“OhGod, that’s a rich name,” Mel commented, and I nodded fervently.
“See!Everything about this guy screams money.”
Aftertaking a sip of her beer, Mel wiped her mouth with the back of her hand anddirected a stony glare at me. “Okay, let me ask the question again; whathappenedbetween you twobefore she went out with him and stoppedtalking to you?”
Ifaltered as I sat beside her. I hadn’t told anybody about that night. Hell, I’dscarcelythoughtabout it. It felt best kept only between us, a nightthat felt so symbolic and sentimental to me on more than just one level. Iwanted it to remain untouched by others, unsullied. But Mel saw the melancholyin my eyes and pressed to know more.
“Saturdaywas fucking heavy,” I told her, and briefly explained the conversation withGreyson in the car. Him officially calling me his dad for the first time. How Ihad kept myself together until I got to Tabby’s house, where I’d completelylost my shit and cried in a way I hadn’t in … I can’t even remember how long. Thethings I said to her that night, the next morning, and while I spared my sisterthe painful, bitter details, she seemed to get the gist of it.
“So,um …” Her long nail flicked at the open mouth of her bottle. “You poured yourheart out.”
“That’sputting it lightly,” I muttered, laying my face in my hands. “You know what?”
“Yeah?”
“Thisshit fucking blows.” I sighed into my palms. “Why the fuck does anybody do thisto themselves? I feel like a psychopath.”
“Yeah,love does that,” and with that, I dropped my hands to the counter and sheasked, “What?”
“Don’tput words like that in my mouth, Melanie,” I growled, setting my jaw andglaring at her like suddenly she was the enemy and the reason why that damnwoman wasn’t answering my goddamn texts.
“Thenwhat doyoucall it?” She smirked knowingly, the way she did when sheknew she had proven a point.
“Iwill admit I like her. I will even admit I like her a lot, butlove? Definitelynot.”
“Ireally don’t understand why not,” she replied softly. “What’s so bad about it?”
Andthe worst thing of all was, I didn’t have an answer to that. I couldn’t thinkwhat was so bad about admitting I could love someone and want to be with themexclusively. What was so bad about having a life shared with someone else wholoves you back? Someone to come home to, someone to sleep with and argue withabout what to have for dinner. What the hell was so bad about it? What the hellhad kept me away from it for so goddamn long?
“Nothing,”I deflated against the back of my seat. “God, I want there to besomethingwrong with it. But fucking hell, the only thing I can think of is how it makesme want to throw myself through a fucking window, knowing she’s not talking tome.”
“Well,that’sdramatic,” she mumbled, steering her eyes off toward therefrigerator. “You sound like a teenaged girl.”
“Oh,good. Maybe I’ll get my period soon,” I grumbled with a roll of my eyes. “Whatever.And I still need help,” I told her. “I mean, you’re a chick, so … give me someinsight. Why is she doing this?”
Sighing,Mel leaned back in her seat and twisted her lips thoughtfully. “Okay, so thisguy, Roman; he’s pretty put together, right?”
“Hemost likely sleeps in a suit, yes,” I agreed, bobbing my head slowly andrubbing a hand over my chin.
“Well,Bastian, um … Tabby’s pretty put together, too,” Mel delicately added,grimacing the way she had that time she told me that my hamster had escapedinto the barn cat’s mouth.
“Yeah,okay,” I snickered. “She’s got her tits pierced. Don’t tell me she’s puttogether.”
Melgroaned impatiently, pinching between her brows. “But does she wear a t-shirtadvertisingher pierced nipples?” I didn’t reply. Instead, I bit my lips, silently marinatingin her words. “Okay then. Can I tell you what I think?”
“Knockyourself out,” I grumbled, getting up to grab myself a beer. I had a feeling Iwould need it.
“Okay,so you came into her life when shit was hitting the fan. She needed some fun,and you’re a fun guy. You know, the type of guy you get wasted and fool aroundwith. And that’s great for a little while, until someone comes along that youcan actually see yourself settling down with.” Mel eyed me with caution, like Iwould pounce in a fit of violent rage any second.
“So,wait,” I began, breathing deeply, “are you saying that when I started talkingfeelings, I scared her off because I’m not boyfriend material?”
Startled,Mel widened her eyes and shrugged. “Um, yeah, that … that’s actually exactlywhat I’m saying. I mean, I don’t know for sure. I’m not in her head oranything, but … it could be.”
Igrabbed my phone and typed a quick message. Mel watched me with acuteskepticism before asking what the hell I was up to.
“I’mgonna show that lady that I’m perfectly capable of classing up my act,” I statedsimply, and I was going to need a little help from my friends.
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