Page 36 of Unstable

“And yet, you enter a room and he humbles, because he thinks you’re the best thing in the world.”

My head snaps his way and I drop the plate. “What? You’re reading way too much into pure machoism.”

“Am I?” His voice holds a lilt of defiance.

“You got all that from the five minutes you spent with him?”

“No, I got all that in the first five seconds after you two walked in the room,” he laughs. “After that, I figured out he’s a good guy, Henley. He worships you and would always put you first, take care of you with everything he had. Why do you pretend to hate him?”

Yes, it’s been awhile since I’ve been “in the game,” or whatever the hell you want to call it, but I don’t recall guys building up other guys to girls ever being “a thing.”

“What’s your angle, Gatlin?” I bite out the accusation.

He rubs his hand over his mouth, my guess to hide his smile. “I don’t have one. You’re a good girl, Henley. You need to realize that and embrace life. That guy? He’d make you happy.”

“But what about—”

“Hadley?” he speaks it for me and I nod. “Come on, leave the dishes and let’s go and sit on the couch so you can tell me about that. We’ll figure it out. Something tells me it’s more you browbeating yourself than an actual issue.”

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