Page 31 of Never Pucking Ending

She and Belle would get along then. “Belle is planning on opening a bookstore. If she likes to read, you’ll have to let her know about it.”

Moskins’s brows lift. “That’s a bit different than the club.”

“The place she’s leasing used to be a café. It’s on Main Street. I think Belle figured a bookstore would be a good addition to the area and she could utilize the appliances already there. Better perceived.”

Plus, there isn’t bad press tied to the name like her club got in Pittsburgh. I think this is a fresh start for her. Something new and different and safe. I saw papers in her office the last time I brought her in something to eat while she worked, and she was putting together stats on how romance book sales were going through the roof over the last six years. Brick and mortars are thriving after reports of e-readers taking them out of business surfaced in the past ten years. Apparently, there’s proof that bookstores are a popular business to invest in.

Moskins pushes his beer away. “Well, I’ll have to bring Winter when it’s open. Maybe they can work together on some press for it. Win always has good ideas when it comes to marketing.”

That’s not a bad idea. “She’d probably—”

The door opens and my words cut off when I see Belle walk in. Despite there being half a hockey team in our house, her eyes land straight on me.

Moskins clears his throat and slides off the stool he’s been occupying. “I’m going…anywhere else. Good luck.”

He nods at Belle as she approaches us before slipping between Richie and Jack on the couch before they start brawling over whatever the hell is going on in their game.

“You invited the guys,” is how she greets me.

I look around, nodding my head. “Yep. I wanted to hang out with someone.”

I know I’m being an asshole for trying to make her feel bad for going out with someone. But I’m bitter that she ditched me for him.

“Wow,” she breathes at my tone, nodding absentmindedly. “I didn’t realize I was obligated to hang out with you in my free time when we agreed to live together.”

Stop being a prick to her, I tell myself before I say something routed in jealousy. “You’re not. I just…fuck.” I rake a hand through my hair and set my beer down. It tastes gross anyway.

We’re quiet as we stare at one another. The tension in the room no longer feels like it’s from the guys’ video game.

“How was the date?” I finally ask, voice dryer than I want it to be.

Belle evades my eyes. “It was more like two old friends catching up, but it was fine.”

I don’t believe that. “You can call it what it is. No need to spare my feelings.”

Her head whips back to me. “Are you kidding right now? You left the store earlier acting butthurt. It ruined my—”

When she doesn’t finish her sentence, I do it for her. “Date? Go ahead and say it, Bells. You were on a date.”

Her hands ball into fists. “You’re an asshole, do you know that?” The room gets eerily silent after that statement, and I can feel almost every set of eyes on us. “You don’t get to make me feel bad for going out with somebody. You have no right.”

I wish I could argue with her, but I can’t. “I know that. Trust me.”

She throws her hands up. “Then why are you being this way? A hot guy who was nice asked me out to dinner, and I spent more time thinking about how I hurt your feelings. Do you hear how fucked up that sounds?”

Somebody in the living room clears their throat.

That’s when my jaw tics and I look over Belle’s shoulder and call out, “Everybody out. Now.”

There are a few murmured grumbles, somebody asking about the Xbox, and another person whining when that question gets a head smack. But within sixty seconds, everybody is shuffled out the door leaving Belle and I alone.

She doesn’t back down, but her face contorts with sadness and frustration. “It isn’t fair, Jesse,” she repeats, voice cracking at me name.

And it breaks my goddamn heart. “I know,” I reply, voice no louder than a whisper.

She meets my eyes. “So what are you going to do about it?”

Those words are going to haunt me for the rest of my life, especially if I have to see those glassy eyes she’s pinning me with produce tears.