AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The only image that broke through my anger and frustration was remembering Jake stepping in and shutting my mother down.
Then she did what she usually does. She insulted him, reminding him she was the one in control. It was more difficult to see her inflict her insults on someone else.
I wished I had said something back there. Maybe it wasn’t too late now.
“I’m sorry about my mother.”
He shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve heard it most of my life.”
“I don’t think that makes it any better.” I turned to him. “I think it makes it worse.”
He shrugged again, and stared straight at the road, his face showing no emotion.
We didn’t speak the rest of the way back.
Or in the elevator.
We didn’t say a word to each other until I announced I would take a shower before bed.
Shamelessly, I waited for him to comment that he would join me. But he simply nodded and walked toward the kitchen.
Did I miss something? Was last night a one-time thing? Was it just casual sex for him?
I was too tired to analyze this tonight. I peeled off my clothes and stepped into the white ten-by-ten shower. There was a steamer inside and I cranked that up, too.
Dropping my chin to my chest, I let the hot water soothe my aching muscles. I groaned as the tension sluiced off my body along with the rivulets of water.
A shadow on the other side of the glass caught my attention, but when I wiped the steam on the glass with my hand, there was nothing or no one on the other side.
Maybe I had imagined it.
Facing the stark reality of having to start a new day tomorrow, I wasted no time drying my hair and braided it instead.
I’d just put on a pair of black and white pajama pants and a white T-shirt when I heard a soft knock on the door.
“Come in.”
Jake opened the door and leaned on the frame with his arms crossed. “I wanted to say goodnight before you turned in.”
I smiled. His biceps stretched his black T-shirt across his chest. “Thank you. Do you want to come in for a little while?”
Jake looked at the bed, then at me. “It’s been a long day. I’m going to shower and get some rest myself.”
“Oh,” I said, the disappointment obvious even to my ears. “I understand.”
I didn’t. But I already sounded desperate enough.
“Goodnight, then.”
“Goodnight.”
He closed the door with a soft click and my heart felt heavy.
I puttered around the room for a few minutes until I decided I’d try to get some sleep. Crawling into the cool satin sheets, the smell of freshly laundered linens soothed my temper. I loved the smell, as it reminded me of my father. He loved using clean sheets to build the most intricate forts with me.
My eyes drooped, and a smile lingered on my face as I fell asleep.
***
