-Cannel to Will
CANNEL
I was dumb.
I’d blown up over nothing because I was insecure, and I’d done it in such a spectacular way that I didn’t know if I could come back from it.
And, to be completely honest, I was still mad.
I didn’t expect him to follow me.
He did have to work, no matter if I wanted him to or not, but he could’ve at least tried to call me. Or come see me.
It’d been two weeks and I was still waiting for a call that I had a feeling wasn’t going to come.
I glared at my phone, wondering why Brianna was texting me when my boyfriend—at least who I thought was my stupid boyfriend—wouldn’t.
I gritted my teeth and was about to throw the entire damn phone into the trash when another text came up.
Determined to let Brianna know how much I fucking hated her, I pulled the phone into the palm of my hand and glared.
Unknown: You look pretty when you cry, whore.
I fucking hated her.
“Well, at least I’m not an actual whore,” I grumbled.
Then, for good measure, I sent that in a text.
Me: At least I haven’t slept with half the department, all of them being married men. At least I didn’t leave a sexy beast of a man that loved me. At least I won’t die wanting something that will never be mine.
There was a long pause, and then the unknown number texted back.
Unknown: You don’t know what you’re talking about. Brianna hasn’t slept with half the department.
My brows rose in surprise.
All this time…
Me: Um, yes, you have. I have proof. Funny enough, I met a few officers’ wives at the shopping mall this week when I was furnishing my cabins. And, let me tell you, they had nothing but bad things to say about ‘Brianna.’ You (she) have slept with so many people, and broken up so many marriages, that they’re considering getting rid of you because you’re bad for morale.
Unknown: That’s bullshit. She wouldn’t do that. She…you’re lying.
Me: I’m not lying. Brianna has literally slept with at least four that I can name. Would you like those names?
The unknown number didn’t text me again.
But one number that I did know came through my phone almost the instant I decided to shut it off.
Beau: Can we talk?
Me: I’d rather gargle with gasoline.
Beau: I still love you.
Me: I love someone else.
I know I was being harsh, but seriously.
The man had tried to sell one of my good friends into slavery, like I was. I couldn’t forgive that. No matter how or why he’d done it.
Beau: Please? I just want to talk to you.
I gritted my teeth.
Beau: Please.
Me: I’ll talk to you on one condition.
Beau: Name it.
Me: You leave after I’m done, and never look back. You don’t keep doing this to me.
Beau: If that’s what you want after you talk to me. I’ll do anything. Just listen to it all before you decide.
I gritted my teeth, then agreed to meet with him.
At least meeting him would be one check mark off my to-do list. That list being get rid of the ex-fiancé that wouldn’t leave me the fuck alone.
Arriving at the diner that he asked to meet me at, I wasn’t surprised to find him already there waiting.
And, of course, the same waitress that had served Will and I two weeks ago, the one who thought he preferred blueberry muffins, saw me and smirked.
Whore.
“What can I get you?” the waitress asked the moment I sat down.
I ignored her and turned to look at Beau.
When he tried to order a drink and something to eat for me, I shook my head. “Negative. I’m not eating or drinking anything. We’re here to talk and talk only, so you’ll leave me the hell alone. Let’s do that and not waste time on pretend eating.”
The waitress coughed and left without another word, leaving me to face a man that I once thought I loved. A man that I’d planned to spend the rest of my life with.
I hadn’t realized just how much Beau got on my nerves until I met Will.
Now, it was like I didn’t even know my past self.
“Talk,” I barked.
Beau sat back in his wheelchair and crossed his arms over his chest. “I still love you.”
I didn’t reply, unmoved.
“I want to give us another try,” he said. “I want… I want to go back to what we had.”
“What we had was a lie,” I told him bluntly. “I don’t even feel the same way that I thought I once did. When I met Will, I finally understood what we were missing. I didn’t have the same feelings for you that I do for Will. And if I truly loved you, nothing you did, or nobody else, could sway those feelings. I’m sorry to be blunt here, Beau, but I don’t even think I like you.”