Page 38 of My UnTrue Love
She took it from him and drank. “You alreadyhaveanother job. You’re a musician. Even the Lone Prairie is an improvement on this awful place, given how they dislike you.”
“Theyhateme here.” He corrected. “Not dislike.”
Green eyes went wide, as she suddenly got it. “Of course they do. Oh, I completely understand, now.” She made atsksound of regret and sorrow. “It’s justwrong. You can’t help what you are.”
Bill stifled a flinch. “No, I can’t.” In that second, he wished he could. He’d be something else for her, if he had the option. Anything else. Someone she could be proud of.
“I can’t imagine how hard it must be for you, trying to fit in with normal people.” Her face was full of sympathy. “I’m so sorry.”
A familiar rush of humiliation and shame heated his neck. “Don’t worry about it. I’m used to being hated.” He accepted the water bottle back from her, drinking from it himself simply because her lips had been on it. The taste of her comforted him.
Clem gave his arm a consoling squeeze. “I’m sure to someone as sensitive as you, itdoesfeel like hatred.”
“Because everybody hates me. Why are we dwellin’ on this?”
“They don’t hate you.” She insisted patiently. “It’sjealousythat makes them act so mean. And it’s going to get worse, until it gets better.”
Bill squinted at her, back to being confounded again. Nobody got cured of being a coyote. “It’s not ever gonna get better for me.”
“No, itwill. Once your musical career is established, things will change. You’ll be around other artists, who aren’t so threatened by your poetic nature, and your incredible talent, and how handsome you are.”
Bill blinked and stopped walking.
Clem automatically stopped too. “Some people are just born stars, Bill. Other folks sense that. Don’t worry. We’ll find you someplace where you aren’t resented for beingsomuch more special than ordinary men.” She was awash with pity for his sad plight of being too damn wonderful. “You’ll be able to forge much deeper connections. I promise.”
Bill realized that they were having two completely different conversations and hers was better. Brighter. Everything about Clem was always better and brighter. His mouth began to curve.
“You’ll find some people you can truly connect with, very soon. Clementine vowed. “Your career will take off quickly, once you get a real shot on stage. I know it.”
He stared down at her, the-heart-coyotes-didn’t-have doing some weird summersaults in his chest.
“Bill? She prompted, after a long moment when he didn’t have a word to say.
“I already found her.” He cleared his throat, because his voice was suddenly hoarse. “The person I truly connect with. I already foundyou.”
“I feel that way, too.” Her smile was tremulous. “It’s hard for me to fit in with other people, you know. I’m plenty outgoing, but not everyone wants to befriend a muse. We’restereotyped as easy and insignificant,” she hesitated for a beat, “and ditzy.”
Fucking Johnny. Killing that fucker and burying his carcass in the fucking badlands was a lifegoal for Bill.
He didn’t realize he’d muttered at least part of that obscenity-filled threat out loud until he saw Clementine’s gaze widen. Damnation, it was easy to drop his guard around her. Too easy, maybe. It was gonna land him in trouble, since most every thought in his head --human and coyote-- was Bad.
“Oh Bill, you can’t fight Johnny? What if you were hurt?”
He was insulted. “You think I can’t whoop that boy?” Johnny was physically larger than Bill’s human form, but he was just a big lump of nothing to the coyote.
“I think your hands are made for guitar-playing, not punching people. You could break a finger! Johnny’s not worth the risk. You two don’t work together anymore, so you have no reason for conflict.”
“We do have a reason for conflict.You.” He leaned down, so they were eye-to-eye. (She really should be wearing a hat to shade her face.) “You’renotditzy. Johnny is threatened by you, because you surpass him in every possible way. Deep down he knows it and it scares him.”
“Jealousy, huh? Is that why I got fired, too?” She thought he was playfully giving her own advice back to her.
Except he wasn’t.
Johnnywasjealous. That was just fact. It had been a strategic mistake to start packing up Clementine’s underwear while that asshole was in the vicinity. Bill had been shocked to stumble across all the silky lingerie that he’d been fantasizingabout for months. Clem favored colorful patterns and feminine lace. That was real nice to know. His initial reaction had been one of possessive satisfaction.
Then, he’d recalled Johnny’s presence, and he hadn’t been nearly so pleased.
Johnny was just beginning to understand that he’d lost his happily ever after. The man had felt threatened when Bill flirted the tiniest bit with a nobody-special like Rosalee. No telling what he’d do to keep someone as important as Clementine. He’d for damn sure use sex, if he thought it would help him hang onto her.
