In Your Heart - Smeltzer Micalea - Страница 8

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He stared at me, baffled. His face began to turn red. “Insecure? I’m not insecure.”

“Of course you’re not.” I patted his chest in a placating manner.

He grabbed my wrist and something in me snapped. My right arm shot out, my closed fist connecting with his jaw.

“Oh motherfucker!” I cried, clutching my fist. “That hurts!” I fanned my hand around like that alone would remove the sting of pain.

Braden started towards me, whether to offer assistance or not I didn’t know, because Ezra stopped him from approaching me with a withering glare. “I’ve got her,” he spat at my ex-fiance. “I think you’ve done enough, don’t you?”

He turned me into his arms and inspected my fist. The skin around my knuckles was red and throbbed painfully. “He has a hard head.” I defended my pathetic punch.

Ezra twisted my hand around looking at it closely. “You can wiggle your fingers?” He asked.

I did.

“It’s not broken and I don’t think it’s sprained either, so that’s good news.” Lowering his voice, he whispered, “He’s going to have one heck of a bruise on his face to try to explain.”

“Really?” I brightened.

The pain in my hand would be worth it to know that my asshole ex was walking around with a black eye.

He nodded and I heard the freezer open. When I looked over my shoulder I saw that Braden was getting a bag of ice for his face. I hoped his face hurt as bad as my hand. He deserved worse than that, but I’d settle for this.

Ezra let my hand drop and took a step back. “I think we should go now.”

I nodded. I was done here. There was nothing else I needed, or wanted, to say to Braden.

When I turned around fully I saw that Braden leaned against the kitchen counter, holding the ice to his cheek. He seemed resigned and I was glad that I wouldn’t have to argue with him about it anymore.

Ezra grabbed two of the last three boxes and waited by the door.

I grabbed my keys off the counter where they’d been left yesterday and took off the key to Braden’s apartment.

I swallowed thickly as I looked down at the key, remembering how happy I’d been when he’d asked me to move in. Now, my happiness seemed so silly.

I held the key out to him. “Here,” I waved it at him.

He took it with his free hand, his fingers grazing my hand. His touch had once filled my body with a pleasant warmth and now I felt nothing.

We stared awkwardly at each other for a moment, neither of us knowing what to do or say.

Finally I shrugged and said, “Well, goodbye.”

He nodded once and I knew I’d been dismissed.

Ezra stepped outside and I grabbed the last box.

The door had almost closed behind me when Braden cleared his throat and grabbed it, holding it open so he could peer outside at me.

He stared down at me from his looming height and his lips twisted. “I’m sorry,” he finally said, and I reeled back in surprise at his apology.

He eased the door closed before I could react.

I turned to Ezra, gaping like a fish. He looked just as surprised as me.

“That was interesting,” he muttered before starting down the stairs.

I nodded my head in agreement even though he couldn’t see me.

I followed him over to his car and we put the last of the boxes into the trunk.

“Thank you,” I told him yet again. Something told me I was never going to run out of reasons to thank Ezra.

He tipped his head in acknowledgement of my words.

“I’ll meet you back at the house,” I said, tossing a thumb over my shoulder to point at my white Jeep Wrangler.

“Oh, wait.” He caught my arm to stop me from leaving. He shoved his hand into the pocket of his jeans and rummaged around. His tongue stuck out adorably from the corner of his mouth. “Ah, there it is.” He held a key up.

I outstretched my palm and he placed it onto my hand.

“What’s this?” I asked, closing the fist of my uninjured hand around it.

“The key to my house.” He shrugged, shoving his fingers through his unkempt curls. “If you’re staying with me then you need to have a key.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” I frowned, squinting up at him. “I really don’t want to be in your way.”

“You’re not,” he assured me, “don’t worry about it.”

That was easier said than done.

He leaned against his vehicle. “I have to make a couple of stops before I go home.”

“I need to go by the store,” I mused.

Arden was manning my store today, so it was really unnecessary for me to swing by, but I always liked to check on things. My store was my baby in many ways and I wanted to keep things running smoothly.

“I’ll see you later then.” He flashed me a smile before turning to get into his SUV.

I waved goodbye, even though he couldn’t see me, and crossed the lot to my car.

When I started the car the radio was loud enough to give me a headache. That’s normally how I loved to listen to it, but right now I craved silence so I turned it off.

I backed out of the parking space and ended up behind Ezra at the exit.

He turned right while I turned left.

My store was about fifteen minutes from the apartment; so it didn’t take me long to get there.

It was located on the walking mall with an antique store to its left and a pizza shop on the right.

I didn’t know what had possessed me to decide to open a clothing store. One day I just woke up and it felt right. So, after getting my degree I went for it. People thought I was crazy, but it worked.

Sew in Style was my baby, a complete labor of love.

It had been scary going out on a limb and starting a business at my age, but I’d done it. It also helped that my best friend was a rock star and had been willing to loan me the money to start up. Ezra had already been paid back months ago, and he never brought up his helping hand in my business. In his eyes I had done this on my own.

I parked on the side of the building and grabbed my purse as I headed in the back.

I set my bag on a working table and stepped out into the store.

Arden was one of my two employees, and she stood by a rack speaking with a woman about a green and white polka dotted dress. Arden spoke softly, her long red hair curling down her back. She was pretty, with fair skin and a smattering of freckles across her face. The day she’d walked in here asking about a job had been my saving grace. Even though the store wasn’t hers, I knew she loved it as much as I did. She’d been working here for the last year and over that time we’d become friends.

When she saw me she lifted her hand in a small wave before returning her attention to the customer.

I busied myself straightening a few racks of clothing.

The woman decided to buy the dress and Arden rang up her purchase. Once the woman left Arden turned to me with her hands on her hips.

“What are you doing here?” She asked. “Shouldn’t you be working on last minute details for your wedding.”

I flinched and held up my left hand, wiggling my fingers. “I’m not getting married.”

Her mouth fell open. She scurried forward and grabbed my hand like she thought the ring was going to magically reappear.

“What happened?” She took a step back, trying to look remorseful even though I knew she wasn’t. She, like everyone else, hadn’t hid her distaste of Braden. She’d said once that he reminded her too much of her ex-husband. She’d gotten married young, just out of high school, and then got pregnant only for her husband to bail. She’d remained strong through it all, and I admired her for that.

I turned around and began to refold some shirts on one of the tables near the front of the store.

“He cheated.” I said the words fast, like ripping off a Band-Aid.

Arden followed me, her lips downturned in sympathy. “Are you okay?”

I smoothed the wrinkles out of the shirt and stood up straight. “Yeah,” I held my head high, “I am.”

My pride had taken a major bruising, but I really was okay with all of this. It had been eye opening.

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