Page 127 of Be My Compass

“What?”

“I’m going to be rude if you stay.”

She folds her arms over her chest and pouts like Glory does when Heath tells her she has to go to sleep. “I’m staying.”

“You have more self-respect than that, don’t you?”

“Obviously not.” She tosses her hair.

“I’m giving you the chance to stomp off. To call me a jerk. To do whatever you have to, so your pride remains intact.” I lift my glass. Drain the wine inside it. “You can stay and watch, but I doubt that’ll be fun for you.”

“Your mom warned me that you would be difficult.”

Difficult. Like a wild horse. Like an animal.

What a warning.

Good ole’ mom.

“You think I’ll just give up?” Ana hisses.

“Don’t forget that I gave you a choice.” I set the glass back down and call for the waiter.

He stops in front of our table. “Can I help you?”

“What are they drinking?” I nod to Kaelyn.

The server fumbles with the end of his apron and glances across the room. “Uh… I’m not sure.”

“Find out,” I say. The server gives me a funny look, but I slip a fifty over the table and his eyes sparkle. He accepts the cash and tucks it into his pocket as he scurries away.

“Who the hell are those people to you?” Ana demands.

I really dislike her sharp tone.

When I ignore her, she slaps her hand on the table. “You aren’t going to answer me?”

“I can’t give you the answers you're looking for.”

Her dainty nostrils flare. She’s got a painfully delicate face. Like one well-placed sneeze and she’ll fracture a bone. It’s a fragile, bird-like beauty. It screams high maintenance and neediness.

Not like Kaelyn.

Strong, nimble arms. Crown of curls. Eyes of deep black steel.

I love how much Kaelyn works hard to not need anyone. She chooses to let her guard down around me, but she’s just as capable of picking it up and carrying that burden on her own.

I used to tease her about that stubborn self-sufficiency. That determination to be capable on her own. Without me. Without her parents. Without her therapist.

I sometimes hated it. Because there were times when she should have reached out to me and she wouldn’t. And then I wouldn’t know that I had to be there. With my arms around her. With popcorn and M&M’s in the crook of my elbow. With a Disney musical playing on the screen.

I wouldn’t know and so I would meet her when she was grasping life by the fingernails. Taking too many steps past the point that she could go on alone. And I would scold her for it.

But she never stopped working. Trying. Reaching to get to that point where she loved me but didn’t need me.

I never realized how sexy that was. A woman who was whole. A woman working to be whole. Complete in herself.

Not until now.

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