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She slaps the table. “Do you know how many people would love to meet someone they feel that way about?”
“Listen—”
“No, you listen. You’ve got a bona fide second chance, crazy pants. Like, tied up with a ribbon and everything. And it’s not your third cousin Merle with an overbite and golden shower fetish, it’s Carter ‘only gets finer with age’ Bosch. Who happens to be your fucking soul mate. I don’t even understand why you’re here with me and not riding his face again.”
I give her a thoughtful once over. “You know… in proportion to the rest of your face your mouth is tiny.”
“What?” She touches her lips. “No it’s not.”
“It really is. And from the way it’s determined to prove itself, it never stops moving…like it’s got a Napoleonic complex.”
She rolls her eyes. “Hardy, har, har. Call me what you want cause you only resort to name calling when you know you’ve lost an argument. You know I’m right.”
I shrug, while pretending to be unbothered. “It doesn’t matter how I feel. I’m engaged.”
“Only on paper. The rest of you is single and free to mingle. By mingle, I mean have hot, marathon sex with Carter.”
“Carter and I can’t have sex.”
She gives me a disbelieving sidelong smirk. “Ummm… I think you already did and given then way you looked when you walked in the house I’d say he laid it nice and deep.”
I flush but don’t try to deny it. “I was wrecked. It felt… so, so good. But that’s part of the illusion. It’s not real. It can’t last, and I don’t want to spend another decade getting over him once he hops on his broomstick and flies back to Mount Olympus.”
She shakes her head, her lips turned down in disappointment. “So, you’re going to let him walk away without saying another word because you’re afraid he’s going to leave you brokenhearted again?”
“Why do you make it sound like it’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever heard? Have you not been paying attention?” I lean across the table and grab her plate. I pile the rest of the dishes on top of each other and walk over to the sink.
She claps excitedly. “I think you’ve got a win-win situation.”
I look at her sideways. “Huh? Are you high? There’s no winning anything. And besides, even if I wanted to, I’m not sure he’ll even talk to me again.” I turn the water on and start filling the sink.
“Why wouldn’t he?”
“I said a lot of… things to him. And laid a lot of blame at his feet.” I grimace at the gloves I’m tugging on.
“Why are you washing dishes when you have a dishwasher?” She saunters over to stand beside me at the sink
“It’s therapeutic.” I pick up the sponge and douse it in dishwashing liquid.
“So, what did you say to him? Did you tell him about the…?” She points at my belly.
I purse my lips and turn my attention to the dishes I’m washing. “Yes.”
“Hmmm…” is all she says. Then she bumps my hip and motions for me to move over. She picks up the plates I washed and turns the water on to rinse them. “So, what did he say?”
I wince and hand her the soapy fistful of silverware. “I didn’t really let him say anything. I unloaded on him. I don’t even remember everything I said…” But I can’t forget his eyes and the hurt in them. “I was so angry.”
“I’m sure he understands. You went through a
lot.” Like my father and Duke, Dina doesn’t know the full story of that hospital stay. And I don’t want her to. “You should go talk to him.”
I shake my head hard and hand her the serving bowls to rinse.
I reach under the sink for the spray cleaner and paper towels and start wiping down the countertops. “I should leave him be. Nothing good will come of it.”
“So, I’ve been thinking—”
I moan. “Which is never a good sign. “ I toss the paper towel into the trash.
