Page 32 of Don't Be in Love

Shit.

He spoke again. “What are you doing outside then, and why does it involve holding your phone to your chest like a stolen bar of gold?”

I immediately dropped my hand from chest, letting my phone hang at my side. “I just needed some fresh air.”

“In the muddy grass?”

“Perhaps I enjoy grass in its post-rain state. You don’t know me.”

A second of silence past. Another chirp of a cricket. Until Dorian’s eyes darted to my phone and his hand leapt.

“What are you doing?”I shrieked, jumping backward, stunned by how close he just got—both to me and my phone, which was now in his hand.

The rich smell of sandalwood and espresso surrounded me now. Another clean garment ruined.

The phone illuminated his face. His eyes darted across the words. They scanned, read, and then stopped.

“You were looking up Victoria? Why?” he asked. There was no emotion. It was as if he served a ball to my side and simply wanted me to hit it back.

“Mia had mentioned her,” I answered.

“And you care?” A crease of surprise spread across his forehead.

“No, of—”

“Don’t lie.” It was like my attempt at a groundstroke fell flat, underwhelming him.

I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not ly—”

“Are you jealous?”

Blood rushed to my cheeks. “Why would I be jealous?”

“Because I think you think about that night too,” he said quietly.

His eyes were doing that thing again. The thing where they shot azingright through my spine. They were half-closed, one foot inside of a dream. As if they were writing a stanza of Italian poetry across my lips. It made the wind against the tree branches sound like soft guitar strums.

“Can I have my phone back?” I shot my hand forward.

“Answer the question.” He pulled it away, taking a step back.

I groaned in frustration. “I can’t believe you’ve somehow convinced someone to be yourgirlfriend.” I took ahold of the phone.

“Victoria?” His brows furrowed.

“No, my neighbor Maureen.Yes, Victoria.”

“Victoria’s not my girlfriend.”

“Really?”

He sighed. “It’s complicated.”

He sounded just like my dad.It’s complicated, he had told me the day he left us. I was twelve.I have to leave. You’ll be better off without me.Apparently, his new wife and newborn twin daughters weren’t.

“It’s really none of my business anyways now that we’re talking about it. Just. Give. Me. The.Phone!”I pulled like a ten thousand-dollar game of tug-a-war was on the line.

But then he pulled back with twice as much strength. And suddenly the phone was no longer in my grasp, and I was screaming as my hair was thrown in front of my face and the ground left my feet, falling backwards.