He narrowed his eyes. “What? What’re they sayin’?” If he had to kick some asses, he had no problem doing so.
“It’s nothing.”
“Rory.”
She huffed. “For one thing, I’m too old for you.”
“Says who?”
“Says everyone, including your father.”
Nash’s brow furrowed. “What the hell does my old man have to do with it?”
“Never mind.”
“Oh no. That’s not gonna fly. You brought it up, now tell me.”
“He…he hit on me at the party.”
Nash jerked back, blinking through the shock. “Hewhat?”
“Look, I can blow off a lot of talk because I know most of it’s nonsense anyway. But when the proof is served to me on a silver platter, it’s a lot harder to ignore. If yourdadthinks it’s okay to ask me out, don’t you think that means I’m a little too old for you?”
Nash was going to kill him with his bare hands. As if it wasn’t bad enough he had to navigate Havenbrook after his old man had torn through it like a sex tornado, fucking anyone willing, now he had to deal with him going after the woman Nash loved? “My dad would hit on a lamppost if it had a decent pair of tits, Rory. That doesn’t mean anything.”
Her shoulders sank and she shook her head, the fight evaporating right out of her, and his stomach bottomed out. He wanted her mouthy and fired up. He wanted her incensed and angry, because at least that meant she was passionate about them—about him. But this…she looked like she’d already forfeited the fight, and he was still getting his gloves on.
“Maybe not,” she said, “but it doesn’t change that fact that we don’t make sense. We’ve never made sense. You’d fit better with someone like Nat.”
“LikeNat? What the fuck?”
“You can’t deny you guys have chemistry. Not a soul at that party could deny it.”
“Yeah, we have the kind of chemistry that’s sustained a friendship for two decades. That’s it. If I wanted Nat, I’d have kept her after that disastrous attempt in high school. You can’t seriously be worried about that—she’s like a sister to me.”
“Don’t belittle what I’m feelin’. That’s not fair. You wanted me to tell you what the issues were, so I did. All you’re doin’ is arguin’ with me on every single point.”
“So, what, you’re ready to throw this away because some people are talkin’ and my dad hit on you? Big fucking deal, Rory. Those are nothin’ but speed bumps, and we can get over them.”
“They’re more than speed bumps to me, Nash! I can ignore a lot of what they’re sayin’, but not everything. Not when it’s exactly what I’ve been worried about this entire time. I couldn’t keep Sean from strayin’, so how can I possibly hope to keep you?”
“Keepme? I’m scared to death I won’t be able to keepyou! You’re the gorgeous, unattainable Rory Haven, and I’m the kid whose mom left him and whose dad fucks his way through town. I’m a high school dropout who uses his hands for a living. I’m never gonna be a suit guy who can buy you the biggest house on the block. I know I’m not good enough for you, but I’m still not runnin’. I’m here, and I’m ready to fight for this, because what we have is worth it.”
“What wehadwas a brief affair that ran its course.”
“No, what wehaveis a connection like I’ve never had with anyone else—including your sister. I don’t care what you say to me, how many lies you feed me, I know it’s the same for you. Iknowit is. You might’ve been married before, but this is just as new for you as it is for me. Tell me you allowed yourself to be real with him. Tell me that, and I’ll leave and never look back.”
She crossed her arms and avoided his gaze, and that was all the answer he needed.
“That’s what I thought.”
“It’s time for you to go.” Rory’s voice was monotone, all emotion zapped from it.
“Not happenin’, princess. I’m not leavin’ until we work this out.”
She slammed her hands down on the cushion. “Dammit, Nash, we’re not workin’ it out! Can’t you see that? I’m not ready for something like this! I just ended a marriage with a man who left me for my best friend. I can’t just dive into another relationship so soon. That’s not how things work for me.”
“Jesus, Rory, I’m not proposin’. We can go as fast or as slow as you want. I just wanna be with you while we do it. We’re good together.”
