Page 29 of The Bachelor

This had the potential to sound stupid as hell but it had been nagging at Shane for three months. He needed another opinion and back before Jolene, Chance had hooked up with any number of women, plenty of them casual one-nighters. “What does it mean when a woman tells you ‘thanks for being decent’?”

Chance’s eyebrows rose. “In what context? I mean, did she sound sarcastic?”

He didn’t know why he was so fucking fixated on this, but he was and he wanted it out of his head. He cleared his throat and spread his legs further, settling back into the patio chair. “It was a note. After a night together. She left without saying anything. Just a note.”

“Um, I guess that’s kind of an insult then, right? Like thanks for not being the worst bang I ever had, but far from the best.” Then Chance seemed to realize what he’d said. “But I could be wrong,” he added.

Shane would have thought that too, except Avery was a virgin, and he didn’t think she had found the sex mediocre. “I don’t know. She seemed satisfied.”

That made his brother-in-law snort. “What, women don’t fake it? Maybe y’all just aren’t sexually compatible.”

They had been compatible. He’d bet his house and motorcycle and share in the production company that they were sexually fucking compatible. “We had a great time. I know when a woman is faking and she wasn’t faking a damn thing.”

“Maybe she meant you were nice. You know, a decent human being.”

“That has to be it.”

Fortunately, before he could further embarrass himself by questioning it any further, his sister returned with a giant bowl of tortilla chips and a smaller store container of guacamole. She hadn’t even bothered to put it in a serving bowl, which was fine with him. Jolene didn’t need to put on a front with her own brother. He snagged a chip as she went past him and set the bowls down on the coffee table.

“Who aren’t you sexually compatible with?” she asked, tossing her hair out of her eyes. “Because rumor has it, you are with any number of females.”

“Not recently.” He made a face. He had been with a lot of women, there was no getting around that, and he didn’t regret his choices. He’d had some good nights. None of which had made him debate the hidden meaning of a hastily scrawled note. Damn. Avery was special and he wanted to pursue whatever it was between them. Hell, he was going to pursue her.

“Just this woman I hooked up with… she left me a note the next day that said ‘thanks for being decent.’ I wasn’t sure what that meant.”

Jolene stared at him. “What is wrong with y’all? It means thanks for being decent. Exactly what she wrote. You think women are far more complicated and devious than we actually are. She meant that you were nice, good to her. That’s it.”

He was mollified. “You’re sure? It doesn’t mean she thinks that I’m an asshole?”

“Were you an asshole?” she asked him bluntly.

“No!”

“Then good Lord. Of course not.” Jolene looked at him in amusement. “Where do you get these ideas? And since when do you care about how a woman leaves you in the morning?”

He shrugged. “I just don’t want to be seen as some kind of prick. I take treating a woman right seriously.”

“Then maybe you should date one instead of just sleeping with the masses.”

“Mind your business.” Which was a ridiculous thing to say since he was over here asking what a fucking morning-after note meant.

She laughed. “You’re the one worrying about some woman’s perception of you. I’m just thinking maybe it is time for you to at least explore the possibility of actually dating.”

“You know how I feel about relationships.” It was a knee-jerk reaction to say that.

“Yes, I do. And I know why.” She shook her head. But then she eyed him. “Shane. Do you like this woman?”

That had to be the only explanation for his behavior. “Yes, I do. But she’s a sweet girl and I’m…

“What? A good guy? Charming? Thoughtful? Successful? I don’t see a problem there,” Jolene said.

That both warmed his heart and made him uncomfortable. “I’ve never dated a girl like her. I honestly don’t know how.”

“Don’t overcomplicate it. You know how to treat a woman. You’re nothing like Dad.”

That pissed him off because it reminded him what was his greatest fear. “I should fucking hope not. I don’t want to be anything like our piece of shit father.”

“Name one thing about you that is even remotely similar to that man.” Jolene loaded another chip with guacamole.

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