“I understand why you were hesitant to tell me, but you know you can tell me anything. I’m never going to think less of you.”
“You’re the best.”
“I know. You’re one lucky girl to have me as a bestie.”
I laugh, then glance at the doorway again. “Well, I’d better go. I’ll catch up with you later this week, though.”
“Yes, do not keep that man waiting.”
I shake my head. “Goodbye, Taylor.”
After I click end on the call, I set my phone on the nightstand and get off the bed, already feeling lighter as I make my way out to the kitchen.
34
BASTION
Afew weeks have passed since I first fucked Hattie, and I loathe to admit that I’m enjoying having her in my bed every night. And not just for the sex. Her company is a breath of fresh air, and she’s funny—mostly when she’s not trying to be.
We have plans today after she’s done volunteering at the soup kitchen. I’m taking her to Von’s 1000 Spirits for an early dinner. It’s not about the food, though—when I asked her what she wanted to do, she said she wanted to do something she’s never done before. Since I know she didn’t drink until she arrived here in Seattle, I thought she might enjoy trying some different drinks.
I wait outside of the soup kitchen for her. She gave me directions, and I pretended I needed them. The deceit is lingering a little longer inside me lately, though.
She pushes the door open, but she’s looking down into her bag. When she raises her head, looking for me, I instantly see that something is wrong.
My body goes on alert. “What’s going on?” I approach her.
She shakes her head. “Nothing, let’s get out of here.” She attempts to walk past me, but I take her hand, pulling her to a stop.
“What happened?” I brush my thumb over her hand, and her bottom lip shakes.
I don’t know who made her this upset, but whoever did is about to be very sorry when I’m done with them.
“I thought I was making friends in there with some of the people I attend service with who volunteer too. Today, a new girl joined us. She asked where I work, and for the first time, I didn’t avoid the question or just say I’m an administrator or something.” She shakes her head, and her hazel eyes grow glossy. “I told them where I work, and you should have seen the looks on their faces. It was like I was disgusting to them, even though two minutes earlier they were so nice and treating me like I was one of them.”
I frown, seeing how much this is affecting her, and I pull her in for a hug. “I’m sorry, babe. People can be judgmental fucks.”
She nods into my chest and wraps her arms around me, her body relaxing. My chest squeezes at how good it feels to be the one to give her comfort.
“At first, I thought that maybe they thought I was a stripper, but I made it clear what I did, and they still looked at me with such judgment. They didn’t talk to me the rest of the afternoon.” She pulls away and looks up at me, her sadness morphing into anger. “And even if I was a dancer, who cares? I still attend church with them, still have morals and values, and am volunteering my time alongside them.”
“Damn straight.” I like this fight I’m seeing in her. Probably a little too much. I tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear and take her hand, leading her in the direction we need to head.
“I swear, Bast, sometimes I feel like everything is upside down from what I thought it was. When I told Renee and Paige about how I was raised in the church and what that meant for me, they didn’t bat an eye. They asked me some questions because they were curious, but they didn’t judge me… at all. And when I think back on it, I’m pretty sure I’ve been judged more by my fellow churchgoers than anyone else in my life. That’s why I tried so hard for so long to keep my desire for adventure and new things under wraps.”
I squeeze her hand as we cross the street. “No one has any right to judge you, Hattie. Not if they know you. You’re the best of what this world has to offer, that’s for damn sure.”
The words pour out of my mouth before I consider them. They’re not part of some scheme to make Hattie fall for me. I realize they’re how I actually feel. I’m ignoring what that means right now.
The knowledge rocks me to my core. Where is all the animosity and bitterness I felt for this woman? Do I need to unearth it like a corpse so I can keep my head on straight?
“Thank you, Bast. That means a lot coming from you. You always know how to make me feel better.”
Damn, that Superman complex is a real thing, huh?
We approach our destination, and I tug her to a stop, pulling her in by the waist, needing my lips on hers. When I place my hands on either side of her face, I notice the sun brings out the goldflecks in her hazel eyes. I bend down and bring my lips to hers, but she pulls away.
“What if someone sees us?”
