“So, you’d rather—”
“Quinn, enough. I told you who she was and why I said you were my mate. Now leave it.”
Wow. Just… wow. “Well, on that note, I need to go. Bye.”
I hang up and then shut down my phone. Now instead of being sad, I’m pissed. He sounded just like my brothers. They talk to me like I’m an annoying gnat, and I’m not going to allow Cooke Thompson to do the same. Sure, I love him, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to let him treat me like that.
Searching my room, I find a pair of leggings and a tee and get dressed. The girls and I are still walking almost every morning. I say almost because there are days we just can’t. Like when it’s raining, or if we went out the night before, or if I had to work until close. When that happens, I’m too pooped to walk, and my roommates are on the same page, usually. Since the weather’s nice and I didn’t work last night and no one over-imbibed, the walk is on.
I’m the first one ready to go today. That’s a first. I usually drag my ass out of my bed last. I guess it helps that Cooke woke me up so early. Sitting in one of our kitchen chairs, I close my eyes and run back through our conversation. Well, I guess you could call it a fight. Our first fight? Hell, it doesn’t matter; a fight is a fight, no matter how many we’ve had. But he was wrong this time, or at least what he said was wrong.
“So,” Robbi says, surprising me, “what was that all about?”
“What?”
“Your tiff with Cooke.”
“You heard that?”
“Uh, yeah. You were both talking loudly.”
We were? I don’t want to rehash it, so I shrug. “Long story.”
She pats my back. “Lucky for you, we’ve got thirty minutes to talk about it. Come on.”
“Where is everyone?”
“Patsy has her boy over, Kat is at Ryne’s, Lindsay is across the street, and Susanna is a lazy ass.” She snorts. “Just kidding. She was up late studying for her chem test.”
“So it’s just the two of us.”
“Yep. Now let’s go. And tell me everything.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Robbi’s been nearly silent the entire time I tell her about the FaceChat with Cooke earlier this morning. Now she says, “I think you did the right thing. He shouldn’t have cut you off like that.”
“Right?” I pause, trying to figure out how to say this. “But I think I may have overreacted.”
She places her hand on my shoulder as we slow our walk. “I’ve had two serious boyfriends. The first one, I was too young to know what I was doing. The second time, I learned from my mistakes. And the main thing I learned was to nip shit in the bud right away, as soon as it happens. So, by hanging up on him, you let him know he can’t talk to you like you’re a toddler.”
I nod. I agree with her, but I’m not sure hanging up on him was the right thing to do. “But I should’ve said something to him instead of just hanging up on him and shutting off all communication.”
“Give it a day or so, then send him a message explaining your actions. See how that goes.”
“I suppose that would work.”
“Worth a try.” She pats my shoulder. “Now, let’s get inside so we can beat the others to the shower.”
Now that they’ve gutted the basement, we’re down to one shower. Sure, I could use the one in the basement, but it’s sort of moist and creepy down there now. Creepier, I guess I should say.
When we step into the house, we hear the shower running, and Patsy is in the kitchen making her breakfast. “Who’s in the shower?” asks Robbi.
“Jeff.”
“Seriously, Pats. Again?” spits Robbi. “You let your boyfriend shower here when there’s too many of us for one shower as it is. Lindsay will be over here any minute to use it too. Plus, you know the hot water heater sucks. He should’ve showered at his place. Now we’re all going to be late.”
“Jesus, Robbi—” Patsy starts.
