Page 57 of The Scientist

“You guys still spend time with each other outside of work… There must still be something there.”

He looked away again, his eyes squinting in the sunlight. “I’ve tried very hard since our breakup to make sure she wasn’t being ostracized by the group to the point of doing things I wouldn’t normally do.”

“Like what?”

He chewed on the inside of his lip. “I never want anyone to treat her badly simply because we’re not together anymore. It’s difficult because we all spend so much time with each other. So when plans get made, I make it a point to have her included.”

“I get it.”

I felt like I was getting a rare insight into who he was. Despite his somewhat cold demeanor toward me in the past, I had still always suspected he was a good guy. Now, I was beginning to think he was one of the really good ones. I don’t think many men would go out of their way to make sure their exes were being treated well by mutual friends after a breakup.

“What about you?” he asked, straightening slightly out his relaxed posture. “You never wanted to marry New York man?”

I shook my head. “No, we weren’t together long. And we weren’t really in love. Well…” I stopped short of finishing that sentence. I had assumed Garrett and I were on the same page,but after our conversation, I realized I had underestimated his feelings.

“Well, what?” he asked curiously.

I guess I had to confess.

“When I told him I was moving here, and that I didn’t think long distance would work for us, he didn’t say too much. He agreed with me, as a matter of fact, and even hugged me and wished me luck. He didn’t seem upset, so I definitely thought we were on the same page. But when I first got to California, he called me and told me he loved me.”

His face was set in stone. “He had never said that before?”

“Not once. I don’t even know if it’s true or if he thought maybe I’d change my mind and head back to New York if he said it.”

He paused, his expression becoming thoughtful. “Would you have stayed in New York if he meant it?”

I shook my head. “No. But I might have tried to make long distance work. I didn’t even want to try though, which told me everything I needed to know about the relationship,” I said. “But he told me on that same phone call that he was going to fly out here to visit me. He made it a point to say that my mom would be better in no time, so we’d be back together again in New York soon enough.”

“What did you say?” he asked, leaning forward, causing his forearm to brush against mine.

I quickly crossed my hand over my arm, hoping to conceal the goosebumps that had suddenly made an appearance.

“I said my mom was going to be here for a while, and I didn’t expect him to wait for me.”

“But when she does get better, you plan to move back and pick things up with him?”

It didn’t escape me that he saidwhenshe gets better and notif.

“Not exactly. I know I’ll be back in New York eventually, but I won’t be getting back with Garrett.”

“Does he know that?”

“He sort of hung up on me before I could say those exact words.”

“You haven’t spoken to him since then?”

“Just a few texts asking how my mom was doing, and I asked about his sister. But no, nothing else about our relationship. I’m hoping he realized it’s over between us.”

Because I guess the whole breaking up thing wasn’t clear enough.

He was quiet for a few moments, and I took the opportunity to admire his profile as he looked out on the lake.The cool breeze pushed around his dark hair, and my fingers itched to find out if it was as soft as it looked.

Eventually, he turned toward me. “Make sure he knows,” he said in a low voice that made my toes curl.

I looked into those crystal clear brown eyes, wishing I could know what exact thoughts were crossing through that brilliant mind of his. It was easy to imagine there was something between us, especially in moments like this when he was being open and vulnerable with me when no one else was around. It suddenly dawned on me that the only time he was ever this way with me was when we were alone. I had to look away as my thoughts took a dark turn. Was he embarrassed by me? That was a depressing thought.

“What is it?” he asked, picking up on the sudden change in my disposition.