Page 4 of All I Ask
Nina’s father is the sweetest man. However, he’s old and refuses to believe he’s old.
“Well, at least he’s feeling good, you know?”
She sighs. “I know. I prefer him this way, but I’d also prefer he listen to what we tell him. Anyway, what’s new with you?”
It’s been a day since I’ve talked to her. “It’s Chincoteague, what could be new?”
Nina sits on the old sofa that’s been here since 1973 and will never sell. It’s probably the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen, but there’s something ornately beautiful about it. The sofa may not have the best upholstery, but the bones are there. The frame strong, withstanding countless times of being sat upon, and the cushions aren’t dented, regardless of the number of asses that have been there. If I ever get my own home, I plan to buy it because someone should see it for what it could be.
“Maybe some handsome stranger rolled into town to see the wild horses and realized you’re the fairest maiden in the land, professed his undying love, and now you’re getting married. Of course he only granted you a chaste kiss, after which you fell helplessly in his arms and wanted to stay there.”
Oh Lord. “You’re reading historical romance novels again, I see.”
“I always do. One day I’m going to find a man like the heroes I read about. Mark my words. Until then, I refuse to settle.”
I love my friend, but her head is always in the clouds. She’s beautiful, smart, and any man would be lucky to have her…she just won’t even give them a chance. I don’t know what it is that has her so afraid to love, and she won’t tell me. I’ve tried many times to get her to open up, but I’ve never been able to crack her.
There’s no secret as to what my issue is. Keith is the biggest piece of shit there is, my ex–best friend abandoned me, I’m broke, and I have a teenager who is my priority number one. As soon as I tell any potential date I have a kid—poof—they’re gone. Which is fine by me. I’ve had enough disappointment from men unwilling to commit.
“Well, I would like to meet a man who isn’t married, like the last asshole, or unwilling to deal with the fact that Chastity is my life. I’m tired of having to even explain that.”
“You shouldn’t have to.”
No, I shouldn’t.
“My love life is a damn disaster.”
“There’s a hero out there waiting for us, Tea. I know it. We just need to find him.”
“Well, so far I’ve gotten the antihero that you can’t even grow to like.”
“At least you know what it felt like to be loved,” she challenges.
“Keith didn’t love me. He didn’t love anyone but himself.”
Keith is still the town hero here. No matter what he did to me, it doesn’t matter. While Nina knows the truth, sometimes I wonder if anyone else would believe it if they found out. Of course, his version paints me as the whore who tried to trap him into marriage.
Each freaking Sunday during football season, I have to hear his name, see his stupid face across the television screen, know how much money he makes while I can’t even buy school supplies for Chastity.
Nina’s eyes go soft and her lips tighten. “I wasn’t talking about him, honey.”
“Well, I sure as hell hope you weren’t talking about Derek.”
She lives in a world where impossible things happen all the time. Like a man waking up and realizing that it was you he wanted all along. I don’t have time for fantasies because they’re just that—fiction. I would much rather have my head on straight and focus on what’s real. Like bills and teenagers.
“I still think that…”
“I know what you think.” I sigh. “He got married and had a kid and somewhere in that equation, I didn’t fit. That’s what happened. He knew I was terrified, alone, living with my parents, and freaking the fuck out and he felt that I wasn’t worth the time.”
At least that’s all I can come up with at this point. Why else would he bail? Why would the guy who was supposed to be the only one I could rely on just stop talking to me completely? Maybe it wasn’t me, maybe it was his wife, but at this point in my life, I can’t keep debating it in my head. Derek made his choice and I had to go on with my life.
“It was a long time ago, Tea.”
I roll my eyes. “And a long time that I haven’t heard from him. My phone number is the same.”
I say that last part and I feel so pathetic. I’ve given up on a sudden call or appearance at my door. Believing that he was different and would come around was only hurting myself. Now, I’m just numb.
“Okay, no more talk about Keith or Derek.” She raises her hand. “Have you painted anything new? I’ve been dying to see if you added to your collection.”
