“That’s the whole reason I didn’t date, you know. I was positive I wanted nothing to do with the kind of relationship my parents had, where I’d have to do everything for my partner, and it turns out I wasn’t seeing things clearly. My mother didn’t do everything. She was just the only one who did stuff while I was watching. How could I be so stupid?”
My stomach clenches at her confession. If only the timing were on our side. “For what it’s worth, I’m an excellent housekeeper. I can fold a fitted sheet like nobody’s business.”
She heaves an enormous sigh. “You said we needed to talk...”
“What was the phone call about?” I ask, changing the subject. I’m not ready for this thing with Tina to be over yet, and if extending our last conversation is the only way to hold on a little longer, then that’s what I’ll do. “Who made you cry?”
She pulls her knees back up to her chest. “Just some paper pusher. She’s trying to help me out, but there’s only so much she can do.” Tina rolls her eyes. “There are laws she has to follow, apparently.”
I bark a laugh at the air quotes she puts around the wordlawsbefore I can rein it in. Tina shoots me another glare, and I snort another laugh. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine.” She blows out a breath. “I mean, I get where she’s coming from. This is her job, and I don’t expect her to bend the rules for me. But I was hoping things would go more smoothly, you know? I need to find a bigger place to live, and it looks like unless I want that dumpster-diving idiot from last night to be my landlord, I’ll need to look in Spitz Hollow for that. And that means I’ll have to pay a lot more in rent than what Wade charges me for this entire building. Not to mention my one-minute walk to work will become a twenty minute commute. It’s crap all around.”
I mull over her words in my mind, getting stuck on one part in particular. “You’re moving?”
She nods. “That’s the plan.”
“Why?” Did the run in with that guy last night scare her that much? Maybe I should ask Wade how to best dispose of a body and get rid of that idiot once and for all. I’ve never killed anyone before, but for Tina, I’d be willing to try.
“I need a bigger place.”
I look around her tiny apartment. The whole thing could fit in the kitchen at my house, so I can understand why she might want something a little bigger. But if she’s been living here for five years already, why is she now so eager for a larger space that she’d be willing to leave town to get it? “I think I’m missing something here.”
She laughs, the sound brittle. “More of the shit show,” she says. “I got some news last night after you left without warning, and it made me rethink my entire stance on having a family. On having someone to take care of. Then, after talking to my mother today, I realized Ienjoytaking care of people. I’ve been doing it my whole life, and I had no idea. Who knew?”
Thinking of the way she took everyone’s needs into consideration when catering for me and the other trainers, and the way she talks about Wade, Chloe, and her part-time worker, I’m surprised I didn’t see it sooner. There’s a giddiness in my chest that feels a lot like hope. She looks at me for a response, but all I have for her is a cocked eyebrow, which makes her laugh.
“Fine. So everyone knew but me.”
“No,” I say with a laugh. “I’m messing with you. I believed you when you said you didn’t want to take care of anyone.” I take in her sad answering smile. “So, does this mean you’ve changed your mind, then? You want a husband and kids? The whole nine yards?”Please say yes, please say yes.
She snorts a laugh. “I think I could do without shooting a human being out of my vagina, thanks.” Tina shakes her head and sighs. “I honestly don’t know how to answer that right now. I’ve spent my entire life avoiding those kinds of relationships because I didn’t want to be responsible for another human being. I mean, look at this place.” She swings her arm out, gesturing to her apartment. “It barely counts as a one bedroom, and I still have a hard time looking after it. I can’t be responsible for an entire house full of people who can’t take care of themselves. That’s crazy.”
When I hear that, my stomach drops straight to my feet. So much for the hope that something still might come of our... whatever this is. “I get that. But you know you wouldn’t be responsible for everything, right? The other people in the house would be responsible for some of it, too. Besides, this place is nice.” I laugh at the face she makes. “It is. It’s perfect for a single person who works as much as you do. How much are you even home?”
She looks down at her knees. “Not much.”
“Exactly. With how much you work, and how much you’re home, this place is perfect for you. I’m sure if you decided you wanted a family, you’d find a bigger place and make it a home.”
She sighs. “That’s the idea.”
My phone buzzes in my back pocket before I can ask what she means. A quick look at the screen shows me a message from Jared.
Jared
Where are you, Coach? You need to get in here. You’re never going to believe who’s here.
I stand up and turn to Tina. “Are you going to be alright if I go downstairs? Jared needs something.” I hold my phone up before putting it back in my pocket and jerking a thumb toward the door. I hate to leave her right now, but something tells me she could use some time alone to think. “You coming down now, or do you need a minute?”
She drops her head to the back of the couch again, and blows out a long breath. “I’ll be down in a few.”
“Sure.” I nod, and turn to the door. “I’ll see you in a bit.”
Tina’s attention is already turned inward, so I leave, closing the door behind me. I hope whatever she’s worried about, she has what she needs to figure it out. And if she doesn’t, I hope she knows she can ask me for help.
My Knight In... White Fleeced Glory?
Tina
