Mel laughs, like it’s completely absurd. “Okay, crazy-man. And what makes you think that she’s going to listen to you? How’d you even find her? Cuz I got my man Gabe over there and he’ll come bust up your ass if you’re stalking Avery—”
“Gabe’s the one who told me she was here.”
“Well, fuck. Does that man owe everyone a favor?” Mel pouts and looks into her empty shot glass. She taps the counter and orders another.
Peter glances at her and then back at me. “I’m not following you, I just had no way to contact you and I thought you’d want to know. I mean, if a woman was that bent out of shape over losing me, I hope someone would tell me. Especially if I thought she didn’t care about me that much. Avery, whatever reason he gave you for leaving was weak. He regrets it, but I know he won’t come back. He’s too damn stubborn. It’s not like Sean to admit when he’s wrong, and he knows he screwed up with you.”
I blink at Peter. Every thought in my head is saying he’s lying, that there’s no way Sean actually misses me. He would have called, he would have come back, he wouldn’t have left if he actually wanted me. Pressing my lips together, I shake my head. He’s wrong. I can’t believe it. I laugh, but it sounds so bitter. “How could you possible know that?”
“Sunday’s lunch was beyond weird. Sean and Sidney have been fighting non-stop since we’ve seen you. She basically told Sean he was an asshole and didn’t deserve you. He said he knows that. It was the first thing they agreed on since they met. Sean thinks he screwed up so badly that there’s no way to fix it, but there’s always a way to fix it.”
“No, not this.” I twist the little cup between my fingers and stare at the amber liquid on the bar. “There’s no way to repair this.”
“Ah, I didn’t realize you were the weak link in the relationship. My mistake. I naturally assumed it was Sean. Sorry to bother you.” Peter gives me a look that says he thinks I’m a flake and turns away.
My spine straightens as offense hits me right between the eyes like a goddamn brick. “Hey!” I call after him, but Peter doesn’t stop. I slip off the stool, take two steps, and grab his elbow. “I’m talking to you, Granz.” Peter rounds on me with an infuriating smirk on his face.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else. I thought you were the woman who was in love with my deranged brother. The older one. You’re a bit too old for Jonathan.”
“Don’t talk to me like that! I’m not some little tramp that was following Sean around Long Island, because I had nothing better to do. I do love him! I still love him, but he doesn’t want me. Why the hell would I chase after a guy who walked out on me?”
“Because he loves you and he’s too damn proud to come back here after walking away. Because one of you has to be the grown-up here and get over yourself. Life’s too short to live this way.” Peter runs his hand over his hair. “Listen, in twenty years, when you look back, you’ll know damn well that you could have gone after him, but you didn’t. A lot of relationships end this way, but it didn’t have to be yours. It takes two idiots to do this much damage. Just sayin’.”
Can you say verbal bitchslap? Holy shit, is this the same shy guy that sat at the dinner table the other night. I can’t believe he’s talking to me like this. He doesn’t know me, he doesn’t know a damn thing about me. I’m bristling as he speaks, ready to assault him with a slew of sentences meant to cut his balls off, but Peter smiles and walks away before I open my mouth.
He calls back over his shoulder. “Don’t be such a pussy, Avery. God knows you have balls if you can put up with Sean.”
My mouth is hanging open. I’m not sure if that was a compliment or an insult. Mel is trying hard not to make a sound next to me. Her lips are caught between her teeth as she tries not to smile.
I glare at her. “What are you looking at?”
“Nothing. Just the best hooker in New York City, and apparently she has legendary brass balls.” Mel’s lips are twisted into a half grin. She looks ridiculous.
“He ruined my night.”
“Uh-huh.” Mel says, knocking back another shot.
“I don’t need Sean.”
“You don’t.”
My fingers clench into fists at my sides. I want to throw something. “Why’d he have to do that? Why’d his fucking brother have to show up and say that to me? Sean left me. We agreed to part ways. We don’t want the same things.”