As I tried to explain all of this to Cami, I started to feel just a little bit silly for falling so hard and fast. To Brody, our relationship – or whatever it was – might be just a passing thing.
But for me? Maybe it had started out that way, but I was fast becoming hooked.Reallyhooked.
Was that a good thing? Or a bad thing?
I wasn't sure.
And by the time I got off the phone, I wasn't nearly as happy as I'd been when the conversation had begun.
Just maybe, I decided, it was time to broach the subject of the house again, if only to gauge Brody's response. It would tell me a lot – and notonlyabout the house.
Chapter 47
Arden
"Ask me later," Brody said.
His words sounded vaguely familiar. And then I remembered why. He'd said the same thing a few months ago when I'd asked him why he'd never known his grandparents.
Since then, I'd approached the subject of his family several times, with little success. Obviously, it was a sore subject, so I tried not to push it.
But tonight, I hadn't been asking about his family. I'd been asking about the house.
It was long past midnight, and we were lying naked in each other's arms. In the quiet darkness of my bedroom, I asked, "Why later?"
"Because it's not the time."
"Whenwouldit be the time?"
With a smile in his voice, he replied, "Later."
I pulled away, putting some distance between us. "Look, if you want to say no, just say it."
"Alright. No."
My heart sank. "Just like that?"
In a teasing tone, he said, "Hey, you wanted an answer."
I had.But his flippant attitude still grated. My question had been simple and straight-forward.Was there any chance at all that he'd ever consider selling me the house?
Apparently, his answer was stillno.
It was a quick, dismissiveno, too, leaving me little hope that he'd ever change his mind.
Maybe it shouldn't have surprised me. But for some stupid reason, it did.
And now, I was almost sorry that I'd brought it up.
There was only one upside. At least I hadn't mentioned Cami's crazy idea of asking Brody to finance the venture. Nowthatwould've been embarrassing.
As far as the house itself, I decided to take a different approach. "You know, I've got a job interview next Tuesday."
"Oh yeah? Where?"
"A shipping center near Midland. We're doing a phone interview."
I still hadn't purchased a car, mostly because I didn't need one at the moment. Brody had a food service that stocked our groceries, and we ordered takeout all the time. Brody always treated, even though I offered time and time again to chip in.
