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Her eyes rounded at my honesty. What I didn’t say was how I’d confronted him and the humiliation had only gotten worse. But something changed in me when we had our final showdown.
Nobody was going to make me feel inferior ever again. Especially not a man.
“I got dumped after I slept with him,” Leona blurted out, jolting me from the past. “I thought—I thought he was the one.”
Ragnor’s nostrils flared when he felt the change in me. I stroked harder to keep from punching something.
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I knew it was too good to be true.” She hung her head. “Guys like him don’t go for nerds like me.”
I tipped her chin up. “I don’t want to ever hear you talk like that again. You are beautiful, smart as a whip, and he’s the goddamn idiot.”
“I waited until I was ready. He was so patient.”
Because the asshole was collecting V-cards was my guess. Unfortunately, I’d been privy to conversations circling around that very thing.
“He’s a patient idiot. Doesn’t make him any less stupid.”
Her eyes watered. “I haven’t had my period,” she whispered.
I clutched the metal gate, certain I was about to bend it. “When did this happen?” My attempt to keep my voice calm failed, the anger dominant.
“Just before Thanksgiving.”
Fuck.
“I want you to go to my room, grab my purse and the keys to the truck, then meet me downstairs. I’ll only be a few minutes.”
“You’re not going to tell my parents?”
I grasped her by her slim shoulders. “I would never betray your confidence.”
Chapter Fourteen
Easton
“We needa ride back to the ranch.”
The driver’s side door to my truck had barely slammed before Mulaney started making demands.
“Merry Christmas, Heartbreaker.” I paused painting the steps. “Since you asked, Santa was pretty good to me this year.”
The way she’d barreled down the dirt drive and skidded to a stop indicated this was not going to be a Merry Christmas visit.
She looked ready to spit fire by the time Leona slid out of the passenger side. “Can you take us or not?”
Mulaney hadn’t needed to return my truck at all, but in true fashion, she showed up without warning and wanted things done her way.
“Can you give me five minutes?”
“Hey, Easton. Merry Christmas.” Mulaney’s niece seemed like a sweet enough girl, though I didn’t know her all that well. They bore a striking resemblance, but Leona was more reserved whereas Mulaney was all fire, all the time.
“Merry Christmas. Why don’t y’all go inside, get a piece of red velvet cake, while I finish this up?”
Leona hopped up on the porch without question, avoiding the steps. Mulaney didn’t move, even as the screen door bounced off the frame a few times when her niece went in the house.
“If you want to help, then by all means.” I offered her the paintbrush, to which she gave an incinerating look. I resumed my work, whistling “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.”
