Page 189 of Catfish

Good job, doofus.

I click the door closed and inch towards the kitchen, needing something to do because I want to ask him if he’s alright but don’t.

There isn’t much about his parents that I know. Just bits and pieces I’ve heard from Emmy and even those were vague.

“Ask what you want to ask, Reagan,” Wade comments like he’s reading my mind. “Em doesn’t like my parents.”

“Why?”

He peers over at me then back at the bags, and continues pulling the items out. "They're assholes."

“That’s it?”

"No. We have a very complicated past, I was pretty fucked up for a while—mentally. Emmy came very soon afterward."

“That’s why you’re so close.”

With our styrofoam containers in hand, he inhales a deep breath and exhales. “Yeah, that’s why we’re so close.” I could hug him right now. Even though he doesn’t deserve it.

But he’s been opening up and showing me that he’s susceptible to being hurt. That behind the position of governor, he’s a man with human emotions and not an empty hole where his heart used to be.

“Ready to eat?”

“You called me Reagan again.”

His mouth lifts with a nod. “I did. You okay with that?”

“Yeah.”

He saunters deeper into the room. “And you’re ready to eat?”

I look upward. “Yes, Governor.”

Stopping by my shoulder, he leans forward to whisper in my ear. “Good. And you can call me Wade.”

“Governor is fine.”

He shrugs. “If fucking you is the only way to hear my name leave your lips, I can work with that.” I shake my head as he rounds me to go lay out our food. Grabbing waters from the fridge, I scoop up the remote and start up Netflix.

Waiting for it to load, Wade is already cramming rice in his mouth with zero shame.

“You didn’t eat lunch earlier, did you?” I scold lightly.

“No time,” he remarks. “Had to get some things in order and try to think of some new ways to charm the public.”

My eyes widen. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He shoves a piece of chicken in his mouth. “It got you to sleep with me, didn’t it?”

I playfully punch his arm. “Alright, asshole.”

"I figure if I can win you over, I can win the world." He winks then returns his attention back to his meal, but I can't remove my stare.

I don’t think he meant it like that. I mean...it felt like he did, but my judgment is off.

Everything is off.

My defenses are down. I actually want to see him despite his normal attitude when he's in governor mode. He's smart, driven, add thoughtful to the list now, and you officially have a man that I've never had in my life before.

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