Page 51 of Sassy Love
But this isRawlinswe’re talking about.
My mortal enemy.
My competition.
My . . .not friend.
Urgh.
I decide to step outside to ring Mills. That way, he can take care of whatever he needs to without me around. Maybe he’s not affected by me the way I am by him. Can’t say I can imagine him getting off in the shower to the image of me naked. Although he almost saw that yesterday.
She picks up on the third ring.
“Hello, sweetheart? Ready to ride off into the sunset yet?” She cackles, not letting me get a word in.
“Quit it, Mills. You’re not helping.”
“Oh, did something happen?”
“Of course not,” I rush out.
“Carlie Marie Lamont, you know how I feel about lying.”
“Something’s changed, Mills. He’s different. I think I—he’s getting to me, I swear.” I pace a small stretch of grass outside the bungalow. “That’s stupid, right? It’s barely been two whole days.”
“Time holds no bearing on such things. Sometimes it only takes one moment to change your life, for better or worse. I have lived both.”
She has too.
“I mean, I guess it’s a good thing we aren’t at each other’s throats anymore. But...”
“But what? Don’t see yourself living on a ranch with eight babies and barefoot?”
“Would you stop with that shit? The man lives in Manhattan, and it is nothing like that. Stop daydreaming.”
She cackles again.
How is this woman always so stinking happy?
“We had to do therapy yesterday.” I try to change the subject slightly.
“Oh? How did it go?”
“They asked about my dad, in a roundabout way.”
“Oh...” The one syllable comes out from her as deflated as I feel. I’ve never been good at talking about my father, or the absence of him, to be more accurate.
“Well, you share what you feel comfortable sharing and leave the rest to the birds, sweetheart.”
“I will. You okay by yourself?”
“I am old, not incapable. There’s a difference, my girl. I’m enjoying the solitude, but I miss you fiercely.”
I chuckle. “I miss you, too. I better go. Dinner’s started.” I glance at the communal area across the lawns. People are filing in, the tables filling up.
“Go! Enjoy yourself. You’ll be back to reality before you know it.”
“Bye, Mills.”
