Into The Fire - E. L. Todd Page 0,75
everywhere. Seriously, what the hell happened?”
I was miserable. That’s what happened. “You remember that girl I told you about?”
“Yeah. Didn’t you end it or something?”
“She ended it. Well, we went out to dinner with my parents and we got into a fight…then we slept together.”
“Okay…” Sawyer didn’t see what the big deal was.
“She’s dating some loser, so when we slept together, I thought that would get him out of the picture. But the next day, she got dressed and said she had to meet him for a date.”
“And that’s important because…?” Sawyer couldn’t follow.
“I just don’t understand,” I snapped. “She’s with me for three months straight and we’re great together, and then she just decides she wants to start dating? It doesn’t seem like she even likes him.”
“But why do you care, Ash?”
“I don’t fucking know.” I really didn’t. “I asked her not to go but she went anyway. She says she wants a relationship and I can never give that to her. Then I asked if that was something she really wanted, but she said she didn’t want it from me. Apparently, I’m not her type.” My voice was full of bitterness. “If I’m not her type, why is she all over me? Why does she fuck me harder than I fuck her? Why does she sleep with me at night? It doesn’t make any damn sense.”
Sawyer drank his beer before he set it on the table. “It sounds like you’re really into this girl…”
“I wouldn’t say that.”
“Actually, I think you’re in love with her.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I blurted. “I’m not.”
“Then why do you care if she sleeps with other people?”
“Because she won’t sleep with me anymore. She kicked me to the side and is looking for someone better.”
“Again, why do you care?”
“Because…I just do.” I ran my fingers through my hair in irritation. “Can we stop acting like girls and just watch the game?”
Sawyer grabbed the remote and turned off the TV.
I sighed.
“Look.” He raised his hand like that would keep me calm. “If you really like this girl, why don’t you just tell her how you feel? Give her a relationship if that’s what she wants. It’s obviously what you want and there’s nothing wrong with that.”
“I don’t do relationships.”
“Well, maybe you can make an exception for this one.”
Doubt came into my mind. “She doesn’t want a relationship with me, Sawyer. If she did, she would have said something to me. And she wouldn’t be dating other guys. She knows I’m only good for fucking—nothing more.”
He gave me a grim look. “I say you just tell her and see what happens. You have nothing to lose, right?”
“Except what’s left of me.” I wouldn’t look at him because I was too tense to make eye contact.
“Then you should stop thinking about her and move on.”
Easier said than done.
“Let’s go pick up some broads.”
“No.” I didn’t want to charm some girl into my bed. I just didn’t have the stomach for it. I was too depressed to be aroused, and I knew I would only think about Alessandra, which would just make me more depressed.
“So…it looks like you need to just block her out. Focus on your shop.”
I didn’t care about my shop.
Sawyer turned on the TV again. “I’m here if you need to talk.”
“I’m good.”
“Well, I hope you feel better soon. I miss my friend.”
***
Putting Alessandra out of my head was the only option I had, so I dove headfirst into it. I immediately began plans for my new shop. I searched around the city for some prime real estate with my agent. The location was more important than anything else, especially in New York.
The shops closest to the tourist spots were the most expensive. They had prime access to pedestrians and traffic. It was an ideal place to open any business but it just wasn’t for me. I wanted something with more soul, a sense of community.
We eventually picked a place a few blocks from Times Square. It had less foot traffic and it was next to a pizza parlor, but I thought it was a good location. Since I was still working at my old shop, I gave out business cards to clients so I could take them with me. My boss wouldn’t be happy but that wasn’t my problem.
A few weeks went by and I didn’t hear a word from Alessandra. I kept checking my phone, hoping to hear from her, but there were never any missed calls or text messages.
She probably didn’t even