“Or she’s just not ready,” Nathan chimes in, clearly trying to calm the Wilsons down. “Which means we probably shouldn’t be discussing it in public. When Jenny could come back at any moment.”
“Fine,” Candice grits out.
“Good with me. I never want to talk about this ever again.” Beau crosses his arms.
“Should we dance some more?” I ask, hoping to ease the mood a bit.
“Yes, definitely.” Candice grabs my arm and tugs me towards where Tomás is dancing with a pretty brown haired woman.
We’re in the back now, so we stop bothering with matching the steps exactly, and just let loose. I spin around and try to get into the music fully, but hearing Jonah’s voice just makes me feel guilty about dancing with Greg.
29
JONAH
Winnieand I drive home from the Neon Horseshoe in silence. I’m not sure why she’s quiet, but I know why I am: I hated watching her dance with someone else, and I don’t trust myself enough to talk to her about it. I’m not mad at her—never at her—because she hasn’t done anything wrong. A dance is just a dance, and it looked like a pretty tame one at that. I’m pissed off at myself—for starting to fall for her and then caring so much about something so simple.
I’m worried that if I bring it up, it’ll end with me admitting how I’ve been feeling about her lately, and I’m not sure she can handle it. Hell, I’m not sureIcan handle it. This relationship was supposed to be a simple exchange, a marriage for money and nothing more.
I cut the ignition and get out of the car. I grab my guitar from the back and walk up to the house. Winnie follows me inside, and I’m immediately reminded of the fact that my house is tiny. There’s barely anywhere to hide from her.
“Jonah,” Winnie says, just as I sit down on the couch. “Can we talk?”
I groan internally, but scoot over and make room for her next to me. “Sure, Winnie. What about?”
“You just—you seemed upset in the car. You didn’t say a word towards me. In my experience silence means…” She trails off, and fiddles with her hands in her lap, twisting her wedding band around and around. “Silence means I did something wrong.”
It hits me like a ton of bricks. Winnie’s parents must have iced her out at times, and used silence as one of their tactics of control.
“You haven’t done anything wrong, sweetheart. I promise.”
“So everything’s alright?” Her voice is so hopeful it nearly breaks my heart. “You’re just tired after the gig?”
I sigh and rub my face. I don’t have it in me to lie to this kind, sensitive woman. I don’t have it in me to treat her the way others have. She deserves more than that.
“I’m upset,” I admit. “But not at you.”
“What is it? I thought the gig went really well. You guys sounded great, and they’d be an excellent band to record with.”
“I think it went well too. I already asked them if they’d be interested in recording and most of them are. The drummer has a busy schedule, so they’re not sure, but the other guitarist and bassist are in.”
“Aw, Jonah, that’s amazing!” Winnie throws her arms around me and gives me a brief hug. She doesn’t say anything else, and I can tell that she’s waiting for me to explain my mood to her.
“I hated watching you dance with that man,” I say after another moment of silence.
“I’m sorry.” Winnie’s deep blue eyes are large and worried.
I tug her hand into my lap and rub over the back of it with my thumb. “Don’t be sorry, Win. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m mad at myself and at the situation, not at you. It should have been me out there with you, no one else.”
“Jonah Smith, are you actually jealous?” Winnie’ voice holds a note of genuine surprise.
“Of course I’m jealous!” I can’t keep the exasperation out of my voice. “I should be the only person dancing with you, the only man who has you in his arms. I know I wasn’t supposed to feel like that about you, but seeing that asshole spin you around earlier made me want to jump off of the stage and punch him in the jaw.”
“Greg was nice, actually,” she says mildly. “Not an asshole at all.”
“Your wedding ring is right here,” I grumble, picking her hand up and tapping the ring with my finger. “Only an asshole would ignore this.”
“I’m not really your wife, though.”
