Page 175 of Revenge Reads Better

Sienna looks at my selection in disgust.

“Carrot cake? Really?”

“It’s cake.”

“It has vegetables in it. That feels like false advertising.”

Despite myself, the corner of my mouth twitches.

“Whatever. If that’s what you want, that’s what we’ll get. You’re the birthday girl.” She reaches for cake to place in the cart, but then suddenly goes eerily still. The change in her mood makes me follow her line of sight.

And everything inside me stops.

Mr. Collins.

He’s standing farther down the frozen-food aisle, holding a box of pizza.

At least, I think he’s looking at it.

He stares blankly down at the box, seeming oblivious to what he’s holding.

He looks different. Not dramatically different. Just enough for me to notice.

His clothes are rumpled, his hair is overdue for a cut, and dark circles sit beneath his eyes that I don’t remember being there before.

Something about seeing him like this makes my throat close up.

“Don’t,” Sienna says quietly.

But it’s too late. My feet are already moving before my brain can tell them not to.

“Max,” she warns, hurrying after me, but I keep going.

With every step I take toward him, the guilt weighing on me grows heavier.

“Mr. Collins?”

He turns toward me.

At first, he looks straight through me. Like he doesn’t recognize me. Like I’m just another face in the grocery store.

Then the pizza box slips from his hands and lands on the floor.

“Get away from me.”

The words come out in a horrified whisper as he takes a full step back.

“Mr. Collins, please. If I could just talk to you—”

“Talk?” His voice rises. “You want to talk?”

People nearby begin to look our way, but I don’t care. I need to apologize. I need him to know that I tried everything.

Everything.

And it still wasn’t enough.

“Mr. Collins, please. Just give me five minutes.”