Page 37 of On the Run
I was honestly surprised he’d noticed. I didn’t love it either, but…
“I’m used to it. I believe in things they don’t.” I shrugged. “It’s just their way.”
“Disrespecting your worldview is not ‘just their way.’ They don’t have to believe what you believe, but they don’t get to give you shit for it. If you were Buddhist or Wiccan or Catholic, would it be okay for them to make snide remarks?”
“No. Of course not.” I frowned. I’d never thought of it that way before—as something that people ought to take seriously, simply because it was important to me.
“You need to stand up for yourself and—eeep!” The boat hit a swell, and Toby shrieked. One of his hands grabbed the edge of his seat, and the other grasped my hand where it rested on my knee. “Is it supposed to do that?” he demanded.
“Yes,” I reassured him over the hum of the motor. “Just a little chop. You really don’t like little boats, huh?”
“You might say.” He gripped tighter, but his tone was firmly casual as he raised his voice and said, “My point was, don’t let them get to you.”
He was so unfairly cute, half hunched over my lap and braced for us to capsize, though I hadn’t opened the throttle hardly at all.
“I won’t.” I patted his shoulder gently. “Thanks.”
“Being serious,” he insisted, looking up at me from under his lashes. “You’re smart, Beale. No one has the right to make you feel less than.”
I frowned at him quickly before looking back at the water.
“The thing is, I’m a Virgo.”
“Right.” Toby nodded. “Yeah. You kinda indicated that in the car earlier. I, um… I support you. I should have said that earlier.” He reached out a hand and patted my arm. “Thank you for coming out to me.”
“What? No! I’m not… I mean, Iam, but that’s not…” I pulled away and felt my cheeks go fire-hot. “I’m aVirgo. As in, my astrological sign. Because I was born in September?”
“Ohhhh. Of course. Duh. I knew that.”
“Also, thanks for the support, but I don’t think people need to come out as virgins. Or Virgos.”
Toby’s brow furrowed. “Fair enough. So, you’re a Virgo. What does that have to do with anything?”
“Virgos generally don’t waste time convincing other people of things. I accept that folks have opinions just like I do—like about how I should live my life, and what kind of a career I want, and what I should do with my share of the treasure money we found…” I looked at Toby, pretty confident Mason had filled him in about all that, and he nodded in confirmation. “But I don’t argue. I just let them talk. I know they worry because they care. And also, they can talk as much as they like, but I’m not letting them change my mind once it’s made up. I’m stubborn that way.”
“’Cause you’re a Virgo.”
“No, ‘cause I’m a Goodman.” I grinned. “I refuse to settle for any old career or any old guy. I’m waiting for the things that feel right. The things that feel like they’re meant to be mine.” I shrugged. “But I don’t enjoy the tussle of an argument the way my dad and brothers do, which is probably why there aren’t a lot of things I have nonnegotiable opinions on.”
Toby sat back in his seat. “Only important stuff.”
“Yup.”
“Like… holding out for the one right path and the one right person.”
“Right. Yes.”
“Hmm.” He nodded thoughtfully.
I shrugged again. “It’s fine if you disagree—”
“I don’t know if I do or don’t. I don’t believe in absolutes. There are lots of right answers to most questions, including this one.”
I swiped at my forehead under my bandanna. That was a nonanswer if I’d ever heard one. For all that he liked to makemetalk, Toby was shit at opening up about himself.
“So, when you meet your soul mate, what will this paragon of virtue be like?” he prompted.
I darted a glance at him, expecting to find him scoffing, but he seemed genuinely curious. I lifted a shoulder. “I’m not entirely sure.”
