“Do you want to tell me what happened?”
“What I want is to just wish it away. But the bottom line is that he thinks he went too far. He thinks he hurt me.”
“Did he?”
“No,” I said. “No, he really didn’t. But before this thing started he told me that there couldn’t be anything between us. Because he was certain that he’d cross a line and somehow injure me. Honestly, Angie, it really worried him.”
“Self-fulfilling prophecy.”
“He’s an idiot. I swear he has more self-control than I do. I don’t see why he can’t see it.”
She shrugged. “Sometimes it’s hard to see yourself, you know?” She glanced over me. “Speaking of seeing yourself, I’m guessing you haven’t changed clothes since yesterday.”
I glanced down, saw that she was right, and shrugged.
“Go take a quick shower. Then find something in my closet. You don’t want to look wrecked when you see him, even if you are. He’s the one who’s wrecked, right? You’re the one who’s supposed to be strong.”
“You sure?”
“Positive. And I’ll go make some coffee for when you get out. You look like you need the jolt.”
“I don’t want to make you late for work.”
She waved my words away. “What’s the point of being the director if you don’t go in late from time to time? Besides, I want to be here when Evan gets back. Just in case he’s heard something.”
“You think he has?”
“I don’t know. But maybe Cole called during his run. Those three are in each other’s pockets, so maybe.” She glanced at her watch. “What time is your closing?”
“Ten.”
“You have time,” she said, then waved toward her bedroom. “Go. I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”
When I emerged fifteen minutes later, I did feel better. Not by much, though. And Evan still hadn’t come home.
I forced myself to push it away. I told myself to take deep breaths, de-stress, and trust that it would all work out. It had to. Because I needed Cole in my life, and damn the man, I was certain he needed me, too.
“It’s going to be fine,” Angie said when I slid onto one of the chairs at her breakfast table.
“Keep saying that,” I said. “Maybe the universe will listen.” I devoured a donut, then licked the sugar off my fingers. “Listen. There’s something else I want to talk to you about.”
Her brow furrowed, and she sat down beside me. “Is something wrong?”
“No. No, it’s just—” I sucked in a breath. “It’s just that I’ve got this secret, and—oh, shit,” I said. “I’m not exactly who you think I am.”
“Oh, really?” Her brows lifted as she leaned back in her chair, and to my relief she looked more intrigued than pissed. “I’m listening.”
“Right,” I said, then told her everything. How I’d grown up. The mess my dad was now in. Even the Big Truth about how I’d originally tagged her as a mark.
“Oh my god, seriously?”
“Well, yeah.” I dragged my teeth across my lower lip.
“So why are you telling me this now?”
“Because I’m about to go buy a house.”
She laughed. “We must be really good friends, because that makes total sense to me.”