“Grow up, Chloe. She’s not a tramp.”
“Oh, so there is a she now.” I cluck my tongue, shaking my head. “Finally owning up to it.”
“What’s your problem, Chloe? Everyone cheats on everyone these days. Who the fuck cares?”
“Who the fuck cares?” My voice sounds shrill to my own ears. Now I’m fuming. If smoke were to come out of my ears, I wouldn’t be surprised. “Silly me for thinking I’d want my husband to stay loyal to me.”
“Then why don’t you marry Dax?” Duncan bites out. “If you want someone to wait on you hand and foot, marry him.”
“What?” That shocks me into silence.
“You heard me. Dax is the perfect man who can do no wrong.” Bitterness oozes from his voice. “I’m tired of being compared to him.”
“Who compared you to Dax?”
“You always did.”
“I never did. You are your own person, Duncan, and you’re responsible for your own actions.”
“Whatever.”
“I don’t know what I ever saw in you.”
“Then go be with my brother.”
I slap my hands on the table between us. “Why do you keep saying that? Are you jealous of him?”
I was always careful around Duncan to make sure I never brought Dax up too much. I didn’t want to get in the middle of the two of them, but leave it to Duncan to make it an issue.
“Why would I be jealous of him?”
“You sound like it to me.”
“Probably never even had sex before,” Duncan whispers.
“You’re just being mean.” I grab my purse and stand up. “We’re done.”
Duncan pulls his sunglasses from his shirt. “So that’s a no then?”
“The fact that you can ask me that with a straight face tells me everything I need to know, Duncan. It’s a hell no. If you were the last man on the planet, I wouldn’t say yes to you for anything.”
“Fine.” He stands, a solid foot and a half taller than I am. “I want my ring back.”
“No way. You don’t get to act like the wronged party here. Go cry to your girlfriend. Or your side piece. I don’t really care anymore.”
“And here I thought we could have an adult conversation.” Duncan shakes his head.
“If you could tell the truth, we would.”
“I told you the truth, Chloe. You’re the one that doesn’t want to accept it.”
“Fuck you, Duncan. I hope you get an STD and your dick falls off.”
And on those parting words, I storm out of the coffee shop.
Was it the most adult of responses? No.
But damn, did that feel good.
