“Jesus H. Christ, anything but that,” Karl muttered, and Matthew glared at him.
The woman herself paid him zero goddamn heed. “You and Molly should do another trust-building activity tonight.” She halted entirely, then tugged both men into the shade beside Bitches & Daughters Bank and huddled close, voice pitched low for privacy. “This is basically your last free evening before the reunion, and Molly’s leaving soon after you attend, right?”
A week from tomorrow, according to her damn plane ticket. He knew better, though. “Yeah, but—”
“So time’s ticking down for her in Harlot’s Bay. You need to build maximum trust in minimal time. We can help.” Athena thought for a moment. “Why don’t you and Molly come over to our house for dinner? Afterward, we can play Pictionary for communication- and trust-building purposes.”
Karl shook his head. “Not necessary.”
“What’s not necessary?” Matthew’s brows drew together. “Dinner, or—”
“More trust building.” Karl shrugged. “Things are going great, thanks to your advice. Communication up the wazoo. By the time the reunion’s done, she’ll either trash that plane ticket or buy another one to get back here as soon as she can.”
“I’m thrilled things are going so well for you, Karl. Really. But...” The knuckles of Matthew’s free hand dug into his jaw. “Has Mollytoldyou she’ll stay? Or visit again in the near future? Using actual words?”
Rude goddamn question. Especially when Karl had finally been feeling more confident about all this long-distance shit.
“Not out loud.” Shifting uncomfortably, he glowered at his best friend. “But I can tell.”
“Have you asked?”
Karl slumped against the bank’s brick exterior and continued glaring. In silence.
“So you were too scared to ask. But have you at least told her how you feel?” In response to his fulminating grumble, Athena lifted her own free hand. “Don’t bother trying to stare me down. I’ll repeat myself: Karl Andrew Dean, have you told herhow you feel?”
Well... “No. But she knows. Shehasto know.”
“How?” Matthew immediately asked. “How does she know, if you haven’t told her?”
“The same way you two assholes figured it out without my saying so.” Karl flung his arms wide, outraged and uneasy. “I can’t hide it, okay? Every time she’s close, the way I feel pours out of me like a motherfuckingfountain, Matthew. No way she could miss it.”
“I just...” Matthew’s eyes closed for a moment. “I just think maybe you should tell her. Using audible, easily understood words, rather than counting on her ability to read you.”
Athena nodded. “Seconded.”
Every last corner of Karl’s affronted soul rejected the suggestion, and the sheer magnitude and violence of that automatic denial overwhelmed him to the point where he couldn’t even speak. Only fume.
“I know you hate that idea. Here’s the problem, though.” All the sincerity in Matthew’s pristine goddamn soul showed in his solemn gaze. “When you asked us for advice last weekend, we were honored that you trusted us to help you. But we were also shocked you were willing to discuss something that bothered you without obfuscating the issue in eighteen separate layers of crankiness and denial. You don’t tend to talk about your emotions. Not with us. Not even with your family.”
Athena cut in. “You don’t talk about much of anything, actually. Except what’s currently annoying you. Also the creative yet practically infeasible ways you intend to murder those around you.”
He flipped her off for that, but didn’t argue. Couldn’t argue.
Of coursehe didn’t fucking talk about his emotions. Easier to show them. Besides—
“People can say whatever they want.” Karl crossed his arms over his chest, relieved to have finally found a good rebuttal. “What they do? That shit matters more.”
Karl bet Molly’s ex had talked a good game. Right before he did his best to bleed her dry. Hell, her two-timing father had told Molly and his wife just how much he loved and missed them every time he got home from his secret second family. Pretty words meantnothing.
“True. But it’s hard to get close to someone who’s an emotional mystery, especially in a tight time span.” Matthew bumped his shoulder against Karl’s, a consoling gesture. “Which is why you need to tell her how you feel and what sort of future you want with her. Directly.”
Ugh. Had to be a better way to build trust and intimacy.
Like, for example, whacking a stupid ball through a stupid mini-windmill while wearing a stupid blindfold. Karl clearly hadn’t appreciatedCorporations Monthly’s total genius enough until this very moment.
“Don’t want to pressure her.” Aha! Another excellent argument! “Thought holding back would make her comfortable. Give her time to trust me more. Still think that.”
So—for Molly’s sake—he shouldn’t tell her jack shit about his goddamnheart.
