Brett’s generosity wasn’t like that. It never felt good to receive. He’d help me make my car payment now and then, but every time he did it, he’d make a big deal out of it, like it was my fault my mom needed something I hadn’t been anticipating that month. And afterwards, he wanted me to lavish him with gratitude.
Compare that to Rowan, who seemed almost uncomfortable when I kept thanking him last night.
"Then you better get used to it, because I take care of what’s mine, Sunshine."
A shiver runs through me. I fall back down on the bed. “I think I’ll manage.”
“And is there an end date to this arrangement?”
“I’m still planning on selling the house once it’s repaired. So I guess we can keep doing this until then, unless he wants to end it earlier.”
“That could be months.”
“Correct.”
For a while, Del’s silent.
“What?” I ask.
“That’s a long time to be playing pretend with someone. Especially someone who looks like he could fuck you into oblivion if given the chance.”
“Did I tell you he kissed me on Thanksgiving?”
“No! What?! Are you joking?”
“I’m one hundred percent serious. It just shows you how chaotic the last twenty-four hours have been, I honestly forgot about it for a second. We were in the kitchen and he just went for it.”
“Oh my God. How was it?”
“Um…” I swallow. It felt like being struck by lightning. “Good. But it can’t happen again.” And it won’t.
“Uh, are you sure about this whole staying with him thing? You can always come stay with me.”
“I have to be in Darkwater Hollow while the repairs are being done. I’ll be fine,” I say weakly.
“Just…be careful, okay? I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“I won’t get hurt.” Rowan might be growing on me, but I’m not an idiot. I know better than to let my guard down around him again.
My phone buzzes twice. An email? It’s probably my schedule for the week.
“Okay, I’ve got to get out of bed. Talk to you later?”
“Yep. Love you, good luck.”
In my inbox, there’s an email from Brett. He sends it around the same time every week.
But when I open the PDF, my jaw drops. He took me off the schedule for the next two weeks.
“That fucker!”
I scroll back to the top of the email and realize I missed the personal note he left me.Take some time off, B. It’ll give you an opportunity to reflect on your choices.
My blood boils. “That petty, childish, miserable asshole!”
He knows I need the money, and so he’s trying to squeeze me dry. Maybe he thinks I’ll get desperate enough to come running back to him.
Honestly, what is wrong with him?
