He was only supposed to be temporary.
“Kallie?”
She shook her head and looked up the back aisle as Eris came jogging toward her.
“Kallie, you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Not a ghost. Ash,” Kallie said.
“What?” Eris asked.
“Ash is here this weekend. He just ... came into the store and—”
“What did he do?”
“He told me I wasn’t welcomed here. That I had a lot of nerve showing my face after telling him I wasn’t a gold digger. He thinks I’m here to find someone else to sink my teeth into.”
“Jeremy!” Eris exclaimed.
“What?”
“Get over here!”
“Where are you?”
“By the meats!”
Kallie sighed as she clung to the book in her hand. But she honestly didn’t want it anymore. Eris pulled her in for a hug as Jeremy came around the corner, and Kallie felt like crying. Unleashing more pent-up emotions into the crook of her best friend’s shoulder. But she couldn't give Ash that satisfaction. She couldn't let him control her anymore like this. No matter how much she wanted to give herself over to him and no matter how much he meant to her, she had to find a way to move on.
She had to find a way to give him up.
“What’s up?” Jeremy asked.
“I’m done shopping. Can you check all this shit out? I’m going to take Kallie back to the car,” Eris said.
“Did something happen?” he asked.
“Ash happened.”
“What?”
“Ash is here this weekend. I’m getting her back to the car before another run-in happens.”
“Wait, he came into the store?” he asked.
“Just check out the damn groceries, okay? I’ll cut you a check for half of it all.”
“You know this weekend’s on me,” he said. “Get her to the car. I’ll be out in a little while.”
Eris wrapped her arm around Kallie and escorted her back to Jeremy’s vehicle. Kallie piled herself into the back seat and leaned her forehead against the window of the car. She felt tired. Empty. Ready for her first nap of the weekend. She closed her eyes as Jeremy stuffed the trunk of his car full of all the things they’d bought, and soon they were on the road headed to his house.
“Kallie?” Eris asked.
“Yep?”
“You know you can’t let him yank you around like this forever,” she said.
“Got it,” Kallie said.