Page 93 of The One You Want

“That’s nottrue.”

“It is.” I felt tears threaten but pushed them back. “I get it—I’ve never given you much to believe in before. I’ve never had the courage to stand up to either of you. But that stops rightnow.”

Something seemed to crack on his face. “Peanut—”

“I’ll have my things out of the condo by next week. I hope you can give me thatlong.”

“Jennifer!” my grandmother cried, reaching for my arm. But I didn’t give her the chance. I was already walking out the door, knowing there was no way either of them would follow. Not when they couldn’t be sure I wouldn’t continue yelling inpublic.

They might be upset with me, but I knew they would never consider me something worth risking a scandalfor.

* * *

The next day,I finally broke down and calledRiley.

I’d been up most of the night, feeling sick and angry and hurt in equal measures. It wasn’t until my alarm chimed, alerting me to get ready of the season’s final market day, that I realized what day itwas.

Of course, there was no way I could go to that market. Even if Grant wasn’t going to be there, I didn’t think I could handle dealing with customers. I was barely managing to make it through a full hour without dissolving into tears. No way was I going out inpublic.

I hardly had to say a word to Riley. Apparently the devastation was strong enough in my voice for her to know I needed her, ASAP. She showed up at my apartment less than twenty minutes later with a bag of carryout from Rose’s and all the junk food she managed to pilfer from Andrew’s stash. Which, of course, had me bursting into tears all overagain.

“I don’t know what’s happening to me,” I sniffled into her shoulder. “I didn’t cry once for the entire first twodays.”

“First two days after what?” she asked, running a hand over the rat’s nest of matted hair on myhead.

“It’s Jerry’s fault,” I mumbled. “Stupid Jerry. Stupidcats.”

She continued to rub my hair. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she murmured. “But that’s okay. I’m righthere.”

That made me cry evenharder.

A little while later, I was tucked up in a blanket on the couch, Lady curled up on my lap, a cup of hot tea in my hands. Riley sat cross-legged on the floor in front of me, petting Ernie and waiting for me to getstarted.

“So, uh, Grant kind of broke up withme.”

I could see the flash of sympathy and pain flash across her face but it quickly faded to confusion. “Wait, what do you meankindof?”

I winced—thekind ofwas the worst part. “Apparently he didn’t think we were actually together—or, at least, that’s what he wanted me tobelieve.”

“What?”

I nodded, staring at my tea. “I went over to talk to him about the business plan, after the Libbies meeting.” Thinking about how excited I had been sent a throb of pain through me. “He said it looked like I’d accomplished what I wanted to so there was no need to continue ourarrangement.”

She held up a hand. “Wait. He saidthat?”

I nodded morosely and Riley’s eyes flashed with anger. “He called it anarrangement?After he slept with you?” When I only nodded again, she clenched her fists. “Okay, I’m going to be kicking this guy in the balls. Just so youknow.”

That made me snort with laughter. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that she was serious. And Riley wouldn’t pull her punches—or rather, her kicks. I had watched the girl play soccer on the island’s rec league. She wasn’t messingaround.

“Hang on.” A crease had appeared between Riley’s eyes. “I don’t understand something. If it was just anarrangement,” her eyes flashed with anger at the word, “then why did he bother to send youflowers?”

I automatically looked over to the window, where the last bouquet still sat in its cut glass vase. The roses were starting to wilt now, and that somehow made me feel evenworse.

“I mean, sending you flowers has nothing to do with your grandparents or the whole fake dating thing,right?”

Her mention of my grandparents had my back straightening in anger. “So that’s the other thing—it’s very likely he was just bullshitting me with the arrangement line. It might have been anexcuse.”

Her eyes narrowed. “An excuse forwhat?”