Page 26 of Never Less

“Do you?”

I shoot Marcus a glare, and he returns it with a steady, even gaze. When he raises an eyebrow in a challenge, I want to scream. I want to yell at him and tell him that yes, I do care what he thinks of me, and to please just say what his opinion is.

But instead I shake my head. “No. I don’t.”

“Then what do you think?”

I let out a slow breath. “Last night, at the party, I tried hanging out with Nate and his friends. I stuck around for a lot longer than the asshole deserved. It felt like he was trying to actively exclude me from their conversation. He wouldn’t explain anything to me, he kept brushing me off, and he flat-out ignored me most of the time I was in the basement.”

Disappointment fills Marcus’s eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“And then, finding out he’s going on this stupid trip…” I shake my head. “If he truly cared about spending time with me, he would’ve found something else to do. Even with Levi and Matthias! I get that he hasn’t seen them in a long time. But there’s an amusement park around here, isn’t there?”

“There is.”

“Or there’s the beach, or a million other things. Things we all would enjoy doing. Things Nate could’ve suggested to the guys instead of backpacking. But he didn’t. And then… well, and then he found ways to pin the blame on me instead of just owning up and saying he’s doing whatever he wants regardless of how it affects me.”

Marcus doesn’t say anything, letting me talk. He’s leaning against the doorframe with his hands in his pockets. His hair is styled, his beard is freshly trimmed, and he always stands with so much confidence. The picture of perfection, staring at his mess of a son’s girlfriend like she’s the only thing that matters.

“It’s not my fault that I decided to stay home because he made plans out of nowhere to do something he knows I hate doing.”

He nods, still quiet.

Always such a good listener.

“And it feels intentional,” I add softly.

“I agree,” he says.

“You don’t think I’m being a little selfish by working?”

“Liliana, you were working while he was asleep, and he wouldn’t’ve had any time for you this morning, anyway. He was looking for an excuse so he wouldn’t have to shoulder all the blame.”

I bite my lip. Out of all the things Nate has said and done, that’s the one that I feel like he’s at least a little right on.

“When you two actually have time to intentionally spend together, are you going to spend it working?”

“What? Of course not!”

“Then I don’t think his little outburst was warranted. Give yourself some credit.”

“Okay,” I whisper.

Marcus’s phone goes off, and after he silences it, he sighs. “I have to get going. I’ll be back soon.”

“All right. Hope it goes well.”

He turns to go, but then he stops and looks back over his shoulder. “Oh, and Liliana?”

“Yeah?”

“Next time you eavesdrop on one of my conversations, make sure you watch your shadow. I saw it under my door.”

Shit.

“I—I’m sorry.”

He just smiles. “I’ll see you later, little star.”

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