Page 29 of Ordinary Secrets

Trey stops eating to stare at me.

I know the question he wants to ask, so I answer it. “Car accident.”

“Oh.”

Whenever I tell people that my parents are gone, they usually say they’re “sorry” out of politeness. Trey doesn’t do that, but the sympathetic look on his face feels more genuine than any sorry I’ve ever received.

I have a bite of my scrambled eggs. “It’s okay. I don’t remember them. I grew up with my grandparents.”

“Are they still around?”

“Yeah. I’ll probably go visit them soon. How about you? Do you see your family a lot?”

Trey clears his throat and gazes aimlessly at his half-eaten plate. “Not really.”

Judging from the desolate look in his eyes, he doesn’t like talking about his family. Maybe they don’t get along. That would explain why he doesn’t have any pictures of them.

I should change the subject. “This breakfast is amazing. Are you normally a good cook?”

“Eh. I wouldn’t classify myself as good. I’m decent. I only started cooking this year.”

“What made you start?”

“Liz. She was sick of me ordering pizza whenever she came over.”

I laugh, admiring his blunt honesty. “Does she come over a lot?”

He nods, scoff-chuckling under his breath. “Enough to drive me crazy.”

“Do you not like when she comes over?”

“Eh. Depends on what I’m doing.”

Playfully, I narrow my eyes. “In other words, if you’re in the middle of something with another woman, you don’t want her barging in.”

Trey laughs, and the sound of it lights a spark in my chest. “Thankfully, that’s never happened, and I hope it never does.”

“Would Liz freak out and get all jealous?”

“Nah. She’s not like that.Weare not like that.”

Ever since I saw Trey and Liz sing their duets last night, I’ve been a little jealous of her. The way they looked at each other, danced together, and held hands seemed to be on a level of comfort above friendship. I thought maybe there was something between them.Maybe not?Or maybe that’s what Trey wants me to think.

“Are you like that with anyone?” I ask, and I’m not sure why. His relationship status shouldn’t matter to me. Still, I’m curious.

“Nah, I’m not seein’ anyone.”

I let out apfft. “I find that hard to believe.”

“I could say the same about you, Arella. You really expect me to think that a woman as stunning as you is actually single and not looking? Come on.”

“It’s true. Iamsingle, and I’mnotlooking.” Suddenly, I’m no longer convinced by that last part. The way Trey just called me “stunning” has my lips curved into an immovable grin.

I picture the two of us together, holding hands, kissing, spending our nights cuddled up watching movies... The vivid images come to my head too easily.

“Why aren’t you looking?” he asks.

Because I’m too busy still trying to get rid of the last boyfriend.“I’m happy being single.” Not completely a lie. I’m very happy. Although I am comparing my current level of happiness to my level of sadness when I was with an abusive man.

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