Not a question, but Jack nods anyway.
“Why?” I ask. “Is it because of what you thought was happening back in university?”
“What?” His eyes widen in surprise. “No! Absolutely not.”
“Is it because you have a secret crush on Nate and you want me out of there so you guys can have weird physical therapy sex on the table?”
His eyes are now so wide open that they might fall from their sockets at any moment. I’m totally picturing them bouncing on the table between us.
And then he burst out laughing. The same laugh I heard when he was with Evie and Ikram on the beach. Real. Free. Like back when we were in our shared year of college, before it all got worse.
“Oh god, no,” he says when he finally gets his laughter under control. He lifts his thumb in front of my face. “First of all, Nate is hot but not my type. Too tall, too broad, too broody, too perfect… I like a guy who looks more like Ikram. A little shorter than me, who smiles more than frowns, and who doesn’t torture me on a daily basis. Second of all,” his index finger lifts to make his point, “Nate’s definitely straight.”
“Why, because he fucked most of the girls on campus?”
“Mainly, yes.” He chuckles, shaking his head in disbelief.
“What if he was in the closet?” I insist a little. “What if he fucked all those girls to convince himself, but secretly had a crush on you?”
“Definitely not,” he shakes his head again with a grin. “You need to remember that I shared a dorm with him. Worse, he was my damned roommate. I loved the guy more than all our other siblings combined, but come on. I’ve heard enough moaning during our four years of university that sometimesI still hear random girls yelling “I’m coming” in my dreams. AndI’venever made one come, that’s for certain.”
If I was drinking something, I would have spit it all over his face. Instead, I’m just choking on air like a lunatic.
“I don’t want you here because I’m in pain, Sunshine,” he finally says with a little sigh. “I’m in a lot of pain, and the hour I will spend with Nate will be difficult. I’ll feel better afterwards, but I might scream and grunt for the whole sixty minutes. And before your twisted brain reacts to what I just said,no, it’s not going to be the fun grunting and screaming kind.”
“And you don’t want me to hear.”
“And I don’t want you to hear,” he repeats with a small smile, but the amusement is now gone from his face.
I exhale a long slow breath. He’s been more open lately about what and how he feels. Maybe Evie, Ikram, and Nate had something to do with it, but it makes me realize how much he was hiding from me.
“Okay,” I concede. “I’ll go for drinksandfood with Evie and Ikram. But I won’t be back late, because I have that final interview with the LAPD tomorrow morning.”
His face lights up. “You didn’t tell me you applied!”
“I did and I’m supposed to sign the paperwork tomorrow. I’ll probably start working on Monday.”
He leans close enough to grab me in his arms and holds me tight.
“Oh god, I’m so happy for you! Where’s the precinct from here?”
“About a fifteen minute drive. And I’m only freelancing, so I won’t be working all the time, but I think it’s better for now.”
He lets go of me and gives me a broad smile. “Sure. But I know they’ll be pushing you to go full time soon. You’re just too good at this.”
“Well, I’m not ready yet,” I shrug with a faint smile. “They know, and we’ll see how it goes.”
“Alright, enough talking,” he says quickly, wheeling backwards to give me some room. “Let’s get you ready. I’m thinking about that hot black dress, some high heels, and bold make-up. And let’s curl your hair. Definitely.”
I roll my eyes with an annoyed grunt, but stand up to follow him anyway. After he got over that weird overprotective phase in college, he took it upon himself to choose my dresses, makeup, and hairstyles for most of thedates I’ve been on. I’d never admit it, but I secretly love the couple of hours we spend together when he thinks of himself as a personal stylist. And it’s been a while since I actually got out for a planned night out.
8
NOT SORRY
Mom: You missed our monthly family check-up.
Mom: It’s the third time, and you rudely left for the previous one.
