Page 71 of Finally Mine
His jaw tightened, and Aldo swallowed hard. “Yeah. I had plans for when I came home. Plans that involved you. But you deserve someone who can protect you. Someone who can keep you safe for a change. You deserve that, Gloria.”
With her free hand, Gloria pinched the bridge of her nose. “Are you saying you don’t want to be with me because you lost a leg and you think I need a two-legged man to ride up and play the white knight? Because if you are, that’s really, really stupid.”
40
“Do you thinkI’mdamaged?” Gloria was looking at him like she expected an answer. And Aldo had no idea what answer she wanted.
“Do you think that me spending ten years in a controlling, abusive relationship damaged me? Made me unlovable? Made me more work than I’m worth?”
This was not going well, Aldo thought. He should have started with flowers and a nice apology card.
“Yoo-hoo! Gloria!” Georgia Rae beelined for them, double-fisting hotdogs. She was plump and festive in her American flag applique sleeveless sweater.
“Oh, sweet baby Jesus,” Gloria whispered under her breath. She released his hand and scooted an inch away from him. And Aldo hated himself for feeling rejected. “Hi, Georgia Rae. Are you enjoying your Fourth?”
“You did a magnificent job, my dear,” the woman said, gesturing wildly with said hot dogs. “I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a Fourth of July like this. I’m not just saying that because you took care of the crapper situation!”
Gloria choked on a laugh. “I’m glad you’re having a good time.”
“You did good,” Georgia Rae nodded decisively. “And you!” She shifted her attention to Aldo. “That was some race this morning. You had us all blubbering. Welcome home, honey.”
“Thanks, Georgia Rae,” Aldo said, feeling awkward and wanting desperately to get back to Gloria’s question.
She blew them both kisses with hot dogs and fluttered off into the crowd.
But before he could steer the conversation back to the intimate, Linc Reed, the gargantuan fire chief, let out a wolf whistle. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Moretta. You know, man. I was kinda hoping that the whole leg thing would slow you down so I’d have a shot at the Jingle Bell 5k. But I’m not so sure about victory after this morning.”
Aldo stood for the requisite handshake and shoulder slap. “Funny guy.”
“And Gorgeous Gloria,” Linc said, shooting her an exaggerated wink. “You ready for another dance?”
Ah, shit. Linc and Gloria?Aldo kicked himself for not warning his friend off of Gloria. Linc was a ladies’ man, but he respected his friends.
“Hey, Linc,” Gloria said. She gave him a friendly smile, but it didn’t seem too friendly, too familiar. Not that it was any of his business. Not only had Aldo practically begged her to date while he was deployed, he’d also been a Grade A dick when he came back. If she wanted to be with a golden god of debauchery with two working legs, Aldo technically had nothing to say. Her choices were her own.
“I don’t know if you noticed, but this little lady pulled all of this together,” Linc told Aldo, waving a hand around the fairgrounds. “You should have seen her at the org meetings, answering questions, taking notes, wheelin’ and dealin’.”
Gloria was blushing now. And Aldo wanted to deck his friend. This washisshot at winning her back, not Linc’s.
“Man, you look like you’re gonna puke. Is it the hot dog smell?” Linc asked.
“I need you to go away. Far, far away,” Aldo said in a low voice.
Linc’s gaze flicked from Aldo to Gloria and back again. He grinned. “I think I hear some fresh-cut fries calling my name. You two have a nice night.” He turned and lowered his voice so only Aldo could hear him. “Try not to fuck it up, man.”
“Trying.”
Linc wandered off, leaving the two of them alone again finally.
“You did a great job with all of this,” Aldo said, returning to the bench.
“Thanks,” she said, almost shyly. “I wanted to do something. Show everyone I wasn’t just poor little Gloria Parker.”
“If they think that, they don’t know you at all.”
Gloria gave a dry laugh. “Isn’t it ironic?”
“What?”
