?”
I snort, trying not to laugh. “Funny, Whit. Real funny. Blake asked me out. I didn’t realize it was some sick joke to the two of them. I thought I was going to make a friend. One whom is in town, and one whom isn’t dating the guy who tore me in two.”
Surprise flits her face, then a touch of sadness. “It’s like the universe is trying to slam you two together, but there’s a wall too thick for either of you to bust through.”
No idea what that means, so I don’t say anything.
“Blake is his best friend, but he didn’t know about you, Mika. He was completely clueless until last night. He’s actually a really nice guy. Chase lost his shit when he found out Blake planned on dating you.”
This time, I’m the one surprised.
“It’s why I left the carnival,” she goes on. “Chase doesn’t get jealous. I’ve been trying to get a rise out of him for months. I could straddle a guy and shove my tongue down his throat, and Chase wouldn’t care. I called him this morning to tell him I spent the night fucking your brother, and all he said was that I could have at least dumped him first. That’s it. No anger, no passion… nothing. He just hung up after that.”
I stand there feeling stunned and a little horrified. Aidan fucked her? He helped her cheat?
“Yet last night, when you walked in, Chase couldn’t take his eyes off you, and he nearly punched his own best friend who hadn’t even touched you. I realized Chase James can’t fall in love with someone else because he’s still in love with the only girl he’s ever wanted. So I came here, and told Aidan I wanted him to help me end things with Chase, that way there was no way of ever going back. He obliged because he hates the man you love.”
“I don’t… You don’t understand, Whit. I wish I could tell you, but I can’t. Let’s just say that loving Chase is very unhealthy for me. And I’m already not very healthy.”
Before she can speak, Aidan interrupts us like a rabid dog in attack mode.
“End this conversation or I’ll drag you back home whether you like it or not. You promised me this was just for closure. You swore you wouldn’t let yourself go there ever again, Mika. Don’t you get it? This could destroy all the hard work you put into healing. You’re sick, Sis. This is just going to make it worse.”
Whit’s eyes grow confused, and heat rides up my neck in waves of embarrassment. I turn away from both of them and rush up the stairs to escape it. I’ll never speak to him again if this town finds out.
Chapter 15
CHASE
It’s not surprising when Whit walks into the shop, but it is annoying. You don’t call a guy and tell him you spent the night screaming another guy’s name in bed and expect a warm greeting. She even has the audacity to look pissed.
I recline back in my seat, enjoying my ten minute break before the next client shows up, while she crosses her arms over her chest. Beth whistles between her teeth before slipping out the door to give us privacy.
“You’re an asshole,” Whit snarls.
“I’m not the one who fucked someone else,” I point out.
“No. You’re just the one in love with someone else. At least I had the balls to end this.”
I laugh under my breath while shaking my head.
“Whatever you need to tell yourself to make you feel better, dear. Feel free to leave.” I wish I could say I wasn’t relieved it’s over.
“I wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for Mika.”
My head snaps up, and my eyes narrow on her. That name is getting too common to hear. I spent years not hearing it uttered, and now it’s on the tongue of everyone, and constantly driving me insane.
“Mika sent you? I don’t think so.”
I grab my sketchbook, trying to mock up a design for a client I have in a few days.
“No, but she’s… I think she’s sick or something. And I don’t think she should have to suffer whatever it is alone.”
That has my sketchbook falling to the floor when I stand abruptly.
“What the hell does that mean?”