Page 24 of Shaded Amethysts
When he began driving back toward town, I said, “I’m too keyed up to go to my parents’ house. Perhaps we can go to your new apartment?”
I knew exactly what I was suggesting. By the long, steady look he gave me, it was obvious he knew precisely what I was offering, as well.
“You’ve had too much to drink to make a decision like that,” he said.
“Meg drank my last shot. Besides, I’ve never felt more clarity about anything in my entire life,” I revealed.
The cab of the truck was filled with deafening silence as Gage pondered my bold offer. Suddenly feeling awkward about the unanswered invitation, I gave him an out by saying, “I would love to see little Scamp again.”
I wanted to see a lot more than just the ornery kitten, but I kept that naughty train of thought to myself as I texted my parents to let them know not to wait up for me.
Evidently having made his decision, Gage turned the truck in the opposite direction of my parents’ house and said in his rumbling, sexy voice, “As you wish.”
20
Gage
The nervous energy crackled between us as I drove Avery in the direction of my small apartment. Her delectable insinuated offer made my pants grow tight in the crotch. I couldn’t imagine anything in the world more tantalizing or invigorating than making love with the smart, kindhearted, funny, and magnificent woman beside me would undoubtedly be, but she would likely run far and fast in the other direction if she knew my secrets.
Deciding it wouldn’t be fair to claim her body as mine without at least partially filling her in, I cleared my throat and said, “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Uh oh, that’s never followed by anything good,” Avery said in an ominous tone before adding, “Look, I’m wearing my second-favorite bra, so I’m taking that as a clear sign that it’s time for us to fool around. Don’t ruin our night with too much honesty.”
“Save some surprises for later,” I teased her, utterly charmed by her revelation about her bra.
We beamed at each other, until I had to turn my attention back to the road.
After deciding to jump in with both feet, I said, “I’ve never admitted this to anyone, but you have the right to know what kind of man you’re considering going home with.”
Avery shifted uncomfortably in her seat as if she feared I was getting ready to confess to murder. Deciding that would almost be easier to admit to her, I took a deep breath and said, “I can’t read.”
With my peripheral vision, I sensed her quiet study of my profile. It was obvious that this news had shocked her. I had anticipated that it would, but it still hurt to have her know how dumb I was. I didn’t dare look directly into her eyes because I couldn’t handle seeing the revulsion that must be there.What would a brilliant woman on the fast-track to becoming the best lawyer in town see in a grown man who couldn’t even read?
I slowed the truck and angled it to the shoulder of the road in preparation to turn around and take her to her parents’ house.
“How is that possible?” she asked, sounding as bewildered as I had imagined she would be.
After stopping the truck, I answered, “The letters swirl around in my brain when I try to make sense of them. I managed to skate my way through most of high school by bribing smart kids to help me and charming my teachers into passing me. When that started to catch up with me, I finally admitted that I was as stupid as my stepfather was always telling me and dropped out of school without graduating.”
Now that the truth was out there, I bowed my head, waiting for her to laugh or say how relieved she was that she hadn’t slept with an idiot.
“Oh, Gage. That must have been so difficult for you. I’m sorry you went through that.” Her words were filled with sincerity and kindness.
When she reached out to clasp my shoulder in her delicate hand, I turned and stared down at it. I had never imagined that anyone could learn about my inability to do such a basic thing and react with anything but ridicule. Her soft comfort and understanding made the frightened eight-year-old inside me feel like shedding a tear, but the tough, hardened-criminal I’d morphed into over the years wouldn’t allow it.
“You’ve obviously done just fine for yourself without the ability to read, but if you ever decide you’d like to learn, my friend Dean Waters is a teacher, and I’m sure he’d be happy to tutor you.”
“No!” I shook my head and added in too harsh of a tone, “You don’t get it. I’m too stupid to learn how to read. That’s why I could only listen to audiobooks from the prison library. I needed the narrator to read it for me.”
“You’re not stupid,” Avery said firmly. “My guess is that you have dyslexia that went without a diagnosis. It just means that you may need to learn a little differently and have a bit more patience with it. I’m confident that Dean would be able to help you figure it out, if you’d like. But if you don’t want to learn, that’s fine, too.”
“Dean would probably find it ridiculous that a grown man can’t do something little kids learn from an early age,” I guessed.
Avery shook her head. “Dean doesn’t have a judgmental bone in his body. He’s one of the kindest men I know, and he’s a wonderful, patient teacher.”
White-hot jealousy surged through my veins at the warm way she spoke of this other man. When I yanked the wheel and lurched the truck forward to turn around and head toward her parents’ house, Avery asked, “What are you doing?”
“Taking you home,” I answered briskly.
