Page 44 of How Dare You

My hackles raise. “I didn’t abandon anything.” I made a choice to change my life, and among other things, it led me to her. “But yeah, I’m happy in Palm Springs.” I answer.

She purses her lips, and part of me wishes she’d push further. I want to share more with her. But she moves on, picking, “Truth.”

She told me a secret once a long time ago and asked me never to bring it up again. But I think about it constantly. Is she doing okay? Is she going to lose Friday West? What happened between her and Trina? If there’s ever a time to find out, it’s now, when her guard is down, and she’s challenged us both to tell the truth. “Do you really think Trina could cost you your business?”

Her back straightens, face going tight, jaw clenching, like she’s putting up a literal wall of defense. “I told you never to bring that up.”

“A couple months ago,” my reason sounds ridiculous as it exits my mouth, “and we weren’t playing truth or dare then.”

“I should never have told you that,” she says more to herself than me as she stands up.

“Are you using your pass?” I ask, leaning forward.

“You’re missing the point.” She doesn’t make eye contact with me, not even to glare. “I don’t talk to anyone about this, and I told you never to ask about it. You broke a rule.”

“What rule?”

She walks back to the trailer, saying, “Don’t be a jerk.”

Chapter 19

Day Seven

Campfire again tonight?

-Trailer Daddy

I’ll Pass.

-Devon

-Notes on the whiteboard, August 27th

Devon

Allie: You made it a whole week.

Me: A miracle.

Sadie: Do you hate us?

Me: No. I never did.

Bea: Obviously.

Allie: Did you and Rhett hook up yet?

Me: I hate him.

Bea: Doesn’t answer the question.

Rhett

She didn’t sleep in my t-shirt last night, opting for an off-white silky tank top instead. If that was supposed to be a punishment, it failed. But she didn’t roll onto my chest and let me hold her either, and if that was supposed to be a punishment, it worked.

I’ve replayed the entire truth or dare game a hundred times, and I still can’t figure out how it went from her pointing her naked ass in my face to her slamming the trailer door in less than five minutes. She had told me never to ask about losing her business when she first brought it up. I misread her last night when I thought she’d trust me with more. I fucked it up with her again. Her response leaves me wondering if the reason she ran away the first night had more to do with her confession than anything else.

Chapter 20

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