“Yeah, makes sense. I think that happens to a lot of people.”
It happened to his mom and he had a front-row seat to that fallout his entire childhood.
Shrugging, Bianca tilts her head in very clear confusion. He can’t imagine her staying with someone out of sheer habit. “It’s what she said she wanted. And I think she really did. Maybe still does, but I don’t know. I don’t think it’s a thing you can control, though, you know? You don’t get to control when you meet the person you’re supposed to spend the rest of your life with. Being with someone just to be with someone, it . . . well, it leads here.”
“I don’t get people,” he says, finishing up the glasses and wiping off his hands. “Why would you want to spend the rest of your life with someone you don’t love with every fiber of your being? What’s the point?”
“People want families,” she says, her voice softer than before.
He turns toward her, bracing his hip against the countertop. “Kids with someone you don’t love . . . it’s fucked up. Trust me, I know.”
She looks up at him in surprise. “Your parents didn’t love each other?”
“My mom loved my dad until the day she died and maybe he loved her too, at least at first. I’m not sure he’s capable of loving anyone for very long, so by the end, even though she loved him, Idon’t think shelikedhim very much. And I think you need both, loving each other and liking each other too, for the hard days, you know?”
“Yeah, I think so too,” she agrees, but then she’s chewing on her lip, eyes trained determinedly away from him. “Can I ask you something?”
“Anything,” he says easily.
“What were you going to do, if he’d hit her?”
That wasn’t the question he was expecting, but the answer is easy enough. “I was going to go over there and have a conversation with him.”
That has her looking at him, panic written clearly across her expression. “Xavier . . .”
“What?” He shrugs. “I wouldn’t have touched him.”
“You don’t strike me as a violent person.”
“I’m not . . . usually, but there are lines.”
“Yeah, I can see that. Not that I’d be able to fight anyone.”
“You could go for the ankles. Once they’re on the ground, I’d put my money on you.”
“Nice,” she scoffs, clearly thinking he’s making fun of her. He’s not.
“What? You’re one of the toughest people I’ve ever met. If I’m ever in a foxhole, I’d want you in there with me.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, boss, who else? I gotta take orders from someone.”
“I think you do okay on your own.”
“Maybe I’d rather not.”
“What? Take your own orders?”
He opens his mouth and then shakes his head. “You haven’t led me astray yet.”
“Yeah, well, soon enough you’ll be on your own again. Just the way you like it.”
“Yeah . . .” He trails off, whatever he was going to say cut off by a massive yawn overtaking her.
“You should head to bed,” Xavier says, lowering his voice in case Chloe is still awake.
She nods, taking a step toward her room, but then she stops. “You could . . . you can bunk in with me, if you want.”
