Page 50 of Love in the Darkness

“Huh? Things are great…”

“The other bit.”

Why was my sister always so weirdly dramatic? “This is the longest we’ve been apart in weeks.”

She fixed me with a stern look. “Now roll that around in that big, thick noggin of yours for a second.”

I didn’t see the problem, so I just stared at her with an eyebrow raised. She looked up at the ceiling, and I watched her mouth the words as she counted to three.

Then Gwen fixed me with a stare. “Think, dude. Remember how Kayla is a loner? Remember how she is a shy girl who putters with her schoolwork, and her books, and she spends a whole bunch of her time alone?”

“Well, yeah. But now I’m with her.”

She flashed me a glance that I think was pity. Then she shook her head. “Okay, I forget that you grew up around me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I always spit out exactly what I want. I don’t hide my feelings, I don’t screw around, I just say things out loud. A lot of women are not like that at all. Kayla is shy. Reserved. If she needs some space, she might be too nervous to tell you, for fear of hurting your feelings or causing a scene.”

“I would never cause a scene,” I said quickly, completely rattled. “She can tell me anything. She should know that, right?”

Gwen shrugged. “I don’t know. She’s really timid. She’s probably never had a boyfriend before, I’m guessing. So it might be extremely difficult for her to stand up and state what she wants if she knows it might hurt your feelings.”

“Oh, shit,” I muttered, staring down at my white knuckles as I realized my hands were in fists. I looked up to Gwen in horror. “Am I smothering her?”

“I don’t know,” she said gently. “But you’re going to have to have that conversation, aren’t you?” She paused for a second. “I assume you’re apart right now because you went to the gym?” she asked, glancing at my bag in her hallway.

“Yeah. She said she had a bunch of reading to do, and suggested I go work out.”

“Good for her,” Gwen said. “That was likely her way of trying to get a little space.”

&nbs

p; “But then her friend from Australia showed up, and she took off to have a girls day,” I said.

Gwen nodded, smiling. “Okay, that’s good. I’m glad she took off without asking permission.”

“Why the hell would she ask me for permission to go anywhere?”

Gwen shrugged. “Because women are weird. Some families teach little girls to be silent and pretty, and never make a fuss, and so we learn to do everything in our power to never, ever make waves.”

“That’s not what I expect at all,” I said quickly.

“Yes, but Liam, even though you’re being a little blind about a few things, you are way more sensitive than most men. A lot of guys just use a woman’s demure attitude to their advantage, and don’t question it. I’m hoping that you are bright enough to question it.”

“Okay. What should I do?”

Gwen smiled, nodding toward the kitchen. “You can wash my dishes, to start.”

“Not a chance.”

“Worth a shot,” she shrugged. “First off, you’re asking your big sister for advice, which is always a good idea.”

“Obviously.”

“Now you’re going to have to sit your new girlfriend down and ask her what she needs. You’ll have to be encouraging, calm, and tell her that you realize she probably needs some space.”

“She won’t think that I’m pushing her away?”

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