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Tripp laughs all-out. “That seems fair enough. You shut her down pretty good there at the house.”
And he can shut it any time now.
“So.” He clasps his hands on the table. “When are you going to call my sister?”
I swivel my empty wrist. “I haven’t been out an hour, man.”
“Not what I asked.” He folds his arms and stares.
Fine. “I’m not going to call her. Happy?”
“No, actually. Not at all. I don’t get it. I know you’re into her, and she is definitely into you.”
“And that’s the problem.”
He prompts with his hand. “Elaborate, please.”
Through the window, rose bushes sway with the breeze. “Annalise is…young…”
“Word of warning: Do not lead with that when you talk to her.”
“I told you, I’m not going to call.”
“Sure you are. You owe her that much.”
Aargh. “Tripp, we spent time together, and yeah, it was intense. And, okay, definitely there was…connection…there, but…” I plead with him to understand. “I’m not going to hold her to it. It was a hard time for her, but she’s going to work through things, and I refuse to hold her hostage to some misplaced affection she had simply because I was the only one there for her.”
Tripp’s mouth stretches to a thin line. I’m going to trust he understands I didn’t mean to poke a sore spot. He tugs the pair of sunglasses off his head and plops them on the table. Sighs. “I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt here, Gonz, and assume you have my sister’s best interest at heart, but I think you’re wrong on this one. I don’t believe this is a passing thing for her, young or not.”
Hope soars, but then reality draws a bead on it and crashes it back to earth. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Tripp’s jaw hardens. “You at least owe her a conversation.”
I lean in, emphasizing my good intentions. “I’m not good enough for her, man.”
“Why do you keep saying that?”
“Why do you suddenly question it?”
Stalemate.
We both retreat into our chairs.
“Is this about the faith thing?”
Not entirely, but I nod.
“So you decided against it?”
“Actually…I’ve been praying a lot. And reading.” Never thought I’d become the cliched prisoner asking for a Bible, but there you have it. In solitary for my own protection, I had nothing but time and solitude on my hands for a solid week.
“No kidding?”
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around things. Forgiveness. Salvation and all that.”
His eyes widen. “Forget the head.” He taps his chest. “It’s a heart thing. But you’re on the right track.”
I take a sugar packet from the caddy and tap it on the table. “I know.” But that doesn’t mean I get how a spiritual experience suddenly makes a guy like me good enough for a woman like Annalise. She’d be better off with someone like Maddie’s nerdy husband.
