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My apartment is fresh, clean, and happy. Not at all how I want it. It no longer matches my mood.
Ryker’s sitting on the couch, and there are two plates of take-out on the coffee table in front of him. Artie’s in his dog bed, as far away from Ryker as he can possibly get. Maybe I need to pay attention to the message Artie is sending me.
Unfortunately, I already know the content of the message from firsthand experience. Ryker’s an ogre dressed in a really nice suit. He might have a soft side, but he also has a mean streak inside of him that I’d rather not tangle with.
I join Ryker on the couch, pulling my blanket around me as though it will protect me from him. He flips on the TV and we eat our dinner in silence that’s only marred by the muffled sounds of my tears. I can’t help myself. The tears fall easily and often lately.
Ryker again pretends like he doesn’t notice. That’s okay, if he tried to comfort me, I think I’d slap him.
He cleans up our plates, rolls his sleeves back down, and dons his suit coat.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“Do I look okay?”
“No, but I know you. You’re stronger than you think. Give it some time and you’ll eventually be okay.”
Will I? Why does everyone have so much faith in me? Why don’t I have faith in myself?
He folds his arms, his stance wide. “I’ve been wondering about something and I can’t let it go. If you don’t mind my asking, what happened to us, Mila? Where’d we go wrong? I’d really like to know.”
That’s a loaded question. “We’re different, Ryker. We’re just very different people.”
“How so?”
“I like butterflies, you like scorpions.”
He looks down at the floor while he thinks about what I said. “Was that sort of a metaphor-slash-joke?”
“Yep.”
“Clever. I’ll have to remember that one.”
“Want me to write it down on one of your business cards for you?”
“Nah. Thanks, though.”
That one went right over his head.
Ryker approaches, sitting on the coffee table in front of me. He reaches for my good hand and holds it in both of his. Oh no, here it comes. The last-ditch effort to win the competition, I mean, the girl. I will never know if he is really sincere.
“One more thing, Mila. I have to ask. And I’ll only ask once. Is there still a chance for us? Any at all?”
I study his face and realize he’s utterly serious. Huh. That surprises me. I gently slip my hand away from his. “Nope. Not in this lifetime. No reason to ask a second time.”
He stands, adjusts his suitcoat, and puts distance between us. “That’s what I thought. Can’t hurt to check, though.”
Business 101. Learn how to hide your feelings. He has that one mastered. It’s like I told him the time of day. “Can I ask you something?”
His eyes narrow. I wonder how many secrets are hidden inside that brain of his. “Sure.”
“Did we really meet by chance?”
“No.”
His answer is immediate. The truth at last. So refreshing.
“You pursued me just because your brother was obsessed with me?”
