Page 73 of Tell Me You Love Me

He snorts. “He didn’t say so with his words, but hefor surefailed to mention the rotting bathroom floor while we were inspecting. Put my foot through it within three months of moving in.”

“Fair’s fair.”

His eyes flash with heat. Knowing.

God, why do I continue to say the words that hurt us?All’s fair in love and war.

“What do ya say?” He rolls his lips and studies me through long, beautiful lashes. “We could grill some steaks on the patio and pretend we’re not being terrorized by the mosquitoes. Chris has been wanting to see Franky, but without the stench of a sweaty gym, and he’s too shy to say he’s missed you.” He pauses. Then swallows, lowering his smile. “Remember how you used to be his friend, too?”

“Tommy—”

“Totally chill evening. Early start so Franky can get home at a decent hour and not feel like we’ve ruined his night.”

Franky nods his approval. “I like to be alone with my mom by eight.”

“See?” Again, with the hooked thumb. “Gotta be home by eight. So why don’t you get to mine by five? Gives us plenty of time to hang out.”

This is not allowing him to move on.

This is not healing his heart or setting him free.

This is playing happy families while ignoring a giant, hulking, horrifying elephant that sits happily at the table beside us.

“Please?” Tommy presses his hands together. “It’s just steak, Lana. And chess. And my brother, who would really, really like to see his old friend again.”

“Fine.” I exhale a heavy sigh and drop my gaze. For this round, at least, he wins. “We’ll close the shop at five and head home to make a salad. We’ll come over after that.”

“Close the shop and come over right away,” he counters. “I’ll take care of the salad, so you don’t have to waste your time.”

“So I’ll bring the steak?”

He shakes his head. “I’ll provide it all. I’ll always feed you, Lana.”

ROUND TWENTY-TWO

TOMMY

“Got the steak. Made potato salad and regular salad. Got soda for Franky. And wine for Alana.” I stride from my kitchen sink to the table. Then back. Then around again as nervous energy sends me into a meltdown. “I don’t even know if she likes wine. But it’s classy, right? It’s what people have with dinner. Tequila is for bad choices.”

“You look like an idiot, just so you know.” Chris sits on the counter, his feet crossed at his ankles and a cold beer nestled between his hands. “Remind me again; are you playing nice so she’ll spill her secrets and you’ll get your revenge, or are you in love and completely incapable of surviving if she walks again?”

“Shut up.” I stop in the middle of my dining room and push my hands through my hair. Scratching my scalp and tugging the locks. Anything so I can feel something other than nerves. “Don’t mention any of those things while she’s here.”

“What things? Revenge?” He sips his beer. “Love? Complete and utter devotion to someone other than yourself?”

“Yes. Those things.” The sound of tires on my driveway sends my heart into a galloping frenzy. The reality that she’s here, in the house I bought for her, on the lake we fell in love in, makes my pulse skitter and my hands sweat.

My hands are sweating!

“Fuck.” I grab paper towels and wipe my palms like afucking idiot, striding to the trash can and stomping my foot on the pedal that pops the lid open. “You wanna see her. You like Franky.Iwanna see her.Ilike Franky. It’s gonna be like how it used to be, except now we have Franky, too.”

“And he’s kind of the coolest little dude I’ve met since… ever.”

“Exactly! He’s cool. He’s smart. He’s protective as fuck; I can get behind that. He’s his mother’s son, for sure, with her sass and ability to put me on my ass with just a look.”

“And the fact she has a husband?”

“We don’t talk about that.” I release the trash lid and stride to my back door. Which works out, since the front door is all the way on the opposite side of the house, away from the driveway, the porch we sit on at the end of a long day, the view I bought, and the memories I like to keep bottled up, right here where a large portion of them were created.

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