Page 96 of Heartbreak & Cupcakes
SADIE
“Long time no see, stranger!”Charli shouted across the street from the café that she was seated in front of as I stood on the corner waiting for the walk sign to come on.
I lifted my hand in a wave and felt an overwhelming relief seeing her face.
It had been a week since I’d spent the night in Alex’s bed, and let’s just say, I was not doing well. We’d only had dinner together twice because he enrolled Lexi in a ballet class that he took her to on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and the two of them ate on the way home from it.
A loud voice in the back of my head was screaming that he’d done that because he wanted to avoid me. I wasn’t sure if that voice belonged to a gal named Insecurity or a lady named Irrational, not that it mattered either way. The result was the same.
He’d been totally transparent and honest about nothing happening past that night. He’d told me in no uncertain terms that he was not available. There were no blinders, no rose-colored glasses making red flags just look like flags. I’d gone into that night with aFriday Night Lightsclear eyes, full heart mentality and I’d been sure I couldn’t lose.
I figured there was no way that I could get hurt since he wasn’t promising me anything and I wasn’t even sure I’d want it if he did. He’d had the love of his life. There was no way that I could ever live up to her or what they’d shared together.
From the pictures I’d seen, the two of them had had a perfect love story with a tragic ending. They were both teenagers when Ashley got pregnant with AJ, and they’d built an amazing life together. It was a true rags-to-riches tale just like the article had talked about.
There was no room in his heart or his life for me.
Even though I knew that there was no future for us, I had to admit that I was a little disappointed we hadn’t had another run-in in the kitchen.
Or the hallway.
Or the bathroom.
Or anywhere that he would press me against the wall and kiss me senseless before throwing me over his shoulder, caveman style, and carrying me to his bed.
None of those things had happened. We’d maybe spent a total of three hours in each other’s company since the night that had ruined me for all other men, and he seemed to have gotten—whatever it was—out of his system.
I, in contrast, had not been able to stop thinking about how to have him on top of me, again.
After double checking that the street was clear, I crossed it and started to wrap my arms around Charli. “Hey!”
Before I could complete the embrace, she grabbed my forearms and kept me at arm’s length.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I shook my head and looked at her like I had no clue what she was talking about.
“What did Alex I’m-too-sexy-for-my-own-good do?”
I chuckled at his new nickname. It was a little bit more of a mouthful than Mr. Smolder, but it definitely fit him. “Nothing.”
I wasn’t lying. Him doing nothing was the source of anything that she might be sensing was “wrong” with me.
She didn’t respond, just continued staring at me.
“What?”
“I’m just waiting for you to stop lying and start telling me the real story.”
What happened between Alex and I felt private. But I was sad, and if I couldn’t tell my bestie, then who could I tell?
“Fine, but I need a drink.”
“Done.”
A server was walking by, and Charli held up her hand. “Two Sangria Lemonades and two orders of fries.”
The expression on the young server’s face told me two things. One, he was not our server. Two, he felt like he’d just won the lottery because Charli had spoken to him.
