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Why couldn’t it just be simple?
I never once complained about any of the men Anne dated. I tolerated themdespitehow I felt about them, so I had no idea why she was being so hard on poor, sweet Horace, who hadn’t done anything wrong.
I wasn’t in love with the man or anything, but he treated me well, and I liked him.
And I needed a man like that in my life.
The cool night air calmed me down just a bit, but I was still furious. When Horace pulled up in his Beamer, I got in and slammed the door hard.
“Hey, hey, hey,” he chuckled. “Easy.”
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled.
“Is everything OK?”
“Just drive,” I said. “I want to get out of here.”
He was smart enough not to ask any more questions and just drove around the city in silence. Half an hour in, he took a detour and made for the coastline, the half-empty streets allowing for a gentle cruise that quickly calmed me down. He reached over and squeezed my leg.
“Better?”
I nodded.
He drove us to a beach parking lot, a beautiful rise that looked out unto the ocean, and a dimly lit pier. Music was playing far off, and we were one of only three cars parked. A few yards away, I could see a couple making out in the back seat of a Range Rover.
Horace shifted into park, rolled down the windows, and turned off the engine. The ocean breezes soothed me even more, and within seconds I felt like I was my old self again.
“Want to talk about it?” he asked.
I shook my head. “I’m fine.”
“You’re anything but fine.”
“Can we just talk about something else?” I asked.
OK, fair enough. By the way, my father might be coming to the city for a visit. Says he wants to see what I’ve been wasting my time with.”
I turned to him, my anger spiking again. “So I’m a waste of time?”
“Jesus, Martha, no, that’s not what I meant,” Horace replied with a frown. “He’s talking about college. He doesn’t know about you.”
“He doesn’t know about me? Really? Why not? Scared to tell him you’re dating someone with a child?”
“He doesn’t know about you because it’s none of his business,” Horace replied. “I’m on your side here. What the hell’s going on?”
I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. Closing my eyes, I counted to ten and then let out a long sigh. “It’s been a long night, that’s all.”
“I was open to talking about it.”
“And I don’t want to!” I felt tears well up in my eyes and quickly brushed them away.
“Hey, hey,” Horace said, leaning in and wiping another one as it ran down my cheek. “I’m right here, Martha. We don’t have to talk about anything. We can just sit here and enjoy the view and forget about everything else, OK?”
I sniffed and nodded.
“OK,” he said. “Just you and me, alright? Nothing else.”
He leaned in and kissed me, and I kissed him back. His hand moved to the back of my neck, and he pulled me closer, our kiss deepening. I placed a hand on his chest and breathed him in, the feeling of his lips against mine making my head spin. This was it exactly what I needed.
