Page 76 of I'm Gonna Get You Back
“No, I can’t—”
A cold realization hits me.
She didn’t…
I stand and grab his phone out of his hand and read through it, comparing.
Clara:I don’t need a ride.
Her texts are on his thread, but not mine.
Shedid.
“She blocked me,” I say, my breath shuddering.
We hadn’t spoken in months, we’d unfollowed each other online, but this—we never went so far as to cut off contact likethis. I probably deserve it… Still, I’m shocked at how much it hurts. A crushing, twisting ache right through the center of me at the finality of it.
She’s really never going to forgive me.
Mitchell grimaces. “Damn. Well…” He pushes a hand through his hair, uncomfortable but unpersuaded. “You can talk to her tonight.”
“Sheclearlydoesn’t want to see me.”
He chuckles, which annoys the fuck out of me. “She thinks she doesn’t. But it’s notthatcomplicated to fix this. Well, wait—a few vital questions first. Are you into Delaney?”
“Not even a little.”
Kissing her felt only like searching for Clara. Which made it all the worse.
He squints and whispers, “Did you give your flower to Delaney?”
I flit my eyes to the ceiling trying to keep my patience in check. “The way I want to punch you right now…”
“Then it’s simple. Apologize.”
Frustration flattens my expression, my tone dripping with sarcasm. “Wow, why didn’t I think of that?”
He rolls his eyes.
“As much as I will deny I ever said this to you if Clara asks, this doesn’t have to blow up your lives like this. You weren’t together. Yes, obviously, if you were going to rebound it really should’ve been withliterally anyone besides her best friend, but alsoI’mher best friend now, so it’s actually insulting to me that she seems to be forgetting that—”
“Mitchell. Focus.”
His spine straightens, and he takes the empty casserole dish to the sink to wash it. “Just apologizeagain.This is one of those situations where groveling is welcome. Nay, required.”
Clearly, the Shakespeare speak continues.
“How?She’s going to avoid me the rest of the weekend.”
“You haven’t done your interview yet, have you?”
I go still. I haven’t.
She said she couldn’t make the doc without me. Knowing how dedicated she is, there’s no way she’s going to abandon the project. Which means I still have a window to talk to her. Even if it’s small.
I study him a moment, wondering when the hell he got so smart.
“As her best friend, shouldn’t you be pissed at me?”
