I sank back in my seat, rage and anger building. Colby Scott . I repeated it in my head. My breathing kicked up and it was all I could do to sit in that booth and pretend like I wasn’t about to lose my shit.
Nadia seemed oblivious to everything, probably too caught up in her own issues. She looked at me “I’ve tried to call you a few times—left some voicemails and texted.”
“I’ve been busy.” I took a sip of coffee, trying to compose myself so Nadia wouldn’t see how torqued up I was.
“With Elizabeth?” she asked with a wry smile at both of us.
“With everything , Nadia.” I sent her a hard look.
What the hell was wrong with her?
But I didn’t care. All I wanted was to get Elizabeth out of here and figure out what was going on.
Ninja Turtle stood up from the booth. “I’m going to the car, Nadia. I have to make some calls. Make this quick. I won’t wait all day.”
He stalked off and out the doors of the diner.
I focused on Nadia. Exhaled. “Look. It’s obvious things are rocky with you and Nin—your boyfriend, but you shouldn’t involve me. You’re only making things worse by continuing to chase me. Especially when I am here with someone.” I kept my gaze off Elizabeth, but I knew she was watching us intently.
Her face fell, tears blooming. “God, I made such a mistake, Declan, a stupid mistake. I was trashed and angry with you when I slept with him. I didn’t know what I was doing. I—I thought you’d forgive me. Just—I still love you.”
Her face twisted with tears and she nibbled at her lips, and my eyes went straight there. It was a reflex, and it didn’t mean jack, but there it was and I knew the moment she saw it because she got a knowing gleam in her eye.
“You might try to deny it, but you still care about me.” She leaned over. “Let’s talk. I can come to your place or you can come to mine? Please, Declan.”
Elizabeth suddenly commented, “Uh, Donatello just pulled out of the parking lot.” We all turned to watch as his red Porsche spun out in the gravel and pulled onto the street.
Nadia wailed. “And now I’m stuck in this godforsaken diner. And I can’t walk in these heels. This is just perfect,” she said bitterly.
I tossed my head back and groaned at the cocked-up situation.
Elizabeth let out her own sigh of exasperation and shooed Nadia up until she could scoot out from the booth. She faced us both. “Well, I don’t blame Donatello,” she said. “You guys obviously have a lot of history to talk about anyway, and if I’m here—”
“That would be great,” Nadia murmured, wiping her eyes and sending Elizabeth a grateful look. “Thank you for being so nice when I obviously crashed your breakfast.”
Elizabeth’s lips tightened. “I’m not nice. You’re simply extremely annoying. You’re like a cat in heat when it comes to Declan and frankly, I’m sick of it.”
Nadia gasped.
I grabbed Elizabeth’s hand. “No. Stay. Just … wait a fucking minute. We haven’t had a chance to talk about us—about last night.”
Things were happening too fast. She’d just told me in so many words that I meant nothing to her as well as the name of the guy who’d hurt her.
I needed time.
She shook her head. “No, really, I have a million things to do today, and I can’t handle any more stupidity.”
“Elizabeth, wait a fucking minute—”
She held a hand up, her cool mask already in place, reminding me of the girl who’d walked in the frat party. “Save it. I’ve heard enough, seen enough. Enjoy your talk.”
ANGER BURNED WHEN I left Minnie’s. I was pissed at Nadia for chasing after Declan right in front of me, but I was also ticked at him because I’d seen a look he’d given her and part of me felt like he still had feelings for her.
I stomped across the street and back to my apartment, and if I had a theme song for the breakfast fiasco, it was a toss-up between “Love Bites” by Def Leppard or “Done” by The Band Perry. Both about love and letting that shit go.
Love … I’d bled for it. I’d tasted the destruction of losing your heart, and no matter how beautiful Declan was inside and out, I couldn’t endure heartbreak again.
I went up the breezeway and saw my mom standing at my door. Her shoulders were slumped as she banged on my door.
I inhaled sharply, remembering our last meeting at the diner. Worry gnawed at me once again about Karl and his crazy plan to blackmail the Senator. He was bad news for her, just like all the rest.
“Hey, I’m here,” I called out. I infused my voice with enthusiasm, but I didn’t know how much more I could take when it came to her. But she was all I had left now that Granny was gone, and it’s hard to let go of family no matter how shitty they treat you. Sure, I had a few cousins out there, but they were in Petal and the majority of them didn’t associate with my mom. She’d always been bad news, borrowing money that she never intended to pay back and generally being undependable.
She met me on the staircase, and I smelled the stench of stale cigarettes on her wrinkled clothes.
“Thank God you’re here,” she exclaimed. I didn’t miss the busted lip she’d tried to cover up with her pink lipstick. Her eyes darted down to the parking lot and back to me.
“What’s up?”
“Let’s get inside and I’ll tell you everything. I need some coffee.” Her voice was sharp as razors.