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He turns and sets the dish towel in his hand down. “What are you talking about?”
After thinking about how much I crave Stallion’s story, it’s made me realize I want everyone’s. I want to know everything they’re willing to share. And William is someone I’ve never bothered to ask. He’s always been busy cleaning up the house, or running errands for my dad, and taking care of me.
“This job. Why did you take it?”
He tips his head with a small smile. “I took it because I felt I had to.”
“What do you mean?”
He turns back around and ladles some soup into a bowl. When he sets it in front of me, he leans against the counter. “Well, I have a daughter, and if I wanted to see her and be a good father, I needed a good job.”
I can feel my eyes widen with his confession. “You have a daughter?”
He nods with an even bigger smile. “I do. She’s very smart and sweet.”
“How have you been with us for sixteen years and I never knew?”
He shrugs. “You never asked.”
Damn. That kind of hurts, but I know he doesn’t mean it in a malicious way. He just doesn’t filter things the greatest sometimes, just like me. And maybe that’s where I get it from because God knows I didn’t inherit shit from my dad.
“I’m sorry.” A frown pulls my lips down.
“Don’t be sorry, Carmen. My job here is to, one, make sure you’re okay, and two, make sure everything stays running in order. Your father didn’t hire me to gossip or tell you my life story.”
“You have a point, but now I want to know.”
“Another time, okay? I have some things I need to do around here.” He waves his hand around, and I nod. “But I do have something for you.”
I raise a brow. “For me?”
He smiles with a small shake of his head, then pulls out a black velvet box from his pocket. As he passes it to me and my fingers wrap around the box, I feel a lump form in my throat. Opening it, I smile, and my heart pangs with happiness. “William.”
“Figured you could use a little pick-me-up. I know you say you’re fine, but you haven’t been acting like it. I understand I’m not the first person you want to talk to, but I am here, Carmen.”
Every word he says swirls around my brain as I pull the ring from the box. It’s a gold snake that wraps around my finger with a ruby eye. “I promise I am okay. I just—”
He holds up his hand as my eyes move back to his face. “Don’t worry about explaining right now. Just know I’m here when you’re ready.”
I nod, appreciating the out he’s giving me. I don’t like talking about my feelings because once they’re out, there is no reining them back in. They hang in the air, taunting me, and grow. And that’s just not something I like to deal with.
“I love you, William.”
“I know.” He smiles. “You tell me all the time.” Without another word, he leaves the kitchen.
I turn the ring he got me around my finger, doing my best not to cry. I’ve always held so much animosity toward my dad for being absent, and now, I don’t even know why. I don’t need him. I have William. But now with him gone and out of the room, everything feels empty and lonely, and it makes me think of Stallion.
I blow out a breath, then pick up the steaming bowl of soup. I take one small sip just to check the temperature, then down it all.
I leave my empty bowl on the counter, then head back upstairs and into my room. I grab my phone from the nightstand and send a text to Stallion. I know it’s a slim chance he’ll even reply, but it’s worth a shot.
What if he doesn’t have family? Or a William? Or even friends?
I knew when I hit Send, the reply wouldn’t be immediate, but now sitting here thinking about it more, maybe it was stupid to even try. Instead of dwelling on it, I decide to open the dating app and send a message to B because at least he wants to talk to me.
Spitfire – I’ve had a change of plans. Wanna meet tonight?
Not even a minute passes before he replies.
