Page 106 of Curvy Girl Summer

“What?”

“Don’t do that.”

“Don’t do what?” I put my hands on my hips. “I don’t know you—”

“You do know me. We’re… friends.” He looked like he had to search for the word before he let it out.

That rubbed me the wrong way.

“No, Ithoughtwe were friends, but friends don’t lie to each other, so…” I lifted my shoulders and then headed out of the living room.

“I didn’t lie to you,” he said, continuing to follow me. “I didn’t…”

I spun around. “You did lie,” I stated before I realized how close he was to me. Tipping my head back, I stared into his eyes. “I’ve told you a lot about me. I’ve divulged personal stuff about me and my life. And you”—I poked him in his chest—“were pretending to be someone you’re not.”

His face scrunched up, and he took a step back. “I’ve told you a lot about me, too! What are you saying? I’ve talked to you, confided in you.” His voice rose passionately. “And because of this one thing, you’re going to act like you don’t know me?”

“I don’t know you!” My tone matched his. “That’s what’s sad, Ahmad! That’s what’s so messed up about this whole thing! You just—ugh!” Frustrated, I backed away from him. “It doesn’t matter. I’m just glad I know the truth.”

“And what do you think the truth is?”

My heart thudded in my chest, and I felt that sick, sinking feeling that had been plaguing me since I’d found out. “The whole story… your whole story.… who I thought you were… it was all a lie. You—you’ve been lying since day one.”

His eyebrows flew up, and he looked taken aback. “Wow. Okay. Again, I’m sorry I misled you, but I would really like the chance to explain myself, because I didn’t lie to you. I just don’t like dealing with a lot of the bullshit that can come with being a bartender, and I’ve found that wearing a ring keeps unwanted attention away. It lets me let people down easy without having to do much of anything. And I didn’t clarify my relationship status when we first met because I didn’t know you.”

His reasoning wasn’t easier to digest the second time around.My stomach was in knots. Blinking rapidly, I shook my head. “No, no, it’s okay, Ahmad. Really.”

“So, it’s not even—”

“No, I’m serious,” I interrupted, not wanting to hear more of his explanation. “It’s okay. Because the more I think about it, the more I realize this is on me. I was the one telling all my business and getting all this dating advice from a man I met in a bar. I was the one coming to you like you were someone I could trust. That’s one hundred percent on me. It’s like you said in our first conversation. You can’t trust some of these men out here. Especially a man you don’t know.”

“Aaliyah—”

I tried to hand him back the T-shirt, but he wouldn’t take it. Shaking my head, I turned around and opened his front door.

“My fiancée died,” he uttered.

15

I flinched.

His words felt like cold water thrown on my back. My hand tightened on the door handle as his words played in my head over and over again. I dropped my arms to my sides, and the door clicked softly as it closed. Taking a breath, I turned to face him.

Ahmad’s face was serious, and his eyes were downcast.

I swallowed hard. “What?” I whispered.

He turned and headed toward his couch, and I followed. He took a seat on one end of the couch, and I was on the opposite end. We sat in silence for a minute. I stared at the cushion separating us while I gathered my thoughts. When I was ready, I looked up to find him already staring at me.

Pulling on every emotion within me, his eyes bored into mine.

My heart beat faster with each passing second.

“I, um… Sorry. It’s been a long time since I’ve talked about this.” He rubbed his hands together and then tried starting again. “Up until recently, I wore that ring every day for three years.” He cleared his throat. “You want something to drink?”

Watching him chew his bottom lip, I felt his anxiety on the other side of the couch.

“No, thank you,” I said quietly.

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