Kissed Blind (Hot Pursuit #2)(70)

Twenty-Three





I got up and went through the morning motions, nursing the slightest of hangovers. I swallowed a couple Advil and suited up to burn the alcohol out of my system. As I ran, the Vance earworm wiggled its way back into my brain, but this time it was worse; it had multiplied. Drinking and sleeping had done nothing to help me.

I blasted my music and only made it around the block before I decided to call it quits. I wasn’t in the running mood. I hit my weights and did some kettle bell exercises instead. They satisfied my need of throwing heavy things around and somehow fed an inner strength I needed to get through the day.

I huffed and puffed and felt better by the time I finished my routine—minutely, but better. To torture myself a little more, I called Gabe, and it went straight to voicemail, the same as it had been.

I set my weights back in the corner of my living room and someone knocked on my door. Through the peephole a man stood in the hallway with what looked like a garment bag slung over his arm.

“Who is it?” I asked, but I had a good idea.

“I have a delivery for a Miss Diana Cain.”

Just what I thought, my clothes for the event in California had arrived. Trying on pretty clothes could turn any girl’s mood around. I pulled open the door, and my excitement was swallowed by a sinking pit of despair. The man who stood before me also had a box of items at his feet. I recognized the contents immediately. My flat iron, cosmetic bag, and shampoo sat on top. And what he held in his hands were my clothes from Gabe’s closet.

I clutched my stomach, and my blood ran cold. My face must have read like an open book.

“Mr. Montgomery has sent these over.” The man held out the items in his hands, and I stared at them for a moment.

I picked my heart up off the floor, and took what he held.

“I’m very sorry,” he muttered.

I smiled to make him feel better, no sense in both of us feeling awful. “No, it’s fine. Thank you.”

He crouched down and lifted the box of my things. “I can set these inside if you’d like.”

“Sure, that’d be great,” I said it with such false enthusiasm I almost convinced myself.

He set the box on my floor and did me the courtesy of seeing himself out. I stood staring down at my things. Years of accumulated items are what we’d been reduced to, and all crammed into one little box and garment bag. This was it: the end.

I found my phone, typed, I’m sorry, and hit send. Maybe Gabe would get it, maybe he wouldn’t. I grappled with Good-bye. I even typed out the words, but they were too final, and I deleted them. That was when the waterworks began. Hot tears dripped from my chin, and I couldn’t have controlled them if I’d tried. My nose ran, and I wiped it with the back of my hand. I leaned against my couch when my legs threaten to give out. I stayed like that for a while and nearly drowned in my misery.

I entertained the thought of calling in sick. In the years I’d worked for B&B, it would have been the only time it would have been a lie, though my stomach did hurt. But, what good would it have done me anyway? I would have driven myself crazy if I stayed in bed all day moping. It was best to stay busy and to keep my mind occupied. I had to get moving; I couldn’t let Vance find me a hot mess.

I picked myself up and dragged my things into my bedroom, shutting everything into my closet. Out of sight, out of mind, or so I hoped. I managed to get myself ready, and when I was finished, I sat on my couch in complete silence with my hands folded in my lap, thinking and waiting. My refrigerator kicked on, and the sound transported me to the last time Gabe was in my apartment. My legs began to bounce uncontrollably, and I picked at my fingers. No, waiting inside wasn’t working. I moved outside, at least there would be distractions.

A few cars drove by, and I spied a few daffodils and purple crocus that had sprouted around the neighboring oaks and sycamores. The fine mist of morning dew sat heavily upon freshly mowed grass, the smell carried on the wings of birds tweeting joyous melodies. Spring was such a happy time normally, but I couldn’t extract an ounce of it.

Vance pulled up to the curb right on time. He rolled the window down as he approached. “What’s up? Why’re you pacing out here?”

“I wanted to get some fresh air.” My smile quickly rose and fell.

“Everything all right?” I heard the concern in his voice but couldn’t bring myself to look in his eyes.

“Totally fine. I woke up with a headache.” I opened the door and pinched my diamond stud earrings tighter onto my lobes. “Let’s go.”

“Liar.” He put the car in gear and started driving. “You’re not coming down with what Oliver had, are you?”

I almost laughed. He had kissed me, so if he had been sick, it would only be a matter of time before I came down with it. A ticking time bomb. Perfect. Just what I needed, a little salt to rub in my wounds. “No,” I answered. “I don’t think so. I hung out with Becca kind of late last night. I didn’t get enough sleep.”

He took a quick glance at me as he turned onto the main road. “Now that you mention it, your eyes look a little tired.”

“For the record, don’t ever tell a girl she looks tired, m’kay?” I crossed my arms and looked out the window.

He winced. “Geez, guess you woke up on the wrong side of the bed too.”