Page 134 of Score
“I can’t do this shit again.”
FORTY-FOUR
Verity
I should be down on the beach at the bonfire eating, laughing with the rest of the cast and crew, but I’m in my cottage, racking my brain for why Monk would humiliate me that way in front of everyone. I didn’t text him or call to ask. I’m too furious. Too hurt and I need some space to process this.
So when he comes to my cottage, I consider not answering. I press my forehead to the door and take a deep breath to steady my nerves and quiet my anger.
“What?” I snap, once the door is open and we’re facing each other at the cottage threshold. “Was there more passive-aggressive bullshit you wanted to blindside me with? Maybe you should wait till we have an audience again.”
I read the apology in his eyes, but I’m nowhere near ready to accept it.
“Can I come in?”
I stare at him for a few seconds and let the air percolate with my irritation and confusion before stepping aside. The cottage isn’t large. A small sitting area is just a few steps away from the bedroom down the narrow hall. I don’t invite him to sit on the couch, but he does anyway. I stand with my arms crossed over my chest. Waiting.
“I’m sorry,” he says, resting his elbows on his knees and letting his hands dangle between them. “The way I acted, it was wrong.”
“Why did you?” I ask, my brows snapping together. “I thought we had put the past behind us, but you basically accused me of cheating on you in front of half the cast and crew.”
“That wasn’t about the past. It was about last night.”
“What do you mean? We didn’t even see each other last night.”
“I decided to swing by and saw Chris leaving your room. I saw you kissing him.” His half grin mocks himself. “I guess you’ve deduced I didn’t take it well. I was immature and—”
“You were mistaken,” I cut in curtly. “You saw Chris kissingme, and if you’d stuck around long enough to ask about it instead of throwing a tantrum, I would’ve told you that he left minutes later.”
“I was going to say I was immature and… jealous.”
The breath flees my lungs and I can’t tear my eyes away from him.
“Jealous,” I say softly. “You have nothing to be jealous of. I’m not into Chris.”
“Okay.” He nods, but doesn’t press for more information.
“You don’t believe me?”
“It doesn’t matter.” His eyes are trained on the carpet. “We agreed we wouldn’t be exclusive, but I was an asshole as soon as I thought you weren’t.”
My hurt deflates like a balloon. Yes, he overreacted and lashed out, but at least I know why. And it exposed that he wants this to be exclusive, too.
I muster my courage and take the leap. “I feel the same—”
“I don’t think we should do this anymore,” Monk says.
“‘This’?” My heart is painfully hydraulic in my chest. “What do you mean?”
“This.” He waves between us. “It’s not a good idea.”
“Because you thought you saw me kissing Chris?”
“Because I wanted to punch him in the fucking face,” he says sharply, his eyes snapping up to meet mine. “This isn’t fair to you. I said I could do this open and casual shit, that I wasn’t expecting monogamy, but… I still can’t do it. I still can’t share you.”
I walk over to the couch and sit beside him, taking his hand between both of mine. “Monk, you don’t have to. I don’t want anyone else.”
I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t the steel curtain that falls over his face.
