Page 100 of Horn in My Side
“No, I’m saying it because I’m a woman.”
“Trust her, Mal,” Karak piped in.“She’s been in love twice in her life now.”
Mal sent his stepfather a grateful smile.Karak had readily accepted Mal as his own, accepted that he came part and parcel when he married Morlak.But another reason Mal appreciated him was that he never tried to replace Mal’s father or even erase his existence.Back home, the mantels and walls were still filled with his father’s photos and mementos, and Hargoth’s portrait sat side by side with their mating ceremony photo.
Morlak’s hand covered his.“You should tell her, when the time is right.”
“When?”
“You’ll know, son,” she said.
Before Mal could say anything else, the waitress came by with their order.Though their lunch conversation topics turned to more lighthearted matters, like what happened to the neighbor’s cat or the next cruise his parents were planning, Jasmine remained in the back of Mal’s mind.His hearts fluttered in anticipation, thinking about what to say to her and when.Part of him wanted to blurt it out the moment he saw her, but another held him back, telling him to be patient and wait for the right time.
As they promised, Morlak and Karak stopped by Fantastic Tails to say goodbye to Jasmine before they drove back to San Francisco.As they embraced, his mother whispered something in Jasmine’s ear, and the oddest expression appeared on her face.For a moment, Mal thought Morlak had told her what he’d confessed, but he knew that his mother would never ruin that for him.
“So, that was a nice visit,” Jasmine said.“Everything okay, Mal?You seem quiet all of a sudden.”
I love you, Jasmine.
“I’m fine,” he said quickly.He wanted to say the words outloud, but they were stuck in his throat.He’d never felt like this with anyone, not even his one serious girlfriend that he’d brought home during the Orc New Year.
“Oh.I was wondering if—” She stopped short, her tongue licking at her lips.
“What?”
“Nothing.”She glanced down at her shoes.
“No, really.What is it?Did my mom ...say something to you?Something bad?”
Her head snapped up.“What, oh no.She would never.She didn’t say anything bad, only that she’d never seen you so happy.”Her brown doe eyes stared up at him, boring into his very soul.“But, Mal, remember how you said I can be honest with you?And that you’ll do the same?”
“Yes.”The air from his lungs remained trapped in his chest.
“Well ...I need you to ...We have to ...”She clucked her tongue.“We need to talk about the g-word.”
“The ...g-word?”Confusion sent his head spinning.“What are you talking about?”
“Theword.That you said.When you introduced me to your parents as your girlfriend.”
“Oh.Yeah, uh ...”He rubbed at the back of his neck.“That kind of just came out.I didn’t really know what to say.But what do you think about it?”
She chewed at her bottom lip.“I mean, do we need labels for what we are?”
“No, but ...”
This was it, this was the time to tell her.Do it, Mal.
His brain, however, told himnot yet.Like Karak said, they had only known each other for a few months.
Besides, what if Jasmine didn’t feel the same way?What if she didn’t want to commit to him in the first place?This temporary setup had been her idea.Maybe she wanted to walk away at theend.And the Historical Society could call him at any moment.That job was within his grasp, and if he got it, then he’d have to leave, not just Jasmine, but this life in a small town that had, frankly, grown on him.
“Mal?”
Jasmine’s voice jolted him out of his thoughts.He still owed her an answer.
Be honest, he told himself.That’s what they promised each other.
“We see each other every day,” he began.“We eat nearly every meal together; you’ve slept in my bed more than yours for the last month.We don’t date or sleep with other people.I mean, what would you call that?”
