How do I function in society?
Brenda, the owner, raises her brow at me and her lips tilt in the corners, betraying the humor there. I grin back at her, pay, and go over to my table to sit and wait for my name to be called, but a head of bright red hair is there waiting for me.
Shit. Should I call someone? Fuck me. I left my phone over there.
My name is called while I stand in indecision limbo, so I grab my mocha, take a long sip and let the warmth soothe my nerves. Shoulders back, chin up, I walk back to my seat.
“Hey Taylor.”You dirty ass tramp.She continues to sit and type on her phone, pretending not to hear me though she’s sitting next to all of my stuff. My bag literally says “Ms. Duchamp” on it. She knows it’s my seat. So, I sit across from her, reach over, and grab my stuff from beside her. She still says nothing.
Until finally, “You know he was panting after me, right?”
Oh this bitch.
“You will not speak of him around me,”or so help me God I will wreck your pretty little face.Carter is the pacifist. I am not. I stop andswallow hard. I have so much violence towards her, but I can’t lose control.
“Oh, honey.” Her stupid voice drips in feigned pity. “He had all of these chances to pick you, but instead, he picked me—over and over again.” She leans closer to me. “All I had to do was see him, want him, and take him.”
“Yet, there was that desperation in sending yourself flowers and buying yourself chocolates?” I flip my phone facedown on the table between us and lean closer to her too.
She doesn’t flinch at the barb. She smirks. “It hurt, didn’t it? He told me how he’d never bought you any, so I saw an opportunity, and I took it.”
That admission hurt more than the flowers ever could.
“You had options. So why him? Why me? Why us?”
Her bright hair sways when she leans back. “First, cause I was stuck in this dumpy town with nothing to do. He was pretty and a challenge.” She reaches out and starts to fiddle with a strap from my bag. I stomp down the urge to slap her hand away. “When he kept ignoring my early advances, I nearly gave up. But before I did, I had to see you. I had to know who had this gorgeous, rugged man on lock. So I saw you. You two were at the Farmer’s Market.” The idea that she staked me out makes my stomach drop.What a fucking creep.“I saw you, and I heard your rough, crude words. I saw your lazy hair and lazier clothes. I saw, well, you. An average woman in an average job.” She clasps her hands under her chin and tilts her head to the side. “I knew it would be silly for me to give up. He needed someone soft and feminine.”
That hits, despite the armour I have around me. Despite what I know this viper did.
“He needed gentle, and I gave it to him. I gave it to him so good that he finally started giving back.”
Silence fills the space between us as I take in her answer. I don’t acknowledge her words. I look at her. I look at her hair, her eyes, and the ugly look on her flawless face. Then, I smile. I smile because Iknow my worth. I smile because I have every reason to smile, even as she tried to dismantle the parts of me I thoughtdefinedme.
“Thank you for telling me.” I take a final, slow, delicious sip of my latte, stand up and gather my things. Then, with a final glance at her now slightly confused face I say my goodbyes.
“See ya later, honey.” And I walk out, checking to make sure everything saved.
23
THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
BECKY
Another meeting done after that mess of a coffee date, I walk up the stairs to my house and find an adorable succulent sitting there with a note attached to it. A message from Carter waits on my phone and I hate that I love seeing it there.
Carter
Any information yet?
Me
Not really. I did get another succulent, though. Delivered with a note.
Carter
Interesting.
Carter
