CHAPTER 86

I smiled. “Because you had to?”

“That’ll be it.” She laughed again. “How are you feelin’?”

I looked into my glass and ran my finger across the base, wiping up the condensed drops. “I’m all right.”

“You don’t look it.”

I shrugged. “I guess I just feel kind of bad that Tate’s bad mood is because of me and now it’s affecting everyone.”

I did. Being honest with him really wouldn’t have hurt anyone. Why was it so hard to admit that I had a crappy relationship that I ran from? Why wouldn’t the words fall from my mouth?

Even to Chloe, I had to add in “maybes” and “might haves” like they softened the blow.

“It ain’t your fault, you know?” she prompted. “He’s not happy because he isn’t getting his own way. He’s a big old baby, Aiden is. He can’t get inside your pants because you work for him, and now you won’t tell him stuff he wants to know.”

“You didn’t tell him?” I snapped my eyes up.

Chloe shook her head. “Elena, no. It ain’t my place to tell him. I told Conor your ex was an asshole and yo