Page 91 of Ordinary Girl

“Do you want me to deal with that?” he asks, his eyes following the car until it’s out of sight.

“No. It’s fine. It’s my dad.” I take a breath and wait for his response. But he already knew who it was. He knew.

“Have you seen him? Talked to him?”

Do I lie? Or do I tell him the truth…? “The same car was outside Dag and Freja’s the other night. The night I came to see you at the clubhouse.”

Joel’s eyes narrow. “Did he try anything?”

He’s staying calm, but he’s trying really hard to keep it that way.

“No. I just – I saw him, through the window, in the car. He drove off after a few minutes.” I hate lying, but I think I have to.I have to. “Look, Joel, I don’t think my dad would hurt me, why would he? He wants to make things right again–”

“You need to be careful, Ana.”

“Iambeing careful… He won’t hurt me,” I repeat, because I still don’t think he would, hurt me. That’s not why he’s here. “Maybe he’s changed–”

“Men like him don’t change.”

I wonder if he’s aware of the slight irony in that statement. “Maybe not.”

“Cady said you were taking a break.”

“Are you on your way somewhere?”

“Yeah,” he sighs, digging his hands into his pockets. And that’s it. That’s all I get. But I’m learning not to question things now. What’s the point when nobody tells me anything anyway? Besides, if it’s got anything to do with getting revenge for Mama, then I’d rather not know. But that doesn’t stop me from feeling nervous. Scared. Worried that something is going to happen to Joel… “Are you sure everything’s okay?” Joel’s voice snaps me back from those thoughts.

“Everything’s fine.”

He frowns, tucks a finger under my chin and tilts my face up until our eyes meet. “Thiswillget better, Ana, I promise you that. And it’s a promise I am not going to break. All of this, itwillget better.”

I smile, just a small one but his words calm me. “I need you to be careful too, Joel. Please.”

“Always.” He kisses me, and it’s a kiss that calms me as I fall against him. And I’m trying so hard to live in the moment, because they never last all that long. “I should go. Are you going to be at the clubhouse later?”

“I don’t know. Probably.”

He throws me a smile, and I’m only just beginning to realize how much I love that smile. Mainly because he never used tosmile all that often, in the beginning. But then, neither did I. I had no reason to, until Joel Madsen gave me one. “Later, kiddo.” And then he’s gone, making his way back to his bike parked outside the store. I watch him until he rides off, and then I look back at the spot where that car had been parked, half expecting it to come back the second they know Joel’s gone. But it doesn’t.

I walk back toward the tree I’d been sitting under, my eyes down as I check my phone, and when I look up, and see him standing there, I almost cry out in shock.

“Jesus, what the fuck is wrong with you?”

He shakes his head, tutting under his breath. “Ana, Ana, Ana. I’m sure your mama wouldn’t like to hear you talking like that.”

“Yeah, well, Mama’s not here anymore, is she?” I slide my phone back into my pocket and lean back against the tree. “You’re not even being subtle about it now, are you?”

He frowns.

“Following me.”

“I’m crediting you with the intelligence I’m sure you have, Ana.”

“What do you want?”

“I want you to realize that I’m trying to make amends, because I don’t think you’re listening to me.”

“I don’t want to hear any more. You’re wasting your time.”

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