Breathe Again Read Online Free PDF Page B

a car, which makes travel a bit
more difficult.”
    Jackson frowned again. He was doing that a lot today. “Now,
that’s not okay. Let me take you out again. It can be something for you to look
forward to.”
    I bit my lip. I knew there was no way I could say yes. Our
little impromptu date (if it could be called that) was fun, but I couldn’t let
it go any further than that. For so many reasons.
    “I appreciate the offer Jackson, I really do. But I don’t
think that would be a good idea.”
    “And why not?” he asked, unashamed.
    “It’s just not a good time for me. I’m sorry,” I lied.
    I was surprised at the look of disappointment that came
across his face. I was nothing special, as I’d been told plenty of times in my
life. Why on earth would Jackson Traver want to see me again?
    “Well, if you change your mind, I would love to see you
again. Let me give you my phone number. You can call me any time.” I watched as
he wrote his number on the receipt and slid it across the table to me. “I had a
great time today, Mellie.”
    I took the piece of paper off the table out of courtesy and
smiled back at him.

CHAPTER 5
    I stormed out of the restaurant,
ignoring the calls coming from behind me. It was dramatic, sure, but I was
beyond reason. I was livid. By the time Collin caught up to me, I was already
climbing into a yellow cab that I’d somehow managed to hail.
    “Please, Melanie, I didn’t mean it. Come back inside,” he
said desperately, as he tried to hold the taxi door open.
    I sat in the back of the cab, my hand on the door handle and
my eyes closed. I willed myself not to lose my composure, though an
uncharacteristically angry Mellie was about to expose herself.
    “Collin, let go of the door,” I said quietly.
    “No,” he said. “Please, just talk to me.”
    “I’m not going to just talk to you,” I spat out furiously.
“That’s exactly what I was doing back there, but apparently that isn’t enough.”
    “Of course it’s enough,” he said, desperation clear on his
face. “I’ve loved getting to know you, I just got caught up back there. I was a
complete ass. I’m sorry. But please, let’s just talk about it now.”
    I could see the pathetic look in his eyes, but was completely
unaffected. “You’re right. You were a complete ass back there, but you’ve
already said everything I needed to hear. Good-bye,” I said, forcing the door
closed.
    I refused to look back as the cab rolled away from the curb,
but I assumed he was still standing there. I’d been called a lot of things in
my twenty-three years of life, most of which was untrue and based purely on
jealousy and unfounded gossip. But this was different. He hadn’t even made a
move to kiss me yet, but I’d convinced myself that wasn’t my own fault. As far
as I was concerned, he didn’t even seem interested.
    I hadn’t doubted before that night that he was perfect for
me. He was everything I wanted in a man, or so I thought. He was boring and
unassuming and only slightly attractive. But perfect men didn’t have
conversations regarding their sex lives, or lack thereof, with others. Or maybe
they did. Even having such a conversation could have been forgivable, but I
shouldn’t have to know it had even occurred.
    Of course, I wasn’t supposed to know what he’d been saying
about me. I’d made the unlucky mistake of going to the restroom at the exact
moment that one of Collin’s old fraternity brothers had spotted him across the
room. I hadn’t noticed him walking toward our table, but he’d definitely
noticed as I walked away in my new, short skirt.
    When I’d returned to the table, both men were faced away from
me, so it was purely an accident when I overheard their conversation. I wasn’t naive
about how masculine and misogynistic relationships between fraternity brothers
can be. I probably wouldn’t have even blamed Collin for having a slightly
offensive conversation with his old friend, if he hadn’t been the