Page 104 of Ripped & Shipped
“With you? No.”
“Now that’s just mean. You tell a person you have weird dreams and then you refuse to share the storyline.”
She gives me a playfully wicked look. “Yep.”
“Was I in them?”
“Don’t you wish you knew.” She takes a long sip of coffee, her eyes sparkling with mirth over the edge of her cup.
I just shake my head and smile. She’s so much fun. Even after living through a night I wouldn’t wish on anyone, she just bounces back. No complaints. No bashing the people who treated her poorly. She’d have every right to say a few things right now, but she’s not.
I have mad respect for the woman sitting across from me. It still blows my mind to think that she’s won my heart, but from where I’m sitting, how could she not?
She’s not bringing up yesterday, so I will.
“So, last night …”
She just nods, continuing to sip her coffee and stare at me with those blue eyes. Not a bit of makeup this morning. She’s exposed and natural. It’s all I can do to stay in my chair right now. I want to pull her into my lap, or at least reach over and hold hands.
“It was not cool,” I say.
“What?”
I give her a look with my lips twisted and my brows raised. Seriously? She’s not even going to acknowledge how poorly everyone treated her?
“Didn’t you feel left out?”
“By you? Not at all. You were the perfect fake boyfriend.” She’s quiet for a beat. Her face shifts from dismissive to serious. “And, in all seriousness, you were the perfect friend. I wouldn’t have been able to sit through a night like that without your little glances, and the way you kept silently checking in with me.”
I can feel my molars connect and my face grow taut. I’ve never been short on testosterone, which is usually a benefit in my line of work. But right now it’s making me feel like punching something.
“Down, Big Boy. It’s all good. This is my life. You’re just getting on board the Ella Mae train. I’ve been riding it for years. None of those people hate me. They just don’t know me well enough to like me.”
“That’s crap,” I spit out. “They’ve known you your whole life. You’ve helped each one of them at some point or another.”
She reaches over and places her hand on my forearm. Skin to skin. And I feel her touch everywhere. I’m going out of my mind for more than one reason.
“At ease, Soldier. I’m fine. Would it have been nice to have a better night, to be treated like I belong, to be included? Yeah. It would. But I’m not living out my best Disney princess life over here. I’m me. I’m not everyone’s fave flavor, you know? I may be over-the-top, but my feet are firmly planted in reality. Those aren’t my friends. They’re yours. I didn’t expect anything other than what I got. So, I’m good.”
Her hand is still on my arm, making light, comforting strokes.
“Areyougood?” she asks.
She gets rejected and she asks ifI’mgood?
“I’ll get over it.”
“Good, since it’s not your cross to bear.”
She looks out over the yard and takes another sip of coffee. “What’s the plan for today?”
“I thought you and I could get away together. Just hang out and do some Cincinnati things until we have to come get ready for tonight.”
“Sounds fun! Should I change?”
“Not a bit.”
I mean it, too. I hope she never changes. But man, do I wish the people in our hometown would.
