“She exaggerates.” I don’t know why I keep on arguing with him.
“You fuck that lady yet?”he asks, shifting gear mid-talk.
“Watch your mouth,” I growl a warning, making him pause.
“Holy shit,”he says after a stretch of silence.“You like her, don’t you? Like actually fuckin’ like her.”His laughter is heavy. We both know why.“I never thought I’d see the day.”
I don’t answer right away. “She’s just… comfortable.”
“Comfortable? That’s not the adjective I’d go for choosing a woman.”
“Yeah,” I drawl out. “We know that.”
Jethro has always chosen wild women. Hot to look at and be around. Loud in their beauty. He’d never understand why I’m drawn to Nora. Her beauty is different. It envelops you and doesn’t let go. The more I look at her, the more I can’tclose my eyes. The more I breathe her in, the more it takes the air away.
Jethro makes a noise through his teeth.“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say it.”
“You did. But that’s fine. Just don’t say it anymore.”
“I won’t,”he replies instantly before going quiet for a second.“She the same woman Junie kept talking about? The one with the ‘bad car and good hair’?”
“Yeah,” I chuckle. Even though her truck is fine.
“She got a name?”
“Nora.”
“Hm.”
“What?”
“Nothing. Just sounds… normal.”He almost sounds disappointed, as if normal is a foreign concept to him and he doesn’t quite know how to handle it.
“What did you expect? Cherry Pie like your last one?” I shoot back, knowing exactly which of his ex-girlfriends I’m referring to.
“It was her stage name. I think,”he adds doubtfully.“It doesn’t matter anyway since I’m not planning on seeing anyone a second time.”
“Don’t you think Junie needs a mom?”
“She had a mom who dumped her on my doorstep. We’re done with women.”Jethro’s voice turns steely as usual when we talk about his college fling.“Junie has her aunt and grandmother. That’s enough.”
I don’t say anything, knowing this topic is painful for him. So I decide to divert his attention to me. That’s what big brothers do.
“She runs the diner.”
“Of course she does. How’d you manage that? Charm her with your sparkling personality?”
“Shut up.”
He laughs.“Damn. You really like her, don’t you?”
I shift in my seat. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Why not?”
“You know why.”
There’s a pause on the line. Then Jethro says, quieter this time,“She doesn’t know?”
