Page 104 of A Dream for Daphne

“Yep, you were, but you loved her,” his mother said. “I get it.”

“I didn’t love her like I do Daphne. I know that now. I wish I knew it back then and could have saved us both the frustration.”

“I don’t give a shit about her frustration and you shouldn’t either.”

He loved how protective his mother was. “I don’t really.”

“Did you tell Ella that you were with someone else?” his mother asked.

“No,” he said.

His mother smacked his arm. “Why not?”

“I just wanted to get away from her. I’m not one for being a jerk or rubbing someone’s nose in things.”

“That’s not being a jerk,” his mother said. “You could have said you both had someone else and it was for the best, then got in your truck and drove away.”

“I could have,” he said. “But I didn’t. I wanted to get away from her and put it behind me. Yet here I am talking to you about it.”

“Because you need to get it off your chest. That’s not a bad thing. She only wants you because the company is getting so big now,” his mother said. “I guarantee it.”

“I’m not that stupid,” he said. “I know that. I also got thinking that it’d be better if she found out from someone else that I was with Daphne. Let her be blindsided by it. By me not saying anything means that I don’t put a lot of thought into her.”

“Could have fooled me,” his mother said dryly.

His shoulders slumped, but at least he had the excuse to keep his eyes on the road rather than look at his mother’s annoyed expression.

“You know what I mean. I didn’t want to talk to her. I said a few words and moved on. I wasn’t even nice. I didn’t smile once.”

“Which is saying a lot for you.”

“Mom, I got burned more than I should have. I’m done with her. I don’t even want to talk to her. I wish her well like I would anyone else, but nothing more than I’d wish my old high school math teacher well too.”

His mother laughed. “I guess you can’t not be who you are. Did you tell Daphne about Ella?”

“I did,” he said. “I didn’t tell her I saw Ella on Thursday. There was no reason to. It didn’t mean enough and might cause issues.”

Why put thoughts or insecurities in Daphne’s head when there didn’t need to be?

“So you’re protecting Daphne or yourself?” his mother asked.

“Maybe both,” he said.

“I’m not going to tell you what to do,” his mother said.

“Why stop now?” he asked sarcastically. “You’ve been doing it for years.”

He turned his head to laugh at his mother’s smirk. “I have been telling you for years. But you know what you want. I have to hope you stick to it.”

“I will,” he said. “Ella means nothing to me. She was part of my past that helped shape me now. I know what I need in my life and I’ve got it. I won’t do anything to lose it either.”

“You better not.”

35

EMBARRASSED ENOUGH

“Dang it,” Daphne said on Tuesday.

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