“Well,then she better not talk shit about you,” he reasoned with a nonchalant shrug.
Gettingout of the car and grabbing Greyson’s stuff from the trunk, I looked out towardthe house of the woman I loved. God, it was still weird to say that—that Iloved someone. It felt so serious, soreal. It gave her so much powerover me. She was in every movie I watched, every song I listened to. I couldn’tsleep without imagining her in my bed, or shower without imagining her long,red hair between my fingers.
Ifelt obsessed and fucked up. Why the hell is this feeling coveted? I didn’tfeel complete, or good; I felt ruined.
Greysongrabbed Dweezil and his leash, and we took the daunting walk up to the frontdoor. I used the key I still had and pushed the door open, allowing Greyson tolead the way.
“AuntTabs?” He called into the house and up the stairs, as I walked into the livingroom.
Itlooked different. Lived-in. I took in the Converse laying on the floor, tuckedinto little pockets of space beside the couch or under the coffee table. Therecords, lying on the end tables or on the mantel. There was a small pile ofdiscarded matches beside the Fresh Linen candle and even a half-full glass ofsomething beside the couch, a red lip-print on its brim.
Icouldn’t help but smile. I didn’t know if this was a tailspin, or just theevidence of her relaxing, but I appreciated the humanity of it. Knowing I hadplayed a part. Should I have felt guilty for that? Because I didn’t.
Iturned around to catch Greyson bend over to unleash Dweezil, and I shook myhead, stepping forward. “Wait. Don’t let him off until he’s—”
“He’sfine.”
Whirlingon my heel, I turned around to see Tabby emerging from the back of the house.
SomethingI had learned about love was, I couldn’t discern between reality and fantasy,not when I was thinking about her. Was her hair really as gorgeous as Iremembered? Were her eyes really such a vibrant green? Was fucking her reallythat incredible? But here, I could answer two of those questions with aresoundingyes, and that last one, well … I would’ve thrown her downright there to find out, if I knew she wouldn’t knee me in the nuts.
Herlong, red hair was hanging in curtained waves over her t-shirt. God, I couldn’thelp but smile at the simple fact that she was wearing at-shirt, and aBreaking Benjamin one at that. It was a tour shirt that read the current year,and I began to wonder, until I noticed her leg-emphasizing shorts and thecursive font etched into her flesh. I couldn’t read it from where I stood, butI was dying to know what it said.
“Hey,Thumbelina.” I didn’t mean to use the nickname, but my tongue had a mind of itsown.
“Hi,”she uttered the simple word. It felt so good to hear her voice. Like taking abreath of air, after being suffocated nearly to the brink of death.
“Youlook good,” I commented, completely forgetting that Greyson was standing rightbehind me with Dweezil itching to get the hell off his leash.
“Greyson,”she said, speaking around me and ignoring the compliment, “I said you can lethim off his leash. Just watch where he’s going and make sure he doesn’t chew onanything, okay?”
Ididn’t know if Greyson nodded, smiled, or gave her the finger. I couldn’t takemy eyes off her. That little witch … It had been weeks and she still had meunder her spell.
“Doyou still have stuff in the car?”
Ididn’t know who she was asking, but I nodded. “Yeah, I’ll bring in the rest.”
“I’llhelp.” I realized she must have been talking to me, because she began to walktoward the door, as though leading the way. When I didn’t follow, too busyshamelessly watching her ass move in those tight, hip-hugging shorts, sheturned and narrowed her steely glare. “Let’s go.”
Witha single nod, I looked at Greyson, who was already looking at me with sympathy,and I gave him an encouraging lopsided grin that I couldn’t feel if I tried.“We’ll be right back.”
Tabbyand I walked to the car in silence, and it wasn’t until we stood next to theopen trunk that she looked up into my gaze. The anger in her eyes wasunrelenting.
“Iknow you told Greyson about us.”
“Oh.”It was all I could say, as I diverted my stare to the car.
“Youhad absolutely no right to do that without consulting me first,” she lectured,her tone cold and even.
Ibobbed my head solemnly. “I know, and I’m sorry if that puts you into anawkward-as-hell position, but I knew the likelihood of us being civil with oneanother for a while was unlikely. So, I did what I thought was best.”
Witha tight breath through her nose, I was relieved to find her nodding. “Iunderstand that, but you still had no right to talk shit about me behind my—”
Iheld up a hand, making her stop. “Tabby, I havenevertalked shit aboutyou. You can ask Greyson. I never wanted him to take sides, and I think I’vebeen really good in trying to enforce that. So, whatever problems he gives you,if any, that has absolutely nothing to do with me.”
“Youknow, as much as I’d love to believe that, you’ll understand why I’m findingthat really difficult to do right now.”
“Sure.I already know better than to expect you’ll listen to anything I have to say,”I jabbed lightly.
