Page 42 of Broken

“They why not?” Rosalie asked.

“I just … I don’t want to, you know. The firstreal relationship I had was with Dirty, and look what happened.”

“Not all guys are like that.”

Petal shrugged. “Yeah, and I don’t want to gethurt again.”

“Did you love him? I mean, you barely knew him,you couldn’t have loved him that quickly, right?”

She looked to her best friend and sighed. “I …some might say there was no way it was love, it couldn’t be love, but who is tojudge?”

“You did?”

Petal nodded. There was no reason to put words toit. “It’s why when he asked me if he was the father, it hurt so bad.”

“Oh, Petal.”

“He … it was strange, because he came on thatcruise, and there were so many guys, and I just wasn’t interested, you know? Iwas there, and I knew it was to keep me safe and that was the only reason, butI, he … it’s hard to explain.”

“It’s not, just talk.”

Petal sighed. “He was different.” She took a sipof the hot tea and hated the taste. Wrinkling her nose, she walked back to thecounter and handed Rosalie her tea. The other woman ignored the drink, morefocused on her.

“Different? The guy’s name is Dirty.”

“He was a complete gentleman. Whenever I wanted towalk on the main deck of the cruise ship, or whatever you want to call it, hewas there, holding my hand.” She couldn’t help smiling. “When it was cold, hewas there to offer me his leather cut. It’s stupid, I know, but he would smileat me, and it seemed like every bad thing would disappear. I knew Colt had senthim. I wasn’t a complete idiot, but I don’t know, there were times I got thesense he actually wanted to be there to be with me. Stupid, huh?”

“Not stupid,” Rosalie said. “Not stupid at all.”

“Anyway, we came home and reality set in, and withthat, a whole load of other bullshit, and my dream guy wasn’t quite so dreamy.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Technically, it was. Colt wanted you out of theway or distracted so he could work on me.”

“And yet, you’re having his baby and you lovehim.”

“It’s complicated.”

“You know what I’ve come to realize?” Petal asked.

“What?”

“Real life and love are complicated. Always havebeen and always will be. Relationships are a mess. Books, television, movies, wherethey make believe everything can work out.” Petal shrugged.

There was silence and Petal stared down into hermug of hot tea. It was such a disgusting brew, but there was nothing else todrink. She felt close to tears. Memories of her and Dirty, alone, where no oneknew what was happening, or what they were doing. They seemed like a lifetimeago now, but they weren’t too long ago.

She couldn’t believe how different her life hadchanged in the past year. Her parents had their shit together. She wasconsidering going to college, or at least night school to take some businessclasses. She co-owned the diner with Rosalie, and Gabrielle was gone. Her bestfriend was pregnant, and when she once wanted to party at an MC, they hadbecome part of her world. All within a year and perhaps a half.

“You know, he asks about you,” Rosalie said,making her jerk her head up to look at her best friend.

“What?”

“Dirty. When he sees me or Colt, and it has been afew days since he has come to the diner, he asks about you,” Rosalie said. “Idon’t think he is quite as … unfeeling for you as you might think.”

Petal shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”

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