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She tipped her head, gave me a look I expected any mother with teenagers had perfected.
“You knew she was there?”
“That girl needs a man who’s going to stick.”
“I stick.”
She pursed her lips as she settled behind the counter. “More like you stick it in her.”
My mouth opened and I stared at her. “I can’t believe you just said that.”
She raised her arm and pointed toward the front door. “You think I don’t know what you’ve been up to?”
Silas knew. Bridget and Mav knew. Of course Verna knew.
“I’ve known Mallory her entire life. Sweet as can be, even with her crazy parents. I will not stand by and let you use her.”
“I’m not using her,” I countered. “It’s… mutual.”
Again, with the look.
“I bought her a house.”
Her eyes widened. “You did what?”
“I bought her a house.”
“She wanted it?”
“The house? Of course. It’s the one she’s been eyeing.”
Verna shook her head. “I meant, did she want it from you?”
“She wasn’t… happy.”
Verna humphed. “That’s what I thought.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “What does that mean?”
“She doesn’t want a house. She wants love.”
I held up my hands. Stepped back. “Not happening from me. I don’t do love. I can’t.”
Verna shrugged. “Then you were right. It’s nothing.”
I opened my mouth to say more, but she pointed again, this time toward room one. “You have a patient waiting.”
55
MALLORY
The day was turningto shit. Not only did I know how Theo really felt about me, that he truly was interested in me only for sex, but my mother texted. Again.
I scraped together a little money for the mechanic since you wouldn’t pay. Now we have no food. Send me money for groceries.
Gah.
I was so tired of people using me. I sat in my car outside of Lindy’s house. The engine was still running, and I hadn’t moved in five minutes. I’d tossed the trash from the road trip earlier, but there were chip crumbs all over the place. I could even smell a hint of Theo’s spicy cologne. The fucker.
