Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
AMES
“You’re sure it’s okay for me and Carlos to go public like this, Ames?” Erick, my now- ex fake-boyfriend, barely moves his lips as he speaks. The poor guy’s sitting stiffly next to his actual boyfriend, looking nervous as a fly at a spider convention. “Every freaking eye is on us.”
He’s right. It’s early-bird-special hour on the night of a town council meeting, so Watchfire’s dining room’s packed with blue-haired gossip hounds. That’s a lot of eyes.
“Positive,” I say firmly. “You’re new to Winsome, so trust me on this.
The whole reason I suggested you guys come here tonight—at five o’clock, no less—was to send a clear message: You and I broke up, you’re dating Carlos now, and I’m obviously cool with it since you’re in my restaurant and we’re all chatting.
Everyone moves on. Zero drama.” I dust my hands.
“Besides, you two have waited long enough to be open about your relationship, and I appreciate it.”
“True story,” Carlos says softly. He wraps one beefy arm around Erick’s shoulder and pulls the man tight against his side, not giving a single shit that at least half the stares are because this is the first time Carlos has dated a man.
Erick relaxes enough to lean toward me and tease, “Speaking of people who are moving on… My coworker Missy saw you and an adorable someone at the food truck fair the other night, mere hours after our breakup.” He smiles. “Anything you’d like to share with the class?”
My cheeks heat. “Not much to share yet. His name’s Auden.
He went to college with my sister. He just moved to Vermont.
He teaches science over in Mabel, which is right down the road.
He likes some of the same podcasts I do.
And we had a good enough time that we’re going out again tonight.
” I rock back on my heels, feeling my stomach quiver a little.
In a happy way. Definitely.
“He’s actually meeting me here in a little while,” I continue, “which will complete the Ames-and-Erick-Have-Moved-On show for the good people of Winsome.”
“Go, Ames,” Carlos approves.
I glance around the dining room, and several pairs of eyes quickly look away.
Perfect .
By tomorrow morning, anyone in Winsome who hasn’t heard about my breakup with Erick will know. By tomorrow afternoon, it’ll be old news.
For maybe the twentieth time today—and the five billionth this week—I think about texting Robbie before he can hear the news from someone else, but I stop myself. I said I’d set boundaries, and I will , damn it.
If I tell him about the breakup, he’ll want to come over and comfort me. He’ll offer sympathy and a shoulder to cry on when I’m feeling nothing but the relief of ending a charade. I don’t want to lie to him any more than I already have.
More than that, I know me. I’m in a weakened, Robbie-less state right now, like Superman when he can’t see the sun.
If I spend time with him when he’s being adorable, tiny filaments of love will spread through me like fire through a wall.
He’ll knit himself right back into my heart, and all that hard, painful, ripping-out business I started last week will have been for naught .
I need… twelve more hours, let’s say.
Enough time to enjoy my date with Auden. Enough time to let myself fall for him a little. Then I’ll be able to call Robbie and tell him about the breakup without feeling anything but friendship.
No, seriously. It’ll work.
It fucking has to because I miss Robbie way too much for this to go on much longer.
“Thanks for playing along this past month,” I tell Erick and Carlos in a low voice. “I know it was a weird ask.”
Carlos shrugs. “Wasn’t happy at first, but it’s been kinda fun. The three of us hanging at your apartment, eating homemade prosciutto pizza, while everyone assumed you and Erick were up there alone, Netflix and chilling.” He pats his stomach and grins. “Gonna miss that pizza.”
“I’m gonna miss Carlos sneaking in my window afterwards,” Erick says. “It was romantic.”
Carlos snorts, and I laugh.
“So what happened with, um, your other… situation?” Erick wonders .
Erick guessed my feelings for Robbie approximately thirty seconds after I conscripted him into being my boyfriend, which was both mortifying and kind of a relief.
It’s nice to have someone who guessed the truth and doesn’t avoid discussing it while looking at me with low-key pity, like my family has for the past decade, give or take.
“Robbie and Lissa set a wedding date for August,” I tell him. “And I… moved on.”
I get twin looks of skepticism that I absolutely do not appreciate.
“For real. It’s taken me years, but I finally wrapped my head around it. That’s part of why I wanted to end this fake-boyfriend bullshit ASAP and start really dating. I’m more excited than I’ve been in a long time about someone other than… you know.”
“Robbie,” Erick says, eyes wide.
I dart a glance at the tables nearby to make sure they haven’t heard. “Lower your voice, man. I know it’s the worst-kept secret in the universe, but I’d still like to keep it from?—”
Carlos leans forward and whispers. “Robbie!”
