Page 9 of The Comeback Road (Leaving #2)

Lexie

I felt myself wince as Dexter’s admission washed over us.

The silence that followed was stifling. His face held a look of worry and something else I knew all too well— pity .

I felt frozen in time, unsure what to do.

Part of me wanted to bang on the door and demand an answer, but we’d only gone on one date.

Even if that date had felt like a promise of what was to come, a promise of the future.

But the look on Dexter’s face was a warning if I ever saw one.

“Lexie…” he spoke softly this time. “Why don’t you go home?”

Go home? Why would I go home? My mind blanked at his words as warning sirens started going off. “I—uh, why? What if she’s just here to sign the papers?” I didn’t like how soft my voice sounded, but I was shocked I was able to form words at all.

Dexter shot me a look of pity once again.

“Look…Jace’s relationship with Jess is…complicated.

But I can tell you, she isn’t here to sign the papers.

” He reached out and gave my shoulder a squeeze, but I couldn’t help but flinch at the contact as I absorbed his words.

“What do you mean?” I hated that I whispered, that my voice sounded small. But I felt small. Small and confused.

Dexter sighed. “Look, it isn’t my place…

” He looked around, mildly uncomfortable, and ran his hands through his hair.

“I shouldn’t have said anything. I just—I felt like you deserved a warning.

If she’s back, it means nothing good. Not for Jace, and unfortunately, not for you.

” He kept his gaze on Jace’s door as he said those words.

I suddenly found myself feeling like an outsider, like someone who shouldn’t be there, like I wasn’t welcome anymore.

I found myself shooting up, my cheeks heating at my obvious emotional outburst, willing myself not to cry.

No tears, no tears, no tears, I kept repeating to myself.

“Okay, Dex, I’ll go home.” I heard the crack in my voice.

Saw him pale at my words, but only nod in acceptance.

The entire painful encounter had lasted a good twenty minutes in between our uneasy silences and words, and if she hadn’t come out and Jace hadn’t tossed her out…

well…I had an uneasy feeling that Dexter was right.

Jess wasn’t there for a divorce. She was there for Jace. So, where does that leave me?

I didn’t have the desire to stick around and find out; the bubbling in my gut was telling me all I needed to know.

Jace knew I’d be at the office by then, but he’d kept his door firmly shut, and I knew he hadn’t tried to message me yet that morning.

Home. I needed to get home. But was it home?

It was Magnolia’s house. One she shared with me and Sloan.

I threw my bag over my shoulder, the icky feeling of overstaying my welcome starting to bristle across my skin, even though it wasn’t something I could see. I could only feel it, and I felt it everywhere. Poking and prodding at my insecurities, at my past, at everything I was.

I needed to go home, but where was that?