"It's fine," I replied curtly, keeping my tone neutral. "Dennis will take me back later."
I hung up before he could respond. My reflection in the mirror stared back, pale and blotchy. The swelling on my cheek was pronounced, a vivid reminder of how little I mattered to Cayden when his temper flared.
The thought made me chuckle bitterly. When will I finally give up on him? The smallest hint of kindness and I softened again.
When I turned, I caught Dennis crouched by the bathroom door, his curly hair bobbing as he leaned closer, clearly eavesdropping.
"Dennis," I said dryly, raising an eyebrow.
Instead of looking sheepish, he grinned unabashedly. "Big sis, let's grab dinner together. How about Greenmount Street?"
The mention of Greenmount Street made my eyes light up. Chinatown was there and I hadn't had braised pork rice from the small shop Cayden and I used to frequent in years.
"Sure," I said, surprising even myself with how quickly I agreed.
***