Emmaline giggled. “I can’t believe how long it has been.”
Matthew waited as she slowly scanned his items.
“Ah, I see, you don’t want to talk. I’m so pleased I bumped into you. A bunch of us are getting together to go have some fun, and you should totally come along. I know I’d love to see more of you. Like I did in high school.”
“I’m seeing someone,” Matthew said.
The smile on her face dropped. “Oh, er, I hadn’t been told. I mean, good for her.” She glanced at his leather cut. “Does she go to the club?”
“It’s Luna.”
“Luna!”
“Yeah, Luna Daniels. She’s my girl,” Matthew said.
Emmaline’s mouth fell open, and it was almost comical. “Come on, Matthew. You can do so much better than her. She’s a dork, and she’s, like, a waitress. Always staring down at people over her fat ugly nose.”
“She’s the love of my life, and if I hear you disrespecting her, I’ll make sure management knows you’re only interested in fucking the customers. I do believe your name was accurate back in high school as there was always a long line getting in your pussy. You were easy back then, and I heard nothing has changed.” He handed her the money and took his bags of shopping. “Keep the change.”
He turned on his heel and walked out of the grocery store. Anger filled his body as he carried his bags back to his car. The ones for Holly were in the trunk, and he placed his own purchases on the back seat.
After climbing behind the wheel, he slammed his fist against the steering wheel, feeling a new wave of rage filling him. Not because of what Emmaline said. Part of it was because of that, but also because he was the one to have ever given her a chance.
He had used Emmaline. She’d been one of the faceless fucks he’d gone to after Luna. Trying to rid his head and his heart of his feelings for the girl who had become the woman he loved.
Matthew pulled out of his parking space and headed back to his dad’s home. Traffic was down to a minimum, but with all the heat, most people were walking, so it wasn’t a long journey.
His dad was already home by the time he arrived, and he only had twenty minutes left to get to Luna’s place.
“Are you okay, son?” Duke asked.
“Fine.” He wasn’t in the mood for conversation. After opening the trunk, he grabbed a couple of bags and helped hisdad unload the back of the car.
Holly was nowhere to be seen, so he imagined she was upstairs putting his brother and sister to bed. Drake was a pain in the ass and believed he had a right to stay up. It was kind of cute seeing his little brother becoming the little rebel at only seven years old. The kid was going to be a handful when he was older, and Matthew didn’t even want to think about what he’d be like as a teenager. Bell was, as always, the princess no matter how old she got. That would soon change though.
“The bags on the backseat, are they for you?” Duke asked.
“Er, yeah. I’ll bring the empty bags back in the morning.”
“You’re staying out again?”
Matthew rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah, I’m staying at Luna’s.”
“So, it has progressed?”
“Dad, come on, you know everything. You already know that I’m seeing Luna. Maybe the whole town will know by tomorrow. Shit!” He slammed his foot down and clenched his hands into fists.
Duke folded his arms, and Matthew took a deep breath.
“I might have told someone at the store that Luna was my girl.”
“And this is a problem?”
“I don’t— It’s complicated.”
“Then uncomplicate it for me, son.”
“It’s not that easy.”