Page 166 of Sour Notes

Nothing’s changed.

He’s still too perfect to be trapped with someone as broken as me.

He doesn’t deserve that.

He should be with someone who can love him with her whole heart, not just the fragments that were left behind in the wreckage.

A hammering at the door makes me jump out of my skin. What the fuck? The sun’s only just creeping over the horizon.

Barely breathing, I creep towards the front door, icy fingers crawling up my spine. What if Pete’s found out Swayze’s gone and he’s come to take another shot.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

“Mimi, open up, baby. I know you’re in there.”

Niko.

“Yeah, hurry up, I need coffee.”

Mario.

Fuck. Did Swayze text them? If he hasn’t, they’ll expect to find him here.

Oh god, I can’t talk to anyone dressed like this. I literally only just tossed my bridesmaid dress aside, swapping it with Swayze’s PD T-shirt, before putting his now very rumpled suit jacket back on.

I look like a dumpster fire.

Not unlike the state of my love life.

“Mia, don’t make me kick open the door. I know something’s going on.”

Well, fuck. Apparently, our twin-dar isn’t broken.

I open the door a crack and he takes hold, the pair of them walking in, scanning the room before narrowing their gazes on me.

God, their faces are so loud.

“Mia, what happened? Why’d Swayze leave?”

Shaking my head, I crawl back onto the bed, tucking my legs up under the T-shirt. I don’t trust myself to say a single word. If I do, I’m probably going to start wailing like a banshee.

“Given your attire, I’m guessing it wasn’t your choice?” Mario nods toward my admittedly questionable fashion choices.

Ummm, yes, but no? I wish it wasn’t the case, but Swayze leaving is entirely my fault. And I hate myself for it.

How’s that for a response?

Staying silent, I twist the hem of Swayze’s T-shirt around my finger.

“Mimi, talk to us, please.” Nick tugs my hand away, gripping it tightly.

“Nicky, it’s your first day as a married man. Please go back to Layla. I’m fine. You don’t need to be here right now.”

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on. Consider yourself lucky I didn’t bring Mom with me too. Am I to assume it has something to do with Pete sporting a black eye this morning?”

Uhh, what now?

“Well, funny story… no, that was me.” Mario holds his hands up with a grin. “Fucker had it coming.”