Page 30 of Sweet Possession
Feeling dejected, I closed the book and pushed it away. My stomachchurned as I looked back at my half-eaten pasta, my appetite now gone.
Not wanting to waste the lunch Fox had so considerately ordered me,I covered it over and put it in the fridge to have later.
Deciding to head back to my room and mope on my bed, I headeddown the hallway, but instead of going upstairs, my feet had a mind of their own, and before I knew it, I was standing in the room Fox had converted into his own personal library.
The room was huge, with shelves and shelves of books. Heevenhada moveable ladder so he could reach the books on the higher shelves. In the far corner, was a giant bean bag chair, big enoughthattwo people could easily fit in it together. I pictured Fox relaxing in the comfy seat, reading a book under the tall lampthathovered over the chair, while the moon shone in from the arched window behind him.
In awe at the amount of books Fox had, I ran my fingers over thespines as I walked further into the library. Every so often, I pulled a book out and tried to guess what it was about based on the picture on the cover, before putting it back, knowing I’d never know if my guess was right.
Reaching a set of books with colorful spines, I pulled the first one outand recognized the cover straight away.Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.Turning the book over in my hand, I grinned down at it, wondering ifFox had read the children’s book.
Harry Potterwas a series I’d always wanted to read. I’d watched halfof the first film one Christmas, but my dad had made me turn it off. He told me it was childish bullshit, andthatif he ever caught me watching it again, he’d tan my ass so hard, I wouldn’t be able to sit down for a week.
I’d loved what I’d seen of the movie though, and I’d vowedthatoneday, I’d binge-watch all the films. As for the books, I knew it was a pipe dream to be able to read them, but it didn’t stop me from flipping through the pages and scanning over paragraphs to see if I could figure out the words.
It could have been written in Japanese for all I knew. The lettersblurred together, and my brain worked overtime trying to decipher the words. When frustration set in, I sighed heavily and closed the book, shoving it back in the space I’d taken it from.
“Thatwas a big sigh, baby girl.”
My eyes darted over to the door, finding Fox leaning against theframe watching me.
“Yeah,”I replied, not knowing what to say without embarrassingmyself. I didn’t want Fox to see me as the silly little girl my dad claimed I was.
But itseemedFox was already good at knowing when something wastroubling me. He left his place at the door, coming to stand by my side, his alluring scent engulfing me.
Calming me.
He plucked theHarry Potterbook I’djustbeen holding from the shelfand flicked through the pages the same way I had, his brows pulled together in thought.
“You know, when I was younger, I wasterribleat math. Couldn’t do itto save my life. I couldn’t grasp multiplication. Didn’t have the first clue how to work out fractions and percentages. Hell, I could barely figure out two plus two equals four,” he said, his eyes growing distant as he stared down at the cover of a cartoon boy on a broomstick.
I wasn’t sure if I believed him. He was a successful business owner,surely to succeed in the industry he was in, he’d need to know how to do math?
“Teachers didn’t know what to do with me, and my old man used tobeat me when I’d come home from school and he discovered I’d flunked another math test.”
His eyes dropped to mine when I let out a soft gasp, imagining asmall boy cowering in a corner, scared to tell his father he was struggling to learn.
I knew all too well whatthatwas like.
“In the end, I gave up trying to learn and always skipped class.Figured I was too old to learn, andthatI’d find a way of getting through life without needing to know how to do the basics.”
“Did you?”I asked tentatively after Fox had fallen silent for a beat.
He chuckled.“No. I had a huge argument with a dude in aStarbucksone day. I thought he’d short-changed me because I couldn’t count the money. He called me stupid, and I was about ready to smack him in the mouth, but luckily Nash was there and stopped me.“Fox’s lips pulled into a lop-sided grin, making my pulse spike.
Why did he have to be so damn handsome?
“What happened?”
He shrugged.“Nash counted the change and told me I’d got it wrong.Thenthe kid behind the counter called me stupid again, so Nash smacked him in the face. He’d come over to stop me getting in a fight, but I was the one who ended up dragging him out.”
I giggled. I bet it was nice to have a friend as loyal as Nash andFox were to each other. I couldn’t help but be envious, it was something I’d never experienced.
“When we were walking home, Nash called me on it. He said he’dnoticed a couple of timesthatI’d gotten numbers wrong, and so I told him. Told himthatI’d never been able to understand math, and it confused the hell out of me. And you know what he said?”
I shook my head, enthralled by his story.
“He said Iwasstupid. Stupid if I thought I was too old to learn. Andthenevery day for the next four months, he’d make me sit with him for hours at a time while he taught me from scratch. We started from theverybeginning, and he broke every little part down for me until I grasped it. Don’t get me wrong, I still struggle with some equationsevennow, but if Nash hadn’t taught me, I doubt I’d be where I am today.”
