“And you couldn’t have asked me?”
“Seriously? Anytime I mentioned sex, you turned scarlet. And when I asked what you wanted, you’d tell me what I wanted was good enough. Erin, you never complained. How was I to know I wasn’t what you needed?” His expression soured. “Jesus. Now I’m a bad lover too?”
“But…” Erin thought about it and realized he had a point. “Okay, so maybe I was more closed off then. But can you tell me you tried all that hard to make me ‘happy’?”
“You can’t even say it, can you?” He shook his head.
With Smith she’d been bold and aggressive. “Fine. You didn’t give me orgasms. How’s that for bold for you?”
“Wow. That’s quite a leap for you, isn’t it? You’re still blushing, but you saidorgasmand didn’t explode into a ball of holy fire.” He chuckled.
“Shut up.” She laughed with him, remembering their many discussions about sin and how hypocritical people could be.
He sighed. “I have missed this with you. Laughing, talking. I really am sorry I was so terrible about our breakup. It wasn’t good of me at all, and I’ve been feeling guilty ever since. I was telling you the truth about giving you the money to get home. I owe you that.”
“I don’t get it. This is the Cody I dated. Where were you three weeks ago?”
“You caught me off guard on a really bad day. I was running late for a meeting about a possible promotion I’ve been working toward for months, and I’ve been having problems with Diane. She and I… She’s nice, but she always came up short compared to you.” Cody shot her a disarming smile. “I’m not saying that to win you back or anything, just telling the truth.”
Okay, that feels good to know.
“We’re working things out. But it’s slow going.” He frowned. “I’m sorry she hurt you like that. I think you and I would have broken up eventually. But never like that. Seeing her be so awful to you, especially after I did the same, it was eye-opening.” He looked sad. “For both of us. I had no idea I could be such a dick. Or that Diane could be so nasty. Hell, maybe we do deserve each other.”
They sat in silence, absorbing what he’d said. “So, um, did you get the promotion?” she asked.
He laughed, but he didn’t sound happy. “Yeah. Can you believe that?”
“You were always good at your job.”
“Just not so great at being a good person, I guess.” He frowned and stood. “I think I should go. I know it’s a lot to ask, but I’d like to remain friends. Think about it. I know we’re over, but I… I miss you.” He left before she could respond.
Huh. That hadn’t gone at all the way she’d expected. Cody was supposed to flaunt his new girlfriend, tell Erin how naïve and silly she’d been to think she could have a worldly man like him, then let her down gently and treat her as if she hadn’t a brain in her head.
Instead, Cody had apologized. He’d taken a little bit to get there, yes, but his words had been genuine. He didn’t try to win her back, but they’d shared a little bit of the connection they used to share. He missed her.
Yet he’d also told her some things she’d needed to hear. Apparently, being kind could be a bad thing. Smith didn’t seem to mind her, but what if by being together all the time, he saw the side of her that had scared Cody away? Smith wasn’t the type to cheat, but she hadn’t thought Cody was either.
Nervous, she ordered another macaron and thought over all her times with Smith, trying to dissect her new, wondrous relationship before it turned sour, the way hers and Cody’s had.
When Erin arrived home,she realized she needed to take Tilly’s supper to her. She grabbed the casserole she’d prepared earlier and headed to Tilly’s. She knocked and tried to open the door but found it locked. Puzzled, she set the casserole dish on the floor and fiddled with her phone, texting Tilly to find out what the woman wanted her to do. Tilly had talked about getting a key for Erin, but she hadn’t had time to get one made. She’d been planning to put it on Smith’s to do list.
Erin had to smile at that. Tilly and Smith had an odd relationship. One that didn’t look like it would work but did. Tilly nagged and harangued Smith. He barked back at her and acted tough. But he constantly helped the woman, even when she hadn’t asked. He took her dirty clothes bag down to the laundry room for her twice a week. He picked up her groceries when she needed odds and ends between her delivery service, and he constantly fiddled around in her apartment to fix things she hadn’t mentioned needing fixing.
Tilly had told her all of that, because Smith didn’t talk much about himself unless prodded, and even then, he had a habit of turning the conversation to Erin and what she thought or did.
She waited for Tilly to respond, and when she didn’t, Erin figured the older woman must have gone out. Heck, Tilly had more of a social life than Erin did.
Erin grumbled under her breath and returned the casserole to her refrigerator. Thinking about Tilly and laundry made her realize she had a load to do, so she grabbed her basket and walked down to the laundry room in the basement. Unlike the creepy basements in horror movies, where the dim lighting and close confines contributed to the heroine getting mauled by a monster or serial killer, the laundry room in Emerald Estates had high basement windows, bright white walls, and plenty of overhead lighting. It wasn’t cramped, and the six washers and six dryers had worked the entire time Erin had been in residence.
She’d put her wash in and used up the last of her quarters when she noticed Tilly’s cane against the far corner, near the bathroom. Odd. “Tilly?” she called, not expecting an answer.
The thump from behind the bathroom door alarmed her. “Tilly?” she called again and put her ear to the door.
“In here. I hurt my hip.”
“Oh no.” Ein tried the door. “It’s locked. Can you unlock it?”
“If I could unlock it, don’t you think I would have?” Tilly snapped, which made Erin feel a little better. If Tilly could gripe, she couldn’t be too hurt, could she? “Smith has a set of keys. Can you get them and help me out?”
