I’vealways been a good judge of the truth versus a lie. Being thatGunner is the best damn liar on the dang planet. For instance, he’ssupposed to be some straight A student in school, yet he’s home,claiming that he did so well that the teachers let him off thesemester early. Mama spots the lie and so do I. I think Gunner’sthe only one that thinks he’s got it licked. Ellie’s mostdefinitely lying. Suddenly, Sloane scurries out of thebedroom.
“No, don—” Ellie says, evidently trying to stop her sisterfrom leaving.
Itsuddenly feels like I’m as unwelcome here as a vagrant.
“Look, Ellie. If you don’t want me here, I’llleave.”
Shesighs, rakes a hand through her hair, rolling her eyes, which arereddened, and sinks her head into her lap, as she sits on thefloor, cross-legged. Her hands are in her hair, grabbing hold offingerfuls of her locks.
I sitnext to her, feeling like if she wanted me to leave, that she wouldhave said so by now. “So, what’s up? You don’t like the house? Youdon’t like me? What?”
Agroan.
“Ellie. It’s okay. You can tell me.” I exhale fast. “It takesa lot to upset me. I can handle it.”
If shewants me to fly, I’ll do it. No loss to me, other than the factthat I won’t get any more of her fine ass. But I’m no more intorelationships than she is. Sure, I’m a gentleman. My mama raised meright. But by no means am I going to be someone’s sucker here. “Mybrothers heard you crying up here. Told me to come in and thoughtit might be something to do with me.”
“I knew I should have kept my mouth shut.”
“About what, man? Come on. Is this a girlie thing? You know,like, we didn’t put your couch in the right spot orsomething?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” She says. “I’m not that delicate that Ican’t say something when something isn’t right.”
“Well, then, out with it.” I say conversationally. “What’sthis about?”
Shelifts her head and draws in a deep breath. And then she lets it outquickly. “Maverick, just what did your nosey brothers hear,anyway?” her voice is slightly snide.
“Well, they didn’t hear anything, per se. They just said thatthey heard you crying. Or thought they heard crying, and that Ishould come and check it out.”
“Isn’t that just great.” Ellie sneers. She’s clearly pissedoff about something. I’m not one for drama, and this type ofbehavior is annoying. That’s one of the reasons why I steer clear.While Ellie and I have only slept together a half a dozen times, wealso don’t talk much, and this is about as much talk as I canhandle. My mama is the most level-headed woman I know, and I can’tstand for anything less.
I decideto come out with it. “You want me and my brothers toleave?”
Along-winded, exasperated sigh. “No. I need to get my stuff in heresomehow, don’t I?”
I hearSloane shuffling around in the bathroom. She can clearly hear us. Ihave half a mind to go close the door so she can’t eavesdropanymore, but I also don’t want to make it obvious. Bad enough I’vegot one woman pissed at me. I don’t need two. Sloane rises andcomes to the bedroom, making it look like she’s just transferringstuff from the bathroom, that doesn’t belong in there, to thebedroom.
“Ellie, isn’t there something in that little plastic bag thatMaverick might want to see?” Sloane says.
“No.” Ellie says too quickly.
I scanthe room and see a small plastic bag in the corner, stuffed next toa suitcase. “Did you get something for me, babe?” I ask, thinkingmaybe I’ve got her all wrong.
“She did.” Sloane says, but her tone is facetious.
“Sloane…” Ellie warns.
Now I’mconfused. Did Ellie buy me something that Sloane doesn’t approveof?
“Ellie, I really think that you should show him what’s in thebag.” Her tone is dripping with contempt.
“Well, what if he doesn’t like what’s in the bag, huh? Or,what if it’s a dud and I have to do what my ‘oh so wise sister’suggested and get it done professionally?”
What the fuck?
I’mlooking closely at the bag, and it looks like there’s two of them,actually. I’m tempted to get up and go help myself, but I’m notfond of getting slapped…especially by an audacious chick likeEllie.
“Well, like I said, it’s rare that it would be a dud, Ellie.”Sloane insists. “I still think you should show him.”
