Page 98 of Consumed By You
“I never got to thank you. Getting that job really helped me.” I sit down on the stool neurotically. My legs are too stiff.
“Finally get out of that apartment?” He steps up to the counter, picks up the open bottle of wine, and pours two glasses.
“I did.”
He hands me one of the glasses and takes a seat on the stool beside me. “Living with Kevin yet? Or anyone?”
I take a sip of my wine to stall. He’s asking if I’m with anyone. “I live alone.”
He perks up at that, but it could honestly be my imagination. He’s dating someone…I need to remember that.
“And you?”
“What?” He brings the glass to his lips.
“Do you live with your girlfriend now?”
“You know I’m too fucked up to move in with someone, Darcy.”
I can’t believe he just said that.
“I read yesterday that you’re dating someone.” I clench my hand into a fist.
“It’s not true.”
“Wouldn’t your crisis team have corrected the situation if it weren’t true?” I ask suspiciously, taking in a gulp of my drink.
“That story was planted for exposure. It helps with business, oddly enough.”
“What?” I shake my head in disbelief. “Why would you do that?”
“You think I care what they write about me?”
“I guess not,” I mumble, hating that I sound relieved.
“Did it bother you?”
“No,” I say quickly, too quickly.
“Really?”
“I figured it was a matter of time. I gave up hope for us a while ago.” I force a laugh. He’s too close. I need to move. I walk to the pasta and grasp the spoon, stirring.
There’s a long pause and I wonder if it’s because he’s hurt from what I said.
“It would bother me if you were dating someone else.”
I turn to look at him bravely, knowing I shouldn’t. “It would?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He purses his lips and frowns. “I don’t know. Have you ever felt a need,a desire,that never goes away? It’s always there?”
I stare at the noodles, wondering where he’s going with this.
“I remember when I used to touch you, you’d shiver.”
