Page 76 of David's Chase

He nods and takes a swig of hard liquor. He needs it, apparently.

“You know she didn’t buy your story,” I comment.

He swallows hard and winces because of the alcohol.

“I didn’t tell her so she could buy it. I just wanted to end the conversation.”

Pursing my lips, I tip my eyes down.

“What?” he says.

I lift my gaze.

“She’s not the best person to know about you and me.”

He shrugs carelessly before his jaw locks.

“We won’t be able to do this forever,” he says, his words giving me pause.

My heart beats ferociously.

“I’m not ready to date,” I say. “Are you?”

Laughing quietly, he shakes his head in disbelief.

“I love your sense of humor, Elizabeth.”

I give him a smile.

“It’s true.”

“I know it’s true. I’m not ready to date either,” he says, tilting his head back a little, narrowing his eyes and cocking an eyebrow at me.

“She’d look stupid if she started to spread rumors about me,” he says.

“They’re not rumors,” I remind him.

“That’s true. But it’s my word against hers.”

He mulls over something for a second.

“Nah, she won’t do it. She has no reason to meddle in my affairs.”

“She wanted to know about my dress before knowing that you and I were somewhat connected. She’s the definition of someone wanting to meddle in people’s affairs.”

He tips his chin down, his eyes on me.

“What did you tell her?”

“I told her it was a gift. And she commented that whoever had given it to me must’ve had an exquisite taste in clothing. If she knows anything about you, she can probably figure out you were that person.”

He shrugs a shoulder, and our conversation stalls.

I wish we could continue chatting.

“I figure she doesn’t know about the woman you had bought the gift for,” I say.

“No one knows about that woman except you.”

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