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I turned to look at Rock. "You told her not to worry about finding another place for you to stay, Rocky?” I drew out the nickname trying to stifle my anger.
He swallowed and then gave me his killer grin. "Look how it worked out."
I couldn't speak as my mind raced back through the week. Had he planned this all, then? Decided that if there was a girl in his house he might as well take advantage of the situation while he was in town? And then what?
"You might have told me," I said, lowering my voice.
"What difference did it make?" Rock's voice lowered too, and while his words weren't what I wanted to hear, I could tell he understood why I was upset.
"So what?" I hissed. "You just figured I'd be your convenient fuck buddy for the week so long as you were here? And then what? You just head on back to your regularly scheduled life in Virginia?"
"I don't know what happens at the end of the week," he said, sounding a little bit sorry, but not sorry enough. "I thought we'd talk about it tonight."
I shook my head. "I'll make it easy for you. I can stay with Paige until you're gone. I should have done that in the first place."
"Drea, no—"
"Good luck in your game," I said, anger and hurt warring for the premier spot in my chest.
Nattie looked confused at this exchange, and I could feel her eyes and Rock's on my back as I headed to the back of the Muffin Tin to hide in the kitchen.
I was assuring myself that I would not cry when I spotted Paige in the back, sitting on a tall stool with a cup of coffee in her hand and a bowl of some kind of dough in front of her.
"Hey," she said in a kind voice. "Did I just hear you announce that you're staying with me?"
"You heard that?" I said, horrified. Had I been shouting?
"Bakeries are not known for their acoustics. But Drea, what's going on? Last we talked the psychic had come through and your life was all rainbows and orgasms."
"I was wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"Rock was using me. He figured that since I was already living in his place, he might as well take advantage of the situation until he goes home."
She frowned. "He said that?"
It was my turn to frown. "No, but he called his aunt right after we asked her to help us figure the situation out and told her not to worry about it."
"Well, he should have talked to you first," Paige agreed.
"I feel so dirty. And stupid."
Paige stood and came to wrap her arms around me. "No," she said gently. "You did what you wanted for a week, lived like a strong independent woman taking what she wanted. There's no shame in that at all."
"Unless that woman thought maybe it was going to turn into something more."
Paige squeezed me. "Oh, honey."
"I'm so stupid."
"No, you're not. You're sensitive and hopeful and optimistic. There's a difference. And this guy better not have crushed that beautiful hopeful heart of yours or I'll have to make him pay for it."
I loved that my friend would stand up for me, but I felt too heavy and sad to say much more about it. "Is it okay if I stay for a couple nights?"
"If you're okay with the girls insisting on doing your hair and makeup."
"Deal."