I shoot him a glare. “Could we stop saying his?—”
“Ames,” Erick interrupts, grabbing my arm. “Robbie’s here .”
My stomach drops as I turn around, and wow.
Yeah.
There he is.
Twelve hours too soon for my peace of mind.
Robbie Wojcik, all two-hundred-something pounds of him, storms into my restaurant like a battering ram. He’s wearing a long-sleeved Winsome Fire Department T-shirt over worn jeans, and no jacket, as usual. He looks so good—like water to a thirsty man—that for a full second, I just soak him in.
Then I realize what’s different about him.
Because he’s so big, because he’s so thoughtful, Robbie’s always hyperaware of how his size affects people. He walks slowly unless lives are on the line. He radiates golden retriever energy.
Right now, he’s not bothering with any of that. His jaw’s set. His green eyes blaze. And he’s headed straight for Carlos and Erick’s booth with so much wolf-beast intent, diners literally lean over to look as he passes.
“What the hell is going on here?” he demands.
The entire restaurant goes quiet, every ear quivering. I bet even the kitchen staff are listening. Robbie doesn’t do angry.
Carlos tries for a smile. “Robbie. Hey, man. How’ve you been?”
“Don’t hey, man me.” Robbie’s glare shoots from Erick to Carlos and back. “You’re on a date in Ames’s own restaurant? What the fuck?”
Erick flushes. “I—I mean, we —I mean, Ames said…”
I feel my dreams of having a drama-free breakup evaporate before my eyes.
“Robbie,” I grit out. “Stop.”
Robbie shakes his head. “Carlos, I thought you were Ames’s friend. And Erick… you’ve already moved on?”
Pain stabs clean through my chest.
I don’t need a defender. Never have. But Robbie standing up for me, like I’m his to protect…
It feels so good. Has always felt good.
But that’s because I used to enjoy Delusion so much I bought a time-share there. Real estate I’m desperately trying to off-load.
Carlos’s nostrils flare, and it seems like only Erick’s hands on his arm are keeping him in his seat. “Robbie, if you say another word to my guy?—”
I step between Robbie and the booth and push against his chest before Carlos can finish his threat. “Kitchen,” I say. “Now.”
Pushing him is like trying to move the entirety of Elspeth Mountain with my bare hands. He will not be budged.
“Rob,” I whisper. “Please.”
His eyes flick to mine, and his brow twitches in a frown, but he nods shortly and lets me tow him away.
I tug him through the swinging doors at the back of the dining area. In the kitchen, my line cooks immediately find very important things to do and studiously avoid looking at us. My second-in-command, Jana, grimaces, then follows suit.
I keep towing until we’re in my office off the kitchen—more of a closet, really, with only a desk and an old file cabinet—then close the door firmly behind us.
“What the fuck was that?” I demand, whirling on him.
Robbie’s chest heaves, and his face is flushed. “You’re asking me ? Those two were all cozied up like they were… were…” He flings a hand wildly toward the door.
“On a date?” I supply. “Yes. Because they’re dating.”
He scowls. “Don’t act like I’m the weird one for feeling some kind of way about this, okay? I didn’t know Carlos was even into guys?—”
“Was he supposed to alert the media?” I set my hands on my hips .
“You and Erick just broke up,” he goes on. “Them throwing it in your face…” He shakes his head once. “No one’s allowed to hurt you like that, Ames.”
Robbie’s killing me. Literally, my heart’s squeezing so hard, I marvel for a second that I’m still upright. His loyalty and protection are loving and selfless and entirely Ames-specific, and I wish?—
Ugh .
Thirty seconds alone with him and I’m back on my bullshit. I freaking knew this would happen.
I wrench myself away mentally, but knowing I’m so weak makes me angry, and that anger finds a handy target.
“I deserve not to have you making a whole-ass scene in my restaurant because you jumped to conclusions, Robert,” I shout. “The person disrespecting me out there was you .”
Robbie blinks, and his eyes widen, but I keep going because if I don’t, I’ll do something stupid… like kiss his red-bitten lips for defending me.
“I was standing there talking to them. Did I look upset? Do you think I couldn’t have handled it myself if I was? Do you think they’d be eating in my restaurant right now? Erick and I broke up because we’re better off as friends. It was mutual , understand? “
Robbie folds his arms over his chest. “Well, how was I supposed to know that when you didn’t fucking tell?—?”
“You let me take care of me, that’s how,” I snap. “If I need help, I’ll tell you.”
He laughs hollowly. “Like fuck you would. We were at drill together Tuesday, Amesie. I asked how you were and why you hadn’t answered my texts. You said you were just busy.”