Page 76 of His White Moonlight
The chocolatein my mouth prevented me from interrupting and forced me to listen until the end.And I was glad for it.
Bennett didn’t hate me.
That didn’t erase all of our history, but it helped me see that Ihadbeen reacting to everything based on that assumption, which contributed to the broken relationship we had.That didn’t mean Bennett was completely blameless in my anger toward him—he’d relocated every bed in the house except for his.Yet, most of the anger I’d felt toward him since coming home was based on my misunderstanding of his intentions.
“So, will you tell me how you know her?”he asked.
He was certainly persistent.But trust like he wanted needed to be earned.
“She’s a friend I’ve been talking to online for a few months now.We’ve video-chatted before, but this is the first time I've met her in person.”
“She’s not from school, then.”
I knew he meant the one I’d graduated from, so I said, “No.”
“Can I ask why you were upset that I asked who she was?”
I looked down at my sandwich and thought over the question.Was Bennett truly extending an olive branch?If he was, I needed to grab onto it.I needed an ally so I could leave.But there was still a chance everything I said would be repeated to Mom and Dad.I needed to be careful.
“Because I’m afraid of being told no,” I said.“No, I can’t have her as a friend.No, I can’t meet anyone outside of work or home.Just no.Everything is a no.”
He was so quiet next to me that I gave up playing with my sandwich and looked at him.He was watching me again, but I couldn’t read anything in his expression.
“I don’t like it when you do that,” I said.
“Do what?”
“Go quiet.Hide behind that mask.I can’t tell what you’re thinking or feeling and don’t have a supernatural nose to figure it out like you do.”
“Why do you want to know what I’m thinking and feeling?”
“So I can prevent another moody outburst.They’re exhausting.”
“Do you want the couch?You can take another nap.”
“If it’s pre-paying for a mood swing later, I’ll pass.”
“No.You look tired.”
“Do I get paid for napping?”
“I won’t tell if you don’t tell.”
I almost smiled.This version of Bennett was breaking rules, which was a step closer to toeing the fun line.But more importantly, he was listening, and he seemed to actually care about me.
The scrapes and my throat hurt, and I was emotionally exhausted, not that I would admit any of that to him.
“A nap isn’t the worst idea.”
Like the day before, I ate lunch then stretched out for what I thought would be a power nap.Two hours later, I woke up covered by his suit jacket.My knees felt bruised when I swung my legs over the edge to sit up.
Bennett caught my wince since he was leaning back in his chair, watching me again.
“Are we both taking a two-hour break when I nap in here?”I asked, rolling my shoulders.
“No.I was working until your breathing changed.Do you need a pain reliever?”
I shook my head and stood.“Do you know how much I’m getting paid per hour?”
