Chapter 6
Chapter Six
SAYLOR
The next morning, I’m in full craft table mode. Thankfully, most of the kids are older. Wren and Leia, Lottie’s nieces with a few of their friends come by and if any younger kids come to the table their parents help them out. Which is great, since Luke is late.
Lottie told me him and Brooks got held up with something but that they won’t be too late. She offered to send someone else over but at that point I was good. Now, I’m not so sure, as more and more of Wren and Leia’s classmates wander over and take a seat.
If only my mind wasn’t on Luke. All day I’ve waited for him to call or text, but he hasn’t.
When I left his house this morning, he wrapped me up in the sweetest hug and kiss before he slipped out his front door to his squad car.
I left fifteen minutes later bundled in his sweatshirt, dashing over to my house to get ready.
Good thing the power came on while I was snug in Luke’s bed last night, so our pipes didn’t freeze.
I’m in the middle of mixing paints to get a charcoal gray when nearby laugher draws my attention. I know that laugh.
My stomach churns from the fakeness laced within.
I glace over my shoulder and find Tyler huddled with a group of his friends.
Friends that used to hang with him and Luke.
Friends he hasn’t talked to in a long time.
He had one hand stuffed into his pocket, and he lifts a solo cup to his mouth, catching my eye over the rim.
I quickly turn back to the paint, pouring black to make it a little darker.
Then I hear him tell his friends he’ll be back, and I know instinctively that he’s coming my way.
I tell Leia and Wren to continue, and that I’ll be back in a second, reminding everyone else at the table to use the paint they have until I get back to pour them some more.
Tyler finishes his drink and tosses it in the trashcan he passes before he’s standing only feet away from me.
It’s odd not to see him in a suit with his hair gelled in a perfect messy look.
But even resembling the boy I fell in love with, nothing happens inside of me.
There are no flutters or yearning. Absolutely nothing.
“So, funny thing.” Tyler crosses his arms and widens his stance.
“Just go back to your friends.” I sidestep him and bend down to grab some more construction paper out of the bin.
“I want to talk to you.”
I whip around. “Why? You said all you needed when you ended it with me.”
“I gave you my apartment, Saylor.”
I lower voice. I’m sure half the town already knows anyway. “You told me I had a week to move out and that you’d stay with a friend in the meantime.”
“What did you want me to do?” He steps closer. “Kick you out on the street?”
There’s so much I want to say, but I’m not going to say it in the middle of the Plain Daisy Ranch Winter Festival with a million ears around.
Besides, nothing I say is going to make a difference anyway.
And why do I care about fighting this battle since I don’t want anything with him anymore? “Nevermind, just go.” I wave my hand.
“Oh right, I’m in the second slot now.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I scowl at him.
“Funny thing… it’s why I came over here. Before you started throwing darts at me… my flight was delayed last night, and I didn’t get in until this morning. My mom made me a big breakfast…”
I roll my eyes. How many times was I compared to his mom for my lack of cooking skills. I was always falling short.
“I was in my parent’s family room, you know with the big window that looks out to you and Luke’s houses?”
I want to slap the smug look off his face.
“Guess what I saw out my front window? Let me tell you, it wasn’t all the pretty Christmas decorations. Nope. I got a front row seat to my girlfriend—”
“Ex-girlfriend,” I bite out.
“Making out with my best friend.”
“Again, ex-best friend.”
“Is that what he told you?” He chuckles under his breath. “Luke always did look at you like you held the entire world. As if you were something he’d never get. Hell, I felt like I won you in high school.”
“You didn’t win me. I chose you. And Luke didn’t—”
He gives me a condescending laugh. “You’ve always been so naive.”
“I’m not naive.” My voice raises and I see a few heads turn in our direction.
“You are. Tell me, did you have a big wallow session about me and bond over your mutual hatred?”
I want to spit in his face. My feelings for Luke have nothing to do with how I feel about Tyler.
The past six months I’ve realized that Luke is the type of man I want to be with.
Who I probably should’ve been with all along.
But Tyler would never believe that, and I sure as hell don’t want to sound spiteful when I tell him that I’m happy with Luke.
It’s none of Tyler’s business what’s happening between Luke and me.
“Nothing’s going on with us. Okay? The power went out, his grid was working, so he made me soup and grilled cheese. No big deal.”
“Yeah, my dad mentioned that. Said he offered for you to come over to our place, but you didn’t take him up on it.
He actually said that you can barely look at him now, thinks you hate him because of me.
Which, I mean, I get it. It’s hard, right?
We broke up, and we were together for so long.
But it wasn’t my parents’ fault we broke up. ”
“Just leave Tyler, I’m busy. I’m running this craft table and waiting for Luke—” I stop myself, not wanting to get into this with him. I don’t want him to know anything about my life. He doesn’t deserve to.
“I just think it’s funny… makes me wonder if all those years maybe I missed something. Maybe you always had a thing for Luke. Or maybe you’re just trying to make me jealous. Is that it? Are you trying to make me jealous, Saylor?”
“I’m not trying to make you jealous.” My voice rises again, so I lean in to whisper.
“How would I make you jealous when you’re all the way in New York?
You know what I find weird? You’re never home for the festival.
Not once in all the years we were in New York would you come back for this, even when I begged you—you were never willing to sacrifice your schedule. So why this year?”
His gaze roams over my body, and it honestly makes me feel sick to my stomach when I think of how I used to love when he looked at me like that.
Tyler shrugs. “I don’t know. Honestly, I think I missed you.”
“You think?”
“I did. I missed you. The condo seems kind of lonely now.”
“Well, I’m sorry it seems lonely. But you chose this.”
His face softens a bit. “What if I made a mistake?”
My head falls back. “Please just stop. It’s over, Tyler.”
“Saylor…” Wren tugs at my shirt. “I need some light purple for my picture. I need you to mix me the color. Can you help me?”
I nod at Wren and slide my hand in hers. “Listen, I gotta go. I’m in charge of this.” I allow Wren to tug me away.
“Can we have coffee?” he calls out and Wren stops.
“I don’t know, Tyler. Just go, okay?”
“I’ll call you—”
“Okay, I mean, whatever. Just go.”
I wave him off and thankfully he does leave. I return to the craft table and mix a light purple color for Wren. Then I help Leia mix a pink-purple after which I help a four-year-old to finish her craft.
By the time Luke shows up, I’m frazzled, annoyed, and tired.
“Sorry, we got hung up at the station. Anyway, I’m here now, so I’ll get at it.”
He goes to the other side of the table, and I know right away that something’s off with him. I have no idea what it is, but I’m really hope that it’s not that in the daylight hours he regrets what has happened between us last night.