Page 19

He eyed me, then nodded. I took a bite of the cake, then grimaced. It was too rich. I continued to chew then swallowed. Oh God, was I going to throw up? Then it was like Zarek read my mind, because he handed me a frosty glass.

“It’s Seven-Up. It’ll settle your stomach.”

I took a big gulp. Then set down the glass and covered my mouth. I let out a belch, and I felt my face get red.

“Chloe, you can’t be embarrassed, that was the most ladylike burp in the history of mankind.” I turned away to look at the back of the couch. It wasn’t the burp, it was the fact that I was upset that I was weak, and now I was embarrassed. I closed my eyes, and saw black, but tried to imagine the white of the sheet in my head.

“Chloe, talk to me.”

My stomach growled.

“You’re hungry, that’s good. Please eat something. If not for yourself, then for my peace of mind. You’re killing me.”

White, I needed to find the numbness of white.

“Chloe, you need to eat.” He was no longer cajoling or tempting. Now he sounded like a man used to being obeyed. All of it was grating on my last nerve. I tried to tune him out.

“Cupcake―”

“Don’t tell me what to do! I haven’t seen you in three years, you don’t get to barge in and try to take over.” I yelled the words into the back of the sofa.

“If you’re mad at me, you’re going to have to look at me.”

His tone was reasonable. It turned up the heat of my temper.

“No, I don’t. Quit bossing me around!” I whipped around to glare at him. “Zarek Andrew Post, you are an asshole! You don’t understand a goddamn thing. You can’t waltz in here and think you know what’s best for me. I know what I need. I need to be left alone.”

“Being left alone isn’t cutting it. You need counseling. You need help.”

“If I needed help, you’d be the last fucking person on earth I’d run to. You turned your back on all of us lowly Tennessee types years ago.”

Oh God, was I crying? I was. I swiped at my eyes so I could see him clearly. He just sat there and took what I was dishing out.

“Are you done yet?”

I was breathing hard, and my head hurt. If it weren’t for those two things I could have gone on for hours.

“Can’t you see this won’t work? Let me go back to my house. You’ve done your charity work. I’m all squeaky clean, I’ll open the windows and clean the house. You can go back to your high-class life in Dallas and be the mighty fireman. I’m all better now. Are you happy?”

“I’m happy that you’re yelling and seem a little more like my Chloe, but hearing that you think I’ve abandoned you for some exciting life in the city hurts.”

“Well, didn’t you?”

* * *

Zarek

I watched her with a practiced eye. Her breathing was shallow, the pulse in her neck was going twice as fast as it should, and beads of perspiration dotted her forehead. I needed to get her to calm down. I needed a diversion.

“How’s Drake? You told me about the big reunion. It was pretty dramatic, but how’s he doing now?”

She looked at me like I’d grown a second head.

“Seriously, we’re in the middle of a fight and you’re asking about my big brother?”

“If I suggested you calm down, I figured you might hit me. You’re not in the correct head space to listen to why I moved to Dallas, so that was out.”

“What do you mean I’m not in the correct headspace? My headspace is fine!” she shouted.