Free Broken Pieces (Cape Isle, #3): A Cape Isle Novel by Allie Able

down the counter.
    “Wine. Lots of wine.” I continue closing out the register, trying to ignore her when I hear her snort in response.
    Finally, we have everything done and Jenna quickly sets the alarm before we walk out.
    “You know it’s going to be okay, right?”
    “What is?” I ask, turning to look at her.
    Impatiently, I wait as she digs around in her purse for her keys. She looks back up at me and smiles. “You and Zack,” she replies with a shoulder shrug.
    “How in the fuck would you know that?”
    “Lex!” she scolds, looking around at the families that are walking down the sidewalks.
    I roll my eyes at her. “It’s not like they can hear me. I didn’t scream it and I’m freaking out for fucks sake!”
    She pinches the bridge of her nose and closes her eyes. I can hear her mumbling something, but I can’t make out the words.
    I wave my hand in front of her face. “Jenna, back to the conversation. I have wine waiting at home. What’s going to be okay? If you know something I don’t, now would be a great time to clue me in.”
    She opens her eyes and gives me a creepy smile. “You know what? Nope. It was nothing.”
    “Jenna,” I growl.
    She winks and turns to walk away. “Love you! Have a good night!” she says over her shoulder and I watch in disbelief as she opens her car door, gets in, and drives away.
    The bitch!
    With a resigned sigh, I make my way to my own car, and after I’ve cranked it up, I let the cool air blast in my face for a second. It’s so hot here today, I’m pretty sure my eyeliner is melting.
    With my face still shoved against the air vent, I grab my phone out of my purse. I have eleven text messages and ten of them are from Jared. Jesus! This guy doesn’t know when to give up. I really do need to go get a new phone, but that’s such a pain in the ass. I just wish he would leave me alone. He didn’t want me when I was living in Virginia with him, but I guess the old saying is right, you only want what you can’t have and that asshole will certainly never have me again.
    I exit out of his text and smile when I see the other one is from Zack. It’s a simple
     
    Zack: Having a good day?
     
    I quickly type out a response, telling him it was busy and that I’m headed home. I toss my phone back into purse and pull out of the parking lot.
    Big glass of wine, here I come.
    * * *
    I’m about four glasses into my bottle of merlot when I hear my cellphone ringing in the kitchen. From my comfortable spot on the couch, I listen to it, debating whether or not that call is important enough for me to have to get up. I ultimately decide that it’s not. I snuggle back under the covers and take a big sip of wine.
    I stare blankly at the T.V. for what seems like hours. I watch two guys renovate an old house, I watch a couple decide whether they want to ‘Love it or List it’, and I watch another couple hunt for the perfect house in Melbourne, Australia. It’s great, but I don’t think I actually take in a thing.
    My brain is still going over everything with Zack. I’ve known him forever and I’m scared to death I’m going to mess up our friendship.
    I’m no good at relationships and it’s a proven fact that men get sick of me pretty quickly. They can’t handle my weird behavior and my occasional outbursts, but Zack has known me for eighteen years. He knows I’m like this. Is it possible that he actually likes me just the way I am? He told me he loved me.
    Oh my God, he told me he loved me. I don’t even know how to deal with this. I think I’m in shock.
    I take another big drink of wine, right as my doorbell rings.
    I groan and drop my head back on the couch cushion and reluctantly throw the blanket off of me before standing up. I walk across my living room and to the front door. I open the door to see Zack standing there with a frown on his face.
    “Did you even check the peephole?” he asks, gesturing towards the door.
    “Nope,” I shake my head and tip the wine