Love, Exes, and Ohs (Cactus Creek #4)(18)

A small comforting hand gripping his wrist abruptly managed to bring the blood rushing in his ears down a bit, until he could actually hear the sounds in his gym again.

“It’s in the past, Isaac. Almost a decade ago, back in college.”

“But clearly, she hasn’t moved on.” He hated that, too.

Dani’s eyes filled with sympathy then. “I don’t know so much that it’s about her not having moved on, but her not having gotten closure. She’d been devastated. On her part, she’d felt something real.”

Settling back down on the bench, she pulled him down to sit with her, presumably to get him to stop looking ready to bolt and arbitrarily start attacking every guy with a suit in a ten-mile radius. “My dad had hired her to waitress that year so I’d gotten to know her pretty well. She wasn’t as flirtatious as she is now. Just as fun, but…I don’t know, her view on love used to be different then, I think. I know for a fact, she wouldn’t have given up her virginity carelessly.”

“Are you sure the * didn’t drug her or something?”

“He didn’t. She’d been drunk, yes, but she went into it thinking there was something special starting between them. Afterward, she kept talking about this connection she’d felt with him, something about the way he’d looked at her.”

“Does she still believe that? The guy clearly played her,” growled Isaac. “He preyed on an innocent young co-ed virgin.”

“To be fair, I’m fairly certain he didn’t know she was a virgin. He was apparently really drunk as well. And you know how much of a spontaneous, freefall spirit Xoey is, especially when it comes to something she believes in. She’d been that way back then as well. In fact, I distinctly remember I’d been shocked as hell that she’d been saving herself.”

Christ. More blind hate filled him. “For marriage?”

“No. Just…the right guy.”

Mr. Right.

This explained so much. But filled him with just as many questions as answers. “Why are you so sure she’s not still hung up on the guy?”

“I’m not. But I know she purposely hasn’t dated anyone like him since. She didn’t date for a long time after. But when she did, it was always with guys like Aidan.”

Rylan’s drummer.

Aidan was a good guy for sure, but Isaac still couldn’t help gritting his teeth around him, or trying to rearrange the guy’s knuckles a little when they’d shake hands. Apparently, just before there’d been an Isaac and Xoey, there’d been an Aidan and Xoey. Well, almost. The two had been flirting pretty hot and heavily for months before Isaac entered the picture.

To be fair, you couldn’t even tell that was the case now. They were friendly, yes, but there was no chemistry between them anymore. Even he could see that. Still, Isaac always felt a twinge of jealousy when he’d see the two laughing over something.

“So you’re saying Xoey overcorrected by dating someone completely opposite from her first.”

Dani shrugged. “Pretty much. And then as you and I both know, she’s dated a bunch of other guys since, of all types.”

“Except for the slick suit type.”

“Yup.”

He gave Dani a bleak look. “I hate not being able to fix this, to help her. And I really hate that she didn’t tell me. He obviously hurt her. Badly. Why would she keep this from me?”

Dani patted his hand gently. “I think that’s precisely why she didn’t tell you, sweetie. Don’t read anything into it. You’re her best friend.”

That surprised him, coming from Dani.

She laughed at his surprised silence. “It’s okay. I’m totally fine relinquishing my role to such a worthy successor. Honestly, I think you’re better at it than I ever was. You get her in ways I never really did. Surprising as that is to me.”

“Because I’m the exact opposite of her? ‘Boring’ to her fun?” he guessed with an amused brow quirk, not offended in the least. It was the truth, after all.

She chuckled. “I think ‘more serious’ is a better description. You’re also quiet, the antithesis of Xoey. And…calm; you’re very unruffled—while Xoey’s personality is all about the ruffles. You always have this composed intensity, always listening more than talking.” She grinned. “But your mind is just as quick as hers, so you two are well-matched in that regard.”

Tilting her head, she concluded as if realizing it for the first time, “You’re the yin to her yang.”

It was virtually impossible to be in martial arts and not learn a bit about Chinese philosophy, especially the concept of yin and yang. “So I’m the shade to her sun?”

“Exactly. And she’s…the jelly to your peanut butter.”

Isaac barked out a laugh. “I’m taking that as a compliment.”

“As it was intended. You each have qualities that can better be appreciated around the other. She shines brighter because of your existence. And you—”

“Taste better? Go down easier without milk?” He grinned.

Laughing, she landed on, “You’re more complete with her. Both of you are.”

The slight dip in her smile then tugged at his heart. “Hey sweetie, none of that.”