“Shove it up your butt, Nate.”
“Jesus. You can’t even say ass?”
“Sure, I can. Shove it up your ass, Nate. Better?”
He shrugs. I hate how cavalier he is right now. My mind is all over the place after having sex with someone other than my husband, and I can’t seem to articulate those feelings. I don’t feel comfortable enough with this man to explain myself and frankly, I shouldn’t have to except he appears to need my words. I just don’t think I can do it. Not right this minute.
I stomp to the door, but just as I’m about to pull it open, he asks. “It’s the vasectomy. That’s what did it. Right?”
I turn my head, hand still on his doorknob. “It surprised me. I get why you’d have one, but it just surprised me.”
“You come here to get knocked up, Prudence?”
“No.” My face heats at his question. “Are you accusing me of trying to trap you?”
“Just stating the facts. You’re probably not on birth control, right?”
It’s none of his business at this point. Still, I answer. “No.”
“So, you were okay with me coming inside you, knowing you weren’t on anything?”
“I didn’t come here to get pregnant. I hadn’t given any of that thought. I was more concerned with getting naked in front of you.”
“Why would you worry about that?”
I glance down at myself. He wouldn’t get it.
“Because of the bullshit your ex spewed about you in the texts? He’s a tool.”
So are you.
“Don’t listen to him.”
Why do people think you can just tell a person “Don’t think about the mean things he said to you”? Yeah, like that works. “I didn’t plan on anything tonight, Nate. When you told me you had a vasectomy and that you were clean, I knew it was safe.”
“You wore those sexy underthings and didn’t expect anything?” He smirks.
“My underwear has nothing to do with how I end my day. It makes me feel good to wear pretty panties.” I sigh. “I can’t believe I have to explain my underwear to you.” With that, I head to the door. “You suck, Nate Visch. I don’t need this extra drama in my life right now.” I pull the door open and give him a sharp wave. “See ya.” Or not. Whichever.
I’m crying by the time I pull out of his driveway. The dam has broken, and it’s not all related to what was said back at Nate’s place—it’s everything. It’s Travis and Celeste, and it’s my life and the fact that I’m starting to think I made the wrong decision moving to Oakbrook to work with Laura. Yes, I love her, and I enjoy her shop but it’shers.
My job in Des Moines, or should I say jobs, weren’t fulfilling either. I’ve always had a dream of working in real estate. It sounds strange, but everything about houses excites me. I’d love to flip houses too. I tried to talk Travis into letting me take real estate classes, but he would always come up with a reason why it wasn’t the right time.
Funny. We always had time forhispursuits.
I can’t keep blaming Travis for all of that. It’s my fault I let him do that to me.Ishould have stood up for myself a long time ago. Heck, I should have left him years before. By now, I’d have my real estate license, and my business would be up and running. It takes time to get things going, so now isn’t right either. Too bad, really. I think I’d be a kick-butt real estate agent.
I should look into it again. Maybe focusing on something like a personal goal is what I need right now. And do you want to know something? I’m going to ask my realtor, Dominique, the one who sold me my house, about classes. I learned a long time ago that sometimes a realtor will sponsor you if you promise to work with them when you’re done.
Wiping away the last stupid tear I’m going to shed today and maybe tomorrow, I proclaim, “I’m doing it.”
ChapterTwenty-Four
Nate
Why doI keep fucking this up with Prudence? It’s like she brings out the worst in me or some shit.
I know there are things I shouldn’t have said, but I did try to get her to talk. I wanted her to share her feelings, but she clammed up so tight, there was no chance for me.
