Page 20 of An Unexpected Home

“You wanna know what’s going on?” Something in her snapped and she just let it all out. “Well let’s see, my dad and uncle stole a bunch of money which meant that life as I knew it ended. And that means that I have gone without sex for two years for fear that people would sell their stories to cheesy-ass gossip magazines. Then I show up here and some freaking Greek God opens the door and my mind refuses to do anything but think about him. So I figure hey, here’s a great idea, why not ask him if he wants to have sex with you. You think he says yes, then he says no and then he shows up on your doorstep and kisses you like no man has ever kissed you before. But just when you think everything is copacetic, he pulls the rug out from under you again and says he wants to date you.” She took a deep breath.

“Thankfully, I’ve been friends with Carly for a long time and I understood all of that. Now, that being said, you asked Brandon to have sex with you?” Her voice got all high and squeaky.

“Please don’t judge me. I’ve been judged enough for one lifetime.”

“Oh, I am in no way judging you. I’m freaking in awe of you. I don’t know one other person who would have the balls to ask a man they just met for sex.”

“Big balls are not all they're cracked up to be.”

“One, yeah, they are. And two, I can’t believe he turned you down.”

Leah let out a small laugh at Melanie’s comment about balls. “Believe it.”

“I knew he liked you, but that he won’t have sex with you is crazy.”

Leah gripped Mel’s forearm. “What do you mean you knew he liked me?”

“Watch the merchandise,” Mel said and loosened Leah’s fingers. “I could tell he liked you because of the note he left your first night here.”

What was she talking – Oh the note. But wait, that note was nothing. Just straight and to the point.

“I can see I have confused you further,” she said, a small laugh escaping her mouth. “In all the years I have known Brandon, I have never seen or heard of him writing a note. Not even to his mom or brother. Or Carly.”

“I still don’t think I understand?” Although what did it matter? She only wanted sex, not to date, right?

“Leah, he took the time to write a note to you about coffee and the dog. And while in your world and mine, that’s not a big deal. In Brandon’s it is.”

“Huh,” she said. So he maybe liked her, so what?

“Can I ask you something?” Melanie said. “I know we aren’t as close as you and Carly are and maybe you want to talk to her about this but why do you just want sex and not to date? Especially a guy like Brandon. He’s one of the good ones.”

“It’s actually easier to talk to you rather than Carly since Brandon is her cousin. And Mel, just because we weren’t roommates in college doesn’t mean I don’t value our friendship.”

“Thanks,” she said. “But don’t avoid the question.”

“It’s not just Brandon I don’t want to date. I don’t want to date anyone.”

“Why,” she asked.

She shrugged. “Men just seem to let you down. And I don’t want to be let down anymore.”

“It’s not just men.” Both she and Melanie turned to face Carly who was standing in the doorway to her room. “Women let you down too sometimes.”

“Oh, Carly,” Leah said. “I know that.”

“But I don’t think you do if you aren’t willing to give Brandon a chance. You gave Mel and me a chance. Hell, after what my mom did to me, I should never trust another woman, but I trust you two with my life.”

If Leah could slap herself in the face, she would. Carly had lived through a nightmare with her mom and as far as she knew, only the three of them in that room knew about it.

“I’m an idiot,” she said.

“You’re not,” Carly said. “You’ve been dealt a shit hand,” she looked at Melanie, “we all have. But we can’t let that stop us from trying to live. We can’t let the people in this world who hurt us win.”

Melanie looked at her. “I hate how right she is sometimes. Just hate it.”

Leah looked at her two best friends, right now her only friends. “I want to be that strong, to say fuck you dad, you don’t have power over me, but I’m just not ready.”

“You’ll get there,” Carly said. “You just have to get over the hump.”

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