Page 45 of Rebel Spell
Nova caught my questioning stare and then avoided eye contact. A shifty sign. “Oh, hey Diego.”
The way she said it in that higher pitch edged my bullshit detector up another notch. Was she keeping something from me?
“Hey,” I replied.
“This is Taryn,” Nova added. “She’s checking out the house.”
Taryn extended her hand and greeted me. I shook her hand.
“It’s a good house. Spacious.” Taryn glanced around. “It just needs some updating.”
“If I won’t get in the way, I’ll sit in the living room,” I said.
“No, not at all,” Taryn replied. “I’ll finish up on the other side and be out of here shortly.”
Nova gave me a sheepish look before leading Taryn through the kitchen into the other apartment and closing the door. I opened my laptop and pretended I was interested in what was on the screen. With my hearing, I caught bits of conversation, and it definitely sounded like Nova was looking into selling the house. That hit me like a punch to the gut.
Why hadn’t she mentioned anything to me?
After about twenty minutes of dark speculating, Taryn said she’d be in touch and the door closed. I waited a few more minutes to see if Nova would come over to talk. Maybe explain the situation.
She didn’t.
Had I been setting myself up as a fool to think that our time together meant anything to her other than a hot hookup while she was in town?
Closing my laptop, I placed it on the coffee table. I walked over and knocked on her door. “Nova, it’s me.”
She let me in. “Hey, Diego.” Her shifting gaze belied her cheerful tone.
I stepped into the living room. Although I tried to restrain my troubled emotions, they seemed to simmer right beneath my skin, threatening to break through. “So you’re going to sell the house?”
“Well, uh, I don’t know. I’m looking into my options.”
That made sense, but her evasiveness about it bothered me. “It’s strange that you didn’t mention it to me.”
She hunched her shoulders and bit her lip. “I didn’t want to, you know, upset you.”
“Upset me?” I repeated and pointed to my chest. “Why would you think that?” Despite my attempt to sound neutral, I could hear the defensiveness in my tone. On one level, I knew it wasn’t warranted. This was her house, and she could do whatever the hell she wanted with it. She was an adult, and she could sleep with me and leave, too.
But none of those rational explanations grabbed my common sense, not when her omission bothered me like a splinter beneath my skin.
“Sure, it would be common courtesy—especially since you started sleeping with one of the guys who live under this roof.”
“Easy, Diego.” She raised a hand. “Obviously, I need to find out the condition and the value of the house before I make any decisions.” She gestured to me. “Who knows, maybe you guys will want to buy it, and everything will work out for all of us.”
“Oh, is that how it is? Just wrap everything up and be done with it like that?” I brushed my palms together. Hearing the bitterness in my tone, I wished I could stop.
She frowned before staring at me with confusion. “What’s going on? You know I’m only here to take care of my aunt’s estate.”
Only?That one word sealed it. “Oh, I see. You’reonlyhere to deal with the house. Which means I’veonlybeen a minor diversion from your weighty responsibilities of home ownership.”
“What?” She blinked at me.
I was a fool to have any feelings for her when all she wanted was a little fling before she left. She’d soon be gone, just like everyone else.
Just like Diana.
Was I wrong to think they were different?
