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“And this guy?” Jake nods toward Joe, who’s still at the bar and glancing toward our table, two full glasses standing before him. He’s clearly biding his time, giving Jake and me the opportunity to wrap up. “Do you perform for him?”

I shake my head and smile. “No. I’ve never had to. He likes me just how I am.”

“Fuck,” Jake mutters. “Fuck!” He slams both open palms against the table.

“Dude, chill,” says someone from a nearby booth.

“Seriously, chill,” I say, placing a hand over one of his fists.

“I honestly did love you, Lizzie,” he says. “I do love you.”

“Thanks for saying that, really. But take that and love someone else better. Maybe Bethany.”

“She broke up with me,” he says. “Says I’m still hung up on you.”

I chuckle. “Oh, how the tables have turned. Do you care for her?”

He looks up at me and nods.

“And she cares for you?”

A nod again.

I sigh. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but please go back to the girl you cheated on me with and for whom you left me, and try really hard with her. Just her. Do it for real. Be better.”

“She’s not you, though,” Jake says.

“That’s very nice to hear,” I say. “But it doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Fuck!” Jake slams an open palm against the table again, grabs his jacket, and storms out of the bar.

Joe comes back with our drinks and sits next to me. “I guess he left us to pay for his beer,” he says.

I wrap my arms around his waist and relax against his side. I feel like I’m able to take in a full breath for the first time in months.

?

Chapter Seventeen

Joe

I follow Liz in my car back to her apartment building. I’d never been to her place before.

I park next to her, get out and look around. I don’t know what her ex is driving, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he were here again, wanting to shoot his shot without me in attendance.

“I don’t see Jake’s truck,” she says as she joins me on the sidewalk. She’s worried about the same thing. “He drives a red GMC.”

“I’m afraid he could come back later tonight. Or tomorrow,” I say.

“He doesn’t know the apartment I’m in,” Liz says. “I still can’t believe Mom got my address from Bobby’s GPS history. I’m impressed, to be honest. Didn’t think she had it in her.”

“Still, you shouldn’t be here by yourself tonight. I’m happy to stay with you, make sure he doesn’t come back to bother you. But I get that you might not be comfortable with that, so maybe Bobby and Trey could come over? Or you could go stay at your cousin’s.”

“No need,” she says and pats my upper arm. “It would be great if you could stay with me.”

I swallow hard. “Of course. I mean, this is probably against the Slowness Accords. But I can sleep on the couch or wherever Bobby sleeps when he’s not at Trey’s.”

She smiles. “Sounds like a plan.”