Page 4 of Pack Baby for the Silver Foxes

“At home, talking mostly involves the mouth and words, but the lips never join, but I accept I’m abroad and eager to learn new customs.”

The girl put a hand over her mouth. Damien shot her a look. She stopped, but not fast enough to save him.

My skin went hotter as a cramp pulled low in my belly. I kept my face still. “So we’re over.”

He blinked. “What?”

“It’s not a question. I want to leave here with my dignity, unlike you.”

His eyes went to the girl and back. “Can we talk later?”

“Let her stay. She’ll know your intentions that way. She’ll also know how much of a fucking cheater you are.”

“Marli.”

“There’s the voice again.”

His nostrils flared as he breathed out through his nose. “We never said we were exclusive.”

The world did nothing at all. No crack, no respectful pause while my pride went down in public. The cheerleader studied her shoes.

Damien, who had slept in my bed and eaten the biscuits Maeve sent in a care package. The man who had borrowed my notes and kissed the side of my neck in the library stacks and told me he missed me on away games. Well, he had just said we weren’t exclusive.

What the hell?

“That’s your defense,” I said. “We never formally signed an agreement?”

The cheerleader lifted her head and looked at him. “You told me you were single.”

Damien turned. “Kyla.”

“You did, though. On Thursday. After the game.”

“The game you said was full and you couldn’t get me a ticket.”

“It wasn’t full,” Kyla responded.

“Kyla. Keep out of this.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “No, let her finish. She’s known me for a few minutes, and she’s the only person in this conversation telling me the truth.”

Kyla’s chin came up half an inch. “He also said his ex was, like, obsessed with him.”

“Oh, he did, did he?” I looked at Damien, who had gone a color I’d never seen on him. “And which ex was that, Damien? Because as of about four minutes ago, I’ve a strong feeling it’s me, and I’d hate to be obsessed without having been told.”

“Don’t turn this into something ugly.”

“I didn’t turn it into anything. I found it like this.”

He looked around. “People are watching.”

“Then speak up. Because when I walk away, I want to know exactly why you chose to be a cheating rat instead of being a man and telling me we were over.”

“You knew I wasn’t ready for anything serious.” His eyes narrowed. “You’re getting too clingy.”

“Excuse me for wanting to see my boyfriend because my reproductive system is staging a hostile takeover, and I thought somehow you could help me. But here we are.”

Kyla made a small noise.