“Sometimes, us women take a while to open up,” she says, smiling kindly at me.
“Maybe if it had happened earlier, things would’ve gone differently with Steven.”
“Steven’s a dickhead,” she declares, making me laugh. “He never understood you. He didn’t know how to treat you the way you deserve.”
“I don’t know about that, but thank you.”
“I think that the right people are always the ones who bring out the best in each other.”
“Are you trying to say that wild and reckless is the ‘best of me’?”
“I don’t know – I’d have to see thiswildJordan first. But not like that.”
I laugh, shaking my head.
“He was good for you, wasn’t he?”
“I don’t know.”
“Are you going to see him again?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because even though I haven’t read all those magazines that you love so much, I’ve heard the rumours.” I lower my voice, and my mood dips with it. “Niall Kerry is the perfect guy for one hot night. Nothing more.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Absolutely.”
“Maybe he could be good for two or three hot nights, depending on what you need.”
“It’s better to quit now, before it all gets too messy.”
“Do you think he could bring out that side to you?”
“I don’t want to find out. I’ve already given him too much, in that sense.”
“You’re right.” She stretches her hand out across the table to reach mine. “Let’s stop talking about it.”
I rest my hand on hers. “I’d really appreciate that.”
“Unless you’re the one to bring it up again.”
“Trust me, that won’t happen.”
Anya finally changes the topic, and I can start to relax – well, nearly – in my chair. I try to pay attention to what she’s saying, to nod and smile at the right times, just to stop her from asking any more questions about me and Niall, and our night together. Yet I can’t seem to think about anything else; and I’m worried that it’ll be like this for a while.
Niall
Iclose the fridge door and open my beer. “I’ve invited Tyler for dinner,” I tell my mother, who’s standing next to me.
“You two are getting close again pretty quickly.”
I shrug.
“I’m glad. He’s a nice boy.”
