“What color are you getting?”
Decker winks at me like he’s got this in the bag. We’ll see.
“I’d get purple if the puppy was a girl because it’s your favorite color even though you refuse to admit it. But he’s a dude, and you hate red. Blue is overrated in your book, so I figured I’d go with green.”
I gape. “How do you know that?”
Leaning over, he kisses me gently and then taps his temple. “Holly, I know more about you than any man ever has. Every conversation we’ve ever had is right here.”
“Like what?”
“Like your first time was with your prom date senior year, and it was so bad you almost gave up sex altogether to become a nun until your college boyfriend showed you what it was supposed to be like. Or that you miss your parents even though you pretend you don’t—but you can’t forgive them for what they did. You feel guilty that Will sided with you, but I know for a fact he has zero regrets.”
No one knows about the rift with my parents. Except Decker, and he only knows because of Will.
My parents took out loans in my name—nearly half a million dollars—thinking I wouldn’t find out until they managed to pay them off. When I applied to colleges, the truth came out. Will helped me get an attorney, and I sued them. The courts sided with me, and my parents called me selfish and ungrateful.
I invited them to my college graduation as a peace offering. They didn’t come. It was the last olive branch I extended.
But Will came. And so did Decker.
He winks and walks out the door, leaving me holding the puppy and a stomach full of knots. How could I forget? Decker’s the one that’s always been here. Even with Will gone, Decker’s still around.
And he just bought me a puppy.
I don’t care what anyone says—this blows flowers out of the water.
Nice Guy Ken
Isit at the table waiting for Ken. Part of me wanted to make this a coffee meet-up so I could escape faster if things go south, but I figured I owed him a real chance.
“Hey,” Ken says as he sits across from me, his face pinched. “Are you still mad at me?”
“Hi,” I answer. “And no, I’m not mad.”
“I’m so sorry, Holly. I never should have freaked out like that. I had no right to say what I did. Jealousy got the better of me, and I lashed out. It’s one of my flaws I need to work on.”
I snort, eyes on the menu. “I noticed.”
“I really like you. I don’t like being one of the multiple people you’re seeing, but I knew that going in. We’re not an official couple. Yet. But I thought that our night together meant as much to you as it did to me.”
The way he says “yet” makes me annoyed. I liked his directness when we first met, but now it sounds arrogant.
“I think there’s a disconnect with us,” I say, setting the menu down. “You went ghost on me after our night together. I did allof the reaching out, and when you did respond to my texts, you promised to call when you had time and never did.”
His jaw clenches, but he nods. “I was busy, but I see where you’re coming from.”
“Tell me something I don’t know about you,” I say, meeting his gaze.
He frowns, taken aback. “What?”
“Something you don’t tell many people. I don’t feel like I really know you.”
“You know me better than most,” he says. “We got to know each other pretty well on our last date.”
If I know him better than most, is he a stranger to even those he considers to be close?
And sex doesn’t mean you know someone. Decker’s had countless one-night stands, and I don’t think he nor any of the women would feel as they know the other better than most. It’s such a ludicrous statement.
