“You okay?” Robbie asked.
“I’m not an invalid. Why don’t people just—” I glared at him. “Do I look like an invalid to you? I can bench-press twice your weight.”
He lifted his hands. “I know, Rocky.”
“Christ.”Robbie’s concerned expression didn’t help either. And now Maisy was whining at me, and if I didn’t chill, she might bark and the boss and Elena were going to come running.
I got to my knees and held out my arms. Maisy flung herself at me. “It’s okay, girl. It’s all right.”
Elena entered the kitchen. “Everything okay?”
“It’s fine.” I watched Robbie drift out. He was probably relieved that he didn’t have to deal with me when I was in such a foul mood. “She’s not alerting. I got pissed off and it upset her.”
“Aw, poor baby.” Maisy adores being the center of attention. She goes out of her mind with joy when more than one person pays attention to her.
“I already apologized.”
“I got a new bag of chicken jerky.” Elena kept treats for Maisy in a glass jar in the pantry. I got a couple strips out and broke them into bite-sized pieces.
“Good girl, Maize.” As I tossed each piece in the air, Maisy snapped them right up. She could field for any team in the MLB. “Who’s a good girl?”
Elena started loading the dishwasher. “You gonna be okay,m’hijo?”
Dang it. No point in taking things out on them.
I picked up a towel to dry anything not headed for the machine. The routine of my day was so set I didn’t even question it anymore.
“I just... You see me, right? I look like a guy who can take care of himself. I look normal. Why do we have to let everyone know my business up front? The dog’s bib is enough, right? We don’t need to stamp the word disabled right on my forehead.”
“I’m sure he only told Sky what he needed to know, in case—”
“No. You know what?” I crumpled the towel and threw it down. “Nobody told Robbie and Jason every little thing about me when they came.”
“Sky’s closer to you in age, but he’s also had a lot of life experiences you haven’t. We wanted to make sure—”
“Nobody has to know why I need Maisy,” I ground out. “They don’t need to know anything about me. If you let him make up his own mind, maybe he’ll treat me like a man instead of the village idiot—”
“Jesus, Rocky.” Elena’s pained expression told me my words were a knife that cut both ways. “Do you really believe that?”
“I don’t know what I believe. All I know is I want people to treat me like a normal person and I can’t catch a break. I know it’s Friday night, but the cowboys will need picking up later, when they get back from the trail ride.”
“That’s right.” Elena watched me like I was an unexploded grenade.
“Do I have to go to Bible study?” I asked. “Can’t I just skip it this week? It’s so goddamn boring. Can’t you take one week off spying for my mother and—”
“Wow.” She let out a deep breath. “So. Wow.”
I’d hurt her. I could see it, but I was too angry to take the words back.
Unlike my parents, Elena actually considered my feelings. I had no right to talk to her like that.
“I’m sorry, but your parents insist you attend Bible study. I’ll be sure to get there early afterward so you won’t need to mingle but you have to go. You put me in a terrible position when you ask me to supersede your parents’ rules. You know that, right?”
Her many kindnesses killed me. Theykilledme.
She wouldn’t look at me. “I can’t put myself in your shoes, but I’m not stupid. I can see how hard this is for you.”
“No, I’m sorry. It’s all good.”I’m the monster.“Me and Maisy love living here with you. I’d probably work for free if I had to, it’s just—”
