Lonely Heart by MJ Kane Page A

didn’t have to go out of your way to─”
    “First of all, I’m not a handy man. I decide when something is going out of my way. Second, I’m happy to help, anytime.” He cocked his head as if a new thought occurred. “But, if you insist on paying me, dinner will work. Why don’t you order something? We can hang out…watch TV.”
    “Oh…um…okay…I can do that...”
    “Good,” he stood, grabbed his shirt, tossed it over his shoulder. He pulled his phone out of the pocket of his jeans. “Let me make a call. I’ll be back in a minute.”
    Flabbergasted, I watched him leave my bedroom with a spring in his step.
    What the heck just happened?
     

Chapter 16
     
    “Gina, something’s come up.” A momentary twinge of guilt hit me, but the moment I looked back towards Kaitlyn’s bedroom, it disappeared.
    Kaitlyn walked down the hall. Her tank top bore the phrase, ‘Hott Momma’. Where did she find those shirts? Her witty personality showed through every time.
    Unable to hide my smile, I faced the sliding glass door again to accept the verbal assault Gina threw at me. After all, I deserved it.
    My intention was not to hurt her. I planned on keeping my word when I agreed to see her tonight. Stopping by Kaitlyn’s apartment was a matter of courtesy because I was across the hall. After all, she’d gone out of her way to call and check on me.
    Then I found myself on her couch sharing what had bothered me all week.
    Kaitlyn listened. Really listened. She didn’t try and understand or offer advice. She let me rant and work through my feelings. She was the epitome of the proverbial shoulder to cry on.
    That’s more than what Gina did the entire week. She was by my side at the funeral, held my hand, and cried with me. Yet in the days after, when I needed her support with what bothered me, she half listened, then found a way to make things be about her, us, marriage, and kids. I couldn’t take it anymore. Tonight would be no different. In fact, she’d be more determined to get me in bed thinking it would cure the ache in my heart, especially since I turned her down a few weeks ago.
    While I was in serious need of physical intimacy, my heart was no longer in our relationship. Sex would be a meaningless physical release for me while she would expect more. I wouldn’t use Gina that way.
    It was time to move on. To whom, I had no clue.
    My attention went to Kaitlyn as she lowered herself on the couch and sorted through takeout menus.
    “What’s going on, Antonio?”
    I forced myself back into the conversation. “Nothing is going on, Gina. Something’s come up. I’ll call─”
    “When you have time,” she completed my statement. “You keep saying that, but it seems like you’re turning away from me.”
    I keep my sigh internal. “Gina, we have to talk, but this isn’t the time.”
    “Whatever. You do whatever it is that’s more important than me and our future. I’ll find someone else to keep me company tonight. Call me when you’re ready to be the man you used to be. ”
    The line went dead.
    I stared at the phone. Did she just break up with me? More than likely, she was baiting me to call back. Not this time.
    If she wanted to break up, fine. No need to turn this into a knockdown, drag out fight. I didn’t have the patience.
    I sat next to Kaitlyn on the sofa.
    “Is everythin’ alright?” She watched me as if trying to read my mood. Those big, round mesmerizing green eyes pulled me in.
    What the hell was I doing?
    “Everything’s fine.”
    Kaitlyn smirked. “Not that I was bein’ nosey, it was just impossible to ignore the screamin’ from the phone.”
    I ran a hand over my temple. “You heard her?”
    “Uh…yeah. Did you just blow off a date?”
    Unable to keep eye contact, I reached for the menu on top of the stack sitting between us. “Yes.”
    A risked glance revealed Kaitlyn’s bewildered gaze. “Why?”
    I met her stare full on. “Honestly? We don’t have anything in common