Falling for the Ghost of You(49)

Zane goes to grab my hand, but I yank away. He frowns slightly. "What's with you?"

"Nothing," I snap. "Did you have a good time with Marissa?"

"Not really. I just walked her to her car because she was afraid to go out by herself."

I look around the well-lit parking lot, to the door to the building, literally five feet away. "Uh-huh," I say, my words dripping in sarcasm. "That's totally believable."

Zane sighs almost imperceptibly, running a hand through his hair. "Not really. She just wanted to hit on me."

My blood turns to ice, while the top of my head explodes. "That fake-nice bitch!"

"That about sums it up."

"Oh, you know what? Don't even! You were encouraging her all night!" I burst out, throwing my arms up in the air.

Zane stares at me incredulously. "Are you kidding me?"

"You spent more time with her, looking down her dress than you did with me!"

He makes an exasperated noise low in his throat. "I was trying to be nice," he growls. "I never touched her. And, yeah, I looked—she was shoving herself in my face! Just looked. Since when is that a crime?"

The more he talks, the angrier I get. I feel some kind of dam in me break, and a red mist settles over my vision.

"Yeah, lucky for you it's not a crime, because you'd be locked up for life!"

Zane eyes me warily. "Do I even want to know what you're talking about?"

"Like you don't know!" I shriek. "You know, with all the girls you flirt with in front of me, I have to wonder how many more there are when I'm not around!"

Zane is starting to look like he's getting a headache. "Wait, let's get this straight. You don't want me looking at, or talking to other girls?"

I can hear how I sound, I really can. I just can't seem to stop the crazy train my mouth has become.

"You're right," I say to him. "You can do whatever you want, sleep with all the slutty little receptionists you want—"

"Violet," Zane reaches for me.

I pull away furiously. "Because we're nothing to each other. Just 'cause you gave me a diamond bracelet doesn't mean a damn thing. You probably hand them out like candy. You can have this one back, though. I don't want it!"

I go to take off my bracelet so I can throw it at him.

Stupid tiny clasp!

I try for a good half minute to get the damn thing off. Frustrated, I sigh explosively and glare at Zane. "Okay, I guess I'll mail it to you!"

I turn on my heel and stomp away. I only make it a couple step when Zane catches me from behind, trapping my arms against my sides. He holds me firmly against his body while I struggle uselessly.

"So—what? You don't want to see me anymore because of something you think I did?" His soft breath tickles my neck.

"Yeah," I snap. Can he feel my heart beating alarmingly fast? I hope not.

"I don't think so," Zane whispers. "Call me when you're over your tantrum, little girl."

I stiffen angrily. He trails a kiss down my neck before he releases me. My body already misses his strength and warmth.

I tell it to shut up. Whirling around, I flip him off with both hands.

"Don't hold your breath!" I scream.

Yeah. Like a little girl.











Chapter 19



"So, to recap, Zane gives you roses and a freaking diamond bracelet...and you accuse him of cheating on you. Then you throw the bracelet in his face?!"

"Um. No. I couldn't get the bracelet off. It was dark, and I couldn't...figure out the...thingy."

Lauren sighs. "Violet?"

"Yes?"

"Can you come over here so I can smack you with something?"

"Okay," I say in a small voice. "Smack me hard, okay? I deserve it."

We’re in Lauren’s kitchen right now. Lauren is making zucchini bread while I feed baby Brianna something pureed and green—peas, maybe. Brianna has a cold and keeps sneezing green mush at me. I figure it’s some kind of karmic punishment for stupidity.

It’s been two days. I haven’t talked to Zane, and he hasn’t called or texted me. I don’t know why I thought he’d come chasing after me. He is so not the type.

Lauren measures out a cup of sugar and dumps it into a big mixing bowl. “So, why don’t you call him and apologize?”

That gets me all fired up again. “Because! Marissa was flirting with him, and he was probably encouraging it!”

“Did you see him flirting back?” she asks practically. “Did he touch her?”

“No, but he was smiling at her, and talking to her!”

Lauren just looks at me. I smack myself in the face. Baby Brianna laughs heartily, spitting peas in my hair. I make a disgusted face, and she laughs harder. Babies are so easy.