“Sometimes it’s not enough,” she says, her tone melancholy.
“You should come with me on this trip.” The words tumble out of me so fast, it shocks me. I’ve never brought a woman with me.
She takes a sip of her water and closes it before giving me an apologetic smile. “I’m not your girlfriend, Nathan.”
“You could be. I’m working on it.”
She stands. “Thank you for lunch.” And walks away.
The walls she has around her heart are new, and they’re the ones I erected on my own. They’re sturdy by the pain I caused her. Slowly, I plan on proving to her she has nothing to fear. I screwed up once. It’s not happening again.
TWENTY
“You want to what?” I ask in disbelief, my eyes bugged out, staring at Aimee like she’s from another planet.
She lifts a shoulder, lolling her head to the side. “I want to start running and getting healthy again. Forty is knocking on my door and I need a healthy heart to live a long life.”
“You’re twenty-five, Aimee. Forty is years away.”
“It’ll be here faster than you think. I’d like to be prepared.”
Shyla’s looking at Aimee like she’s lost her mind too. “I’m not doing it. No amount of persuasion can make me run.”
I throw my thumb at Shyla. “I’m with her. If I’m running, there damn well better be a bear behind me.”
Aimee whines. “I don’t want to do this alone.” She looks to the ceiling and sighs. “I need new friends.”
Shyla and I share a look. She widens her eyes and spreads her hands to the side as if to say she’s just as confused as I am.
“What if we walk? No running. Just walk?” Aimee asks.
“In a shopping mall?” Shyla replies.
“Fine.” Aimee snaps. “You two are more than welcome to stay here, but I’m going to the park. I need fresh air, a tight ass, and new damn friends.” She shoves out the front door, the screen shutting behind her.
“I’m not going,” Shyla says. “I love her and love that she’s focusing her hurt on herself, but my exercising comes in the form of Brady and my bed.”
Dammit. I stretch my neck. “Fine. I’ll do it.” I chase after her. “Aimee, wait up. I’ll go.”
She pauses just as she’s about to get into her car. “Really?”
I flash her a grin. “If I die, tell everyone how perfect I was.”
* * *
Okay. I’ll admit. The day is beautiful, and this feels invigorating. As promised, she’s kept the pace slow and I’m not bent over begging for air. This is actually incredibly relaxing.
“Have you talked to William?” I ask.
“Once. I found some more of his things and had to call and see what he wanted me to do with them.”
“You seem okay?”
“Is it bad that I feel okay?” she responds languidly. “I thought when I called him it would destroy me, but hearing his voice didn’t hurt. Actually, I was pretty numb. Like I wasn’t talking to the guy I just invested six years of my life for him to toss away.”
“That’s good, right?”
“I guess the shock of what he did has worn off. I’ve gotten into a new routine with a life without him. I think the truth of our situation settled in.”
Confusion pulls my brows tight. “And that is?”
“We were done before we were over. Don’t get me wrong. I loved him, but more times than not I was just content. I wasn’t miserable, but I wasn’t over the moon for him anymore. He didn’t make my heart race like he used to. He didn’t brighten a room for me. He became my normal.”
“Why didn’t you ever talk to us about it? I hate to know you dealt with all these feelings alone.”
“Denial. I loved him and he was all I’ve ever known. I couldn’t picture a life without him, but I wasn’t in love anymore either.” Her lips turn down. “I was scared.”
“Should I not dream about nut punching him the next time I see him?”
She snorts. “Definitely do that. He cheated, therefore is a total douche. He better be glad I didn’t burn everything of his in the front yard.”
I laugh just as my phone chimes.
Nathan: What are you doing?
Seeing his name makes me smile. Ugh. I hate how he controls my lips.
“Gotta be the hunky Nathan.” Aimee grins. “Why do you fight him? Give the man a second chance to make it up to you.”
“Would you do it for William?”
“Cheating and omitting are two different things, B, and you know it.” She nods toward my phone. “Now text him back.”
Me: Hanging out with Aimee.
Nathan: It’s a beautiful day and the scenery is beautiful.
Me: It is.
Nathan: I can picture you walking in the park with your hair up and your ass looking good.
“What the hell?” I suck in a breath and show Aimee the text.
“Why can’t my ass look good too?” she teases with a whine.
Me: Aimee is upset you don’t think her ass would look good too.
Nathan: Her ass isn’t in my sights. You are.
Aimee presses her hand to her chest. “You are insane to not give him a second shot. Since he’s admitted fault, has he hidden anything else from you?”
Sinking my teeth into my lip, I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know.”
“Look at yourself. Look at the silly smile he gives you. Quit being so damn stubborn and get to know him better.”
Nathan: Can you do me a favor?
Me: Depends.
Nathan: Turn around.
I gasp, clutching my phone to my chest and spin around. Nathan and Cody are behind us, grinning like devils as they walk toward us. I’m locked onto Nathan. The gray shirt he wears is clinging against his hard body, showing off the chest I’d love to bury my face into, those strong arms I want wrapped around me.
“I’m beginning to believe you truly are stalking me,” I say, utterly breathless no thanks to my pounding heart.
“This has been our routine for years.” He sticks his hand out to Aimee. “We haven’t officially met. I’m Nathan. This is Cody.”
“How funny you show up just as we were talking about you?” she admits and in my mind, I picture choking her.
Nathan’s brows rise, happiness and mischief dancing in his eyes as they slide back to me. “Is that so? Presumably all good?”
“Spitfire.” Cody tips his chin. “How the heck are you? You never called me.”
“Um. Yeah. Sorry. I got really busy,” I say.
“Care if we join you?” Nathan asks, reigning back the conversation.
Aimee points to me. “Not if you’re jogging. She doesn’t run unless there’s a wooly mammoth behind her.”
“Not a problem,” Cody answers. “We don’t mind walking.” He moves beside Aimee, striking up a conversation, leaving Nathan to post beside me.
I swallow my nerves. “How was the meeting?”
He hasn’t stopped staring and smiling at me, and it’s doing fantastical things to my stomach. “It went well. My hotel is in good hands.”