Page 42 of Unwrapped

“We have to tell my dad first.”

“Oh, yeah? When? Next week? Next month? Next year? Maybe by next Christmas?” I try to keep the bitterness out of my voice, but I don’t think I succeed.

“Of course not. Tomorrow. He gets home before Mom on Mondays. You’ll come over, and we’ll tell him together. Then, when Mom gets home, we’ll tell her, but we’ll have the support of my dad. It’s perfect. Dad’s rational and calm, and Mom’s emotional. Dad will help calm her down. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before.”

I put the mug down and cross my arms over my chest. She’s looking at me, eyes wide, probably waiting for me to speak, but I don’t say a word. There’s plenty that I could say. I could remind her that I wanted to tell her mother right away, but she didn’t. I could tell her I was ready and willing to have this conversation last night at the mall, but I didn’t get the chance before she shut me down and walked away from me.

“It’s tomorrow, now? Not days ago, like you said?”

“Is something wrong, Nick?” She takes a tentative step to me, but when I don’t put my arms down, she starts to bite on her nail again.

“What do you think, Miranda? Yeah, I’d say something is wrong.”

Her eyes widen at my sharp tone. In all the time we’ve spent together, there’s never been a reason for me to have such a tone with her. I see her steel her shoulders and take a deep breath.

“If this is about what happened at the store yesterday, I was just as surprised as you. I had no idea my family was going to show up, and to be honest, I was really irritated by it because I wanted to be with you. I’ve missed you.” She closes the space between us, her eyes searching mine. I know what she’s waiting for. She wants me to open my arms and let her in, and I want that too, but my anger and hurt from last night just will not leave me.

I step away from her and go stand behind the kitchen island, using it as a barrier between us.

“You were irritated?” I ask in complete disbelief. “I couldn’t tell. You know why? Because you left with your family and left me standing in the middle of the store looking like a damn fool. And you walk in here and act as if it’s just another regular Sunday morning. As if you didn’t treat me as irrelevant a little more than twelve hours ago.”

Her shoulders sag and she lowers her gaze, and all I want to do is go to her and take her in my arms and apologize for upsetting her, but I stand my ground.

“That’s not fair. It wasn’t like that.”

“What was it like then?”

She walks around the island, but I take a step back. She gets the hint and stops walking, but all I want to do is go to her and make fun of her outfit.

“We agreed we would wait to tell my mom. What did you want me to do? Tell her about us while I was at work? With my brother, aunt, and the entire store as witnesses? Is that how you wanted her to find out about us?”

“I expected you to act like a damn adult and not walk away from me!”

“I didn’t walk away from you!” she yells back. “And I am an adult. I’m trying my best to handle this for us, with minimal collateral damage. Think about it, Nick! She loves her job. She has worked there all my life, and her daughter is now sleeping with her boss. You wanted me to tell her that in the middle of Victoria’s Secret in front of my boss and coworkers? That would have been the absolute worst place and time.”

The rational Nicholas Bain would understand where she’s coming from. He would concede that her words make sense. It was the wrong time at the wrong place, but rational Nick has left the building. All I can focus on is one thing she said.

“We’re sleeping together?” I ask, my voice low. “Is that all we’re doing? Good to know.” Disgusted, I pour the contents of my mug into the sink and walk out of the kitchen, giving her as wide a berth as possible. I take the stairs two at a time, and she follows me into the bedroom.

“What are you doing? Where are you going?” I don’t answer, but I grab a duffel bag from the closet and start to shove clothes into it.

“I told you I won’t be here tonight. I’m going away for a night. I need some space, and I need time to think. Is that good enough for you, Miranda?”

“Think about what? Us?” She tries to grab my hands, but I pull away from her as if her touch is laced with acid. “And I know we’re not just sleeping together. Why are you twisting my words? I love you. You know that.”

“Do I?”

“Yes! Why are you acting like this? I’m sorry about yesterday, but I didn’t know what else to do!”

“If you loved me, you wouldn’t have acted like I didn’t matter last night.”

“I didn’t do that!” She stomps her feet and her hands ball into fists. “You’re being unfair. I told you that—”

“You’re waiting for the right time,” I say, interrupting her. “What the fuck would happen anyway? You’re a twenty-three-year-old adult. Would she hit you? Would she kick you out? Would she disown you?”

“No, of course not.” She looks at me as if I’m crazy to even ask such questions. I walk out of the closet and toss the duffel bag on the bed, zipping it up with such force I’m surprised I don’t break the zipper.

“Then what, Miranda, would be so terrible? You’re scared of mommy’s anger? You just admitted that there wouldn’t be any serious consequences, but throughout all of these weeks, you’ve said nothing. You’re acting like a scared little girl, and frankly, that’s a turnoff. I want to be with a woman, not a child.” She rears back as if I slapped her. I can feel her sadness, and I want nothing but to soothe her, but I can’t. Even now, she’s looking around the room, the fear in her eyes evident.

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