Page 85 of Flaunt
“Yeah. Especially if you’re going in that dress.”
She giggles. “I need to either wear the other one or have that one cleaned first. I’m going to have it dry-cleaned either way.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure. I guess. I mean, I might not answer, but you can ask.”
Fair enough. I settle in against the pillows. “Why did what’s-his-face saying that to you bother you that much?”
“What do you mean?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. Maddox said I shouldn’t get a dog the other day because I can barely keep myself alive.”
She laughs.
“Although true, he said that because he knew it wouldn’t hurt my feelings. And he knows that because he knows me.”
“Okay …”
I blow out a breath. “So what was it about ‘not being wife material’ that bothered you?”
“What does it matter?”
“Because I want to understand you and that seems like a good place to start.”
I hold my breath, positive that she’s going to either get up and leave or tell me to fuck off. But, much to my surprise, neither happens.
She takes small bites of her cookie and stares across the room.
“You don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to,” I say. “I was just curious.”
“You know what’s curious to me?”
“What’s that?”
She turns her head my way. “That I’ve never really thought about it. It pissed me off on a gut level, but I’ve never thought about why.”
I’m curious and want to press, but I give her space to get her thoughts together. My typical tactic of hounding people until I get what I want won’t work here. And, strangely, I don’t want them to.
Finally, she heaves a breath. “I think it’s because it was a dickish thing to say, first of all.”
“Agreed.”
“But also …” She frowns. “I guess it makes me really mad, because Joshua doesn’t know anything about me, but he was able to needle me. He struck a real fear, and I don’t know if he did it on purpose or if he got lucky.”
She looks so alone.Is she really withdrawing from me? Is it intentional? Or is it habit?
I lay my palm next to hers and bump her pinkie finger with mine. She holds it out to the side, and I lace mine over it.That’s better.
“What are you afraid of?” I know I’m pushing my luck, but it’s now or never.
She takes a long, deep breath. “I’m afraid that maybe he’s right.”
“What do you mean?”
She smiles sadly at me. “I don’t really know how to talk about this.”
“You just open your mouth and let the words flow. I do it all the time. Sometimes it works out for you and sometimes not.” I wink. “I wouldn’t recommend ordering a dozen chickens without thinking it through, though.”
