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I set down our bags and go to thebathroom. When I’m out again, she hasn’t moved.
“You okay?” I ask.
She nods and keeps staring.
“I’m sorry about dinner. That waspretty rough.”
She shrugs.
I walk over, squat in front ofher, and take her hands in mine. “I had no idea about your familydynamics. Why didn’t you tell me?”
A shrug again.
“I will repeat your own words, theones you said to me when we visited my parents. You don’t actuallyhave to go see them.”
“Then they might bother me in myhome.”
“You could skip every other yearor so.”
Another shrug.
“Sarah seems to like you,” I sayas I move backward to sit on my own bed.
“I like her, too. I wish mybrother and sister did. I’m just so different from them. Fromeveryone. It’s exhausting, trying to get people to like you.” Sheleans back and lies on the bed with arms spread out, knees bentover the edge, feet still firmly on the floor.
“Plenty of people like you.”
“I know. But those who matterdon’t.”
I sigh. “Don’t I fucking knowit.”
She props herself up on herforearms and examines me across the chasm between our beds.
“I’m sorry about that,” she saysand looks straight at me for a long moment. She hasn’t done that inweeks. “But I’m glad you’re here now and not in San Diego.”
My heart leaps and I feel the urgeto hold her. I always want to hold her. “Roxie,” I say softly andreach for her as I start to get off my bed, but she puts her handup. She no longer looks at me.
“Let’s just watch something.” Shescoots away from the edge and toward the middle of her bed, thencrosses her arms.
You have to be patient.
You fucked up big time. The factyou are here is a very good sign. Don’t be greedy.
“Sure.” I get up to find theremote and turn on the TV. “What do you wanna watch?”
She shrugs. “I don’t care.”
I flip through the channels oncable and catch the middle of an old Western. We watch it for aboutan hour before it ends. Roxie’s face is scrunched up, arms crossedtight over her chest.
“You wanna watch something else orgo to bed?” I ask when the movie is done.
“Bed. You can use the bathroomfirst.”
I nod and get my stuff. Fifteenminutes later, I am back in my boxers and a t-shirt. Roxie is onher bed in an oversize shirt of hers. Her legs are bare and I feelthe urge to run my hands along them. She looks at me with a seriousexpression, but doesn’t turn away as my eyes go all over herbody.
“It’s all yours.” I nod toward thebathroom.
Next, I hear her flushing,flossing, brushing teeth.
