Page 40 of Unfriend Me
“Okay, so…Titus and I are officially dating.” Amelia made a weird noise out of the side of her mouth. “Rip it like a Band-Aid.” She chuckled awkwardly and I cringed. The delivery could have been better, but at least it was out there.
“Ohh…” Susie hopped up and gave us a hug, seemingly happy.
“I see.” Sheriff Waldo had a blank expression on his face. He was one tough nut. His gaze snapped to me. “May I have a word with you outside, Titus?”
I gulped. Amelia squeezed my knee. I stood and followed him out the back door, my heart hammering in my chest. Was he taking me out here to kick the shit out of me? With his expertise, he could probably bury the body and all evidence before Amelia started to get worried where we were. Then an even more terrifying thought occurred. What if he forbade me to date Amelia? How could I tell the man politely to go fuck himself?
He led me to the same bench under the sycamore tree that Amelia had sat on when she agreed to go out with me. I hoped my good luck continued on that bench, though that seemed a bit farfetched given the look on the sheriff’s face. He could make inmates cry with that stone-cold gaze.
He sniffed and looked around the yard, his hands automatically drifting to his belt, even though he’d taken off his utility belt when he got home from work. He didn’t look inclined to sit down, which made it awkward for me. I felt like ten-year-old Titus, staring up at the big, bad policeman while I got my ass handed to me for something Dom did that I got blamed for.
“I’ve known you a long time, Titus,” he began, staring at the bark peeling off the trunk of the tree. “Seen you grow up into an adult. Seen you come around here with my daughter for years.”
His gaze snapped to my face and the moderate fall weather suddenly got chillier. I froze, wondering where he would go with this whole thing.
“I’ve also seen her around town with that jackass Daire. Can’t say I’m sorry to see that guy go, but doesn’t mean I’m happy about her dating again so quickly. You treat her right, Titus, or I’ll find a way to straighten you out and I guarantee you won’t like it. Understood?”
I swallowed hard and stood up, finding a tiny kernel of delight when he had to look up to keep our gazes locked. “No problems there, Chief. We’re on the same page as far as Amelia is concerned.”
The guy didn’t even blink for a full sixty seconds. Just stared me down as if time would reveal the lie in my statement. He must have seen something, or maybe his eyes just started to burn, because he reached over and thumped me on the back of my shoulder.
“Good. Let’s get inside. Colder than a witch’s tit out here,” he grumbled, ambling toward the back door of the house.
I had no idea the temperature of various anatomy on a witch, but I was glad our little chat was over. He hadn’t exactly approved of us dating, but then again, we weren’t looking for his approval. At least, I knew Amelia would say she wasn’t. But deep down, we both wanted our parents happy for us.
Stepping back into the house, Amelia jumped up and took my hand in hers, the litany of questions she wanted to ask easily read on her face. I squeezed her hand and pasted on a smile. The sheriff hadn’t come right out and said it, but that brick settling in my stomach told me everything I needed to know.
He’d tolerate me dating his daughter, but I wasn’t good enough for her.
Exactly what I feared when I was honest with myself.
Just meant I’d have to work doubly hard to prove myself.
17
Amelia
Amelia:Can you come over after work tonight? I miss you.
Titus:Depends. Are you going to make me fix something again?
Amelia:It was just that one time, no need to keep bringing it up. And no. I wanted to seduce you.
Sure, I wanted to tell him how I felt, but I wasn’t afraid to use my body to lure him over here. Had to work that angle while I could. Decades from now when all my skin was heading south, I didn’t want to have any regrets about not using the banging body I’d had in my youth. I was a long-term planner, dammit.
Titus had said he loved me two weeks ago and I hadn’t reciprocated. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to saythatyet, but I did want to be honest with him. He deserved to know that I was in the process of falling for him. Now that I’d pulled my head out of my ass as far as he was concerned, I was finding it all too easy to dive into the deep end with him.
Titus:I’d come over tonight even if you just wanted me to fix something. You know that, right?
Amelia:I do.
Titus:Let’s get back to you missing me. Tell me more.
Amelia:*eye roll emoji*
Titus:I’m serious. That’s probably the sweetest thing you’ve ever texted me.
Amelia:shut up
