Page 71 of Always Be True: Tino
No surprise there. “I doubt you’ve run into many people in your circle of friends who live in a garage.”
For the first time, she looked at him with a hint of anger in her eyes. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Knowing things were spinning out of his control didn’t mean he could stop them. “Just what I said. Nothing more.”
She set the cup down on the coffee table and stepped close enough to glare straight up into his eyes. “Are you by any chance under the impression that I judge my friends by where they live? If so, you don’t know me at all.”
“Oh, we both know how well I know you.” He injected enough heat into his words to make sure she knew he wasn’t talking about where either of them lived. “Remember, I’m the one who had you on your back and begging for more the other night. Hell, if we hadn’t gotten back to your house when we did, we’d have ended up naked in the backseat of my car.”
Natalie raised her hand as if to slap him, but then she dropped it back down to her side. He was almost sorry she hadn’t carried through with the impulse. He deserved it. Before he could apologize, she started for the door.
“Where the hell are you going? We’re not done here.”
Although considering what a jerk he was being, they might be done, period. Natalie waited until she reached the door before stopping to answer his question. She looked back at him with eyes gleaming with the sheen of tears.
“I don’t know why you’re acting like this and don’t care. Personally, I’m going to work. I’ve got responsibilities and people depending on me.”
Now he was getting mad, too. “Was that a slam because I don’t have a fancy job like Benton?”
“Don’t be an idiot, Tino. Have I ever once acted like I wanted you to be more like him?”
No, she hadn’t. He really needed to get his head straight before he screwed this up beyond any chance of fixing it. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Look, will you be at the center this evening?”
“Yes, I’m teaching my class then.”
“We’ll talk more then.”
“No, actually we won’t, Mr. Gianelli, and I’ll tell you why. I do my best to avoid spending time with fools and snobs. Right now, I’m pretty sure you qualify as both. So when you get done coaching the kids, don’t bother waiting around for me.”
She slammed the door on her way out hard enough to rattle the windows. The sound reverberated inside Tino’s head, leaving him feeling hollow and hurting. For one brief moment, he burned with the same pain he’d experienced when the police had told him that his parents were dead. Felt the same immediate sense of emptiness and dread about how the rest of his life would play out with this new gaping hole ripped in his heart.
But he wasn’t a kid this time, helpless and adrift in an adult world. He charged out of the annex to catch up with Natalie and beg her to let him hit the rewind button. She was already in her car with the engine running. Instead of driving away, though, she sat with her forehead resting on her arms, which were crossed on the steering wheel.
If she was aware of his approach, she gave no sign of it until he tapped on the passenger-side window. Her head snapped up. Seeing her pretty face streaked with tears kicked him in the gut.
“Natalie, honey, please let me in.”
Not that he deserved a chance to apologize. Evidently they’d found the one thing they could agree on, because she put the car in gear and drove off without a single glance back in his direction.
He watched until she was out of sight. Maybe she’d at least read a text from him. Unfortunately, one look at the blank screen on his phone reminded him that the battery had died, leaving him unable to communicate with her at all. Maybe that was for the best; he had no idea what he would say. He dragged himself back up the driveway to the annex. For now, he’d plug the phone into the charger, finish getting dressed, and then choke down some breakfast. Maybe by the time his phone came back to life, he would have figured out what words he could string together that might ease her pain and undo the hurt he’d caused.
He didn’t hold out much hope, but he had to try.
—
As Tino rolled the rack of basketballs out of the storeroom, Jay took one look at his face and backed away.
“Damn, man, you look like hell. If you’re sick, I can handle practice by myself.”
Just what Tino needed to hear. He went back in to get the box of jump ropes that they had the kids use for warm-up before practice. “I’m not sick.”
Well, actually he was. Sort of, anyway. That didn’t mean Jay or the kids were at risk. As far as Tino knew, being stupid wasn’t catching.
Jay still didn’t look as if he believed him. “Seriously, man, if you’re not up to coaching tonight, go home.”
“I’m fine, Jay. I just had a rough day.”
“If you say so.” The former Seal picked up one of the balls and took a shot at the basket from half court. “But I’ve got to say, I barely survived missions in some of the worst hells on this planet that didn’t leave me looking that bad.”
