I shut the door behind us. “Trevor, what just happened?”
He looks at the door. “Are you fucking him?”
I about fall over. I just stand and stare and blink and try to process what he said. I shake my head repeatedly because Trevor would never accuse me of such a thing.
“Of course not. Why would you even say that?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe it was the way he winked at you. Or how he had his arm around you and whispered in your ear.”
I have to remind myself that this Trevor doesn’t know me. He doesn’t know Jason. He has no idea how friendly they were or how close Jason and I have become as friends, and friends only. He doesn’t understand what he saw came from that friendship. It was Jason caring about me in the same way Maddie or Regan would have. And if I’d walked into the same situation not knowing anything, maybe I’d have jumped to the same conclusion.
I sigh and sit behind the desk as a wave of nausea washes through me. I’ve been feeling similar ripples all week. I think I’m experiencing morning sickness. Or maybe it’s just my nerves being all over the place, like spaghetti on a wall.
“Jason is a good friend. Tobothof us. I promise there has never been, nor will there ever be, anything more than friendship between us.”
I can’t even get myself to be amused or maybe even excited that he might be jealous over another man. Because if he were, that would mean he’s starting to feel a connection with me. Any sense of excitement here is instantly quashed by the way he attacked Jason and confronted me. It’s so completely out of character.
He scrubs a hand across his jaw, another mannerism that’s new. “Fuck. I’m sorry. When I saw him so close to you…”
“Trevor, since the day we ended up in the same geometry class, there’s never been a single thought in my head about another guy.”
“I know.” He snorts. “I mean, I don’t, but I guess I have no choice but to take your word for it.”
I try not to flinch at his biting, hurtful words. “If you’d just read all your letters, and my diary, you’d know.”
“You don’t get it, Ava.” He paces the small space next to the desk. “Reading those things for me is like watching a movie or something. It’s hard to put myself in the position of actually being the person who wrote them, or being the guy you wrote about.”
I nod sadly.
“What do you want me to do?” he asks.
“For one, not bite off the head of our assistant manager.”
“Yeah.” He leans against the wall. “I suppose I should apologize.”
I get up and offer him my chair. “Maybe you should start back here. Learn the books and the computer programs. Go over the accounts and schedules and deliveries.” I scribble down the login information for him.
He raises a brow. “You want to hide me back here after I acted like a jealous boyfriend?”
I don’t correct him and tell him he was acting like a jealoushusband.
And, man, it sucks not being able to read him like I always have. Because I have no idea if what he said was said in sarcasm, or just plain suspicion.
“No.” I look at the door. “Maybe. I don’t know. Listen, this is uncharted territory for all of us, so I think easing into everythingis the way to go. You’re the one who talked about baby steps, remember?”
Baby steps.
Eventhinkingthe words reminds me once more of the monumental secret I’ve been keeping from him. Am I doing the right thing by not telling him? But he’s the one who keeps telling me not to overwhelm him with information. And after the way he reacted to Jason, I’m not all that eager to have him fly off the handle if I were to drop that bomb.
He huffs out a breath and takes the seat I vacated. “Fine.”
I motion to his cast. “Think you can maneuver a mouse with that thing?”
“I’ll manage.”
“Let me know if you have any questions.”
“I have one.”
