Page 7 of My Never
“If I recall right, Brynnie and Mom would always go for ice cream around shark week time.”
I stifle a giggle.Shark week.
“You surprised me. I was expecting a snarky comment.”
“Maybe you just caught me at a good time. Maybe I was feeling more benevolent. I also know better than to poke the bear because Iknowthe other idea I had would’ve poked the bear.”
He winks and begins walking off before I can say anything but looks back over his shoulder to remind me.
“Seriously, ice cream.”
And damn him… I grab some ice cream. Girl dinner tonight.
Rounding the end cap of the frozen aisle, I run smack dab into the wall of a hard chest, dropping my basket at the guy’s feet. I drop instantly to pick it all up.
“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry. I wasn’t paying any attention to where I was going.”
“Hmmm… Why does that not surprise me?”
I swallow hard and close my eyes, willing this all to be a figment of my imagination. Bring Mark back. I’ll deal with Mark all day long. Not this. This is the absolute icing on the cake, and let me tell you, the icing sucks. This icing will ruin the entire freaking cake.
“Eric.”
“Ava,” he answers back in greeting, but it sounds exasperated.
Thankfully, the wine didn’t break.
I look up and see a set of eyes I used to think I’d wake up every morning to. Eyes I thought saw me the same way. Now Isee nothing but a cold, bottomless pit of lies, broken promises, and betrayal.
“Well, that looks like a predictable night,” Eric states, not even bothering to help me put things back in my basket.
“It’s a period, Eric. They all suck. Anything else you’d like to add to that?”
“Well, you’ve been dealing with them for over a decade. You’d think you’d be used to them by now.”
I scoff and bite my tongue, remembering he didn’t have any sisters.
“I see you’re still the gentleman I remember,” I sneer at him with a sardonic smile. “I was hoping something changed in that department after all these years. Guess not.”
“Snarky little bitch has claws. Good for you.”
“Ahem. Ava, baby, I grabbed the pizza. You have any idea what movies or shows we’re binging tonight?”
I freeze, stuck in place becausewhat the actual fuckam I hearing right now? Could this get any worse?Don’t even think that into existence!
“Oh, hi. I’m Mark, Ava’s boyfriend, and you are? Here, babe, let me hold that basket.” I look over at Mark with my mouth agape like a fish, and he eyes me back to play along. He then turns his attention back to Eric like he’s actually interested in what Eric’s answer is.
“I’m Eric. Ava’s former fiancé. You’ve probably heard about me.”
“Nope. I haven’t, but I’m assuming from the way you were just speaking to her that I don’t even care to.” Mark takes a slight step forward. “Don’t speak to her that wayeveragain. Better yet, leave her be.” Mark looks back to me as if Eric’s presence is inconsequential. “Come on, sweetheart, let’s go get comfy.”
Eric’s face is on fire, and all I can do is just stare at the man I never expected to ride in on a white horse. Mark puts hishand on the small of my back and begins to lead me to the check out. He grabs a couple of chocolate bars and tosses them into the basket, acting as if nothing just happened. Eric takes a few steps forward, inserting himself back where he isn’t wanted, but he feels the need to get his last dagger in. Mark tenses beside me slightly with awareness, sensing the coming bullshit.
“She as fucking boring in bed for you as she was for me?”
Mark and I stop dead in our tracks at the checkout lane’s entrance, and I know the mortification written all over my face must be a sight to behold because Mark looks down at me, his jaw clenching in anger.
“Forgive me for what I’m about to do.”
