Page 36 of Lessons in Forgiving
Henry gasped. “Who would’ve thought.”
“I know right?”
When I looked down, failing miserably at hiding my smile, with gut-clenching clarity I realized something fatal. I was enjoying this—him, way too much.
And I couldn’t have that.
To think of literally anything else, my eyes roamed the familiar apartment. Its white, modern furniture hadn’t changed. As usual, there wasn’t a single thing out of its designated space. There were actual coffee table booksonthe coffee table. Theremote laid in front of the TV. Keys on the sideboard by the door and jackets on the rack beside it. It was just so Henry.
“Do you still live with them?” I asked absentmindedly, only now noticing the unusual quiet. Heather and Reuben had never been known to bequiet.
“No.” And it kind of surprised me. “I know.” He went on. “It’s weird without them, right? Quiet.” He pondered over the fact, grimacing at his next words. “But I prefer the quiet to sharing my space with two people who can’t keep their hands off each other. Only a matter of time until I would’ve walked in on them. They moved out a month ago.”
“No!” I gasped. “I didn’t know they were—I thought Reuben would die before he’d make a move.”
Henry laughed, the sound rich as it hummed between us. “He probably would have. Heather did.”
“Figured,” I huffed. “Good for her, though.” Looking around once more, I added, “And you, I guess. Three bedrooms, huge living space, a kitchen to die for. And you’ve got it all to yourself.”The perfect bachelor padwas an afterthought I decided not to voice out loud. It made my insides clench.
He hummed, not quite in agreement. “It gets pretty lonely.”
“No bachelor pad, then?”
“What?”
My head shot in his direction. “What?”
By his smug expression I figured, yes, I really had just said that out loud.
“Not quite a bachelor pad, no,” he said knowingly. But instead of wanting the ground to open up beneath me from mortification, the first thing his words did was soothe that unjustified jealousy in the back of my mind.
I shrugged, convincing myself the burning of my cheeks was natural. “You know,” I tried to say casually. I probably failed.
“Do I?”
“Just saying because people might expect you to enjoy those single years at college before going off into the big league.”Excellent save, if I do say so myself.
“People?” Henry’s brows rose.
“People that probably want to know what you get up to when you’re not lightly jogging, lifting weights or… letting goals through the HBU defense.” If there was one thing Henry didn’t do, it was letting things through their defense.
“They’dwant to know?”
“Mhm,” I mumbled around the bite I’d taken to do anything other than look at him. “I’m sure they would.”
Henry snickered in amusement, leaning back into his chair on the other long side of the dining table. “But you obviously have no interest in that?”
“No!” But it was too quick. I settled back, took a second before I elaborated. “Why would I?”
Henry didn’t say anything else, just looked at me. I suspected he knew I was currently melting under his gaze, and he enjoyed that, too.
“It’s not like you care,” I started, and once I trailed off, there was no stopping it. I had no idea what would come out of my mouth next. “What or… who I do, I mean.”
No one, by the way. Although Jack had kindly offered twice, and it’s not like he wasn’t good enough. He was fine—probably more than fine. He just wasn’t…
My eyes trailed to Henry again, his pink lips, the brown middle part on top of his head, and the way he was looking at me so unapologetically thoroughly. Which was when I realized he just wasn’thim. That was the only thing wrong with Jack.
My head shook, and I rambled on, scared the silence that lingered had become too long, too deafening. “I mean, it’s been ages! So I don’t care either. Obviously.” And then, of course, I topped it all off with a nervous laugh. “You’re being ridiculous.”
