“You know what? You’re right. I don’t. But unlike you, I’m trying to be polite this evening. You could maybe take a lesson, you know?” As it is, her backtalk has my temper on simmer. Much more of this, and I doubt I’ll be able to maintain a hint of civility.
“So long as you drop the fake niceness.”
“You don’t like it when I’m nice? No problem. I won’t be.”
“Good. It’s a lot more authentic than when you pretend to be concerned or whatever.”
I’m the one eyeing the bread knife now. It might be better to get it off the table before one of us makes a move for it. “Did something happen today? If so, it might be better for me to know about it.”
“What? You mean your buddy Q didn’t come running to you again?”
The disdain in her voice when she uses his nickname would be funny if the circumstances were different. She can’t be bothered to conceal her hatred. I suppose I can’t blame her for that. Even if she deserved everything she got.
“Should he have?” I ask. How easy would it be to reach across the table and shake it out of her? I have to remember what Lauren said about using her as an excuse to vent my ever-present rage. It’s like the girl was built to test and torment me.
“I’m sure he could have come up with something I did wrong. Like, God forbid, I was talking to his wife. Oh, no.” She rolls her eyes and pretends to gag.
“So there wasn’t any big blowup?”
“Do you make it a habit? Hooking up with the girls around school?”
The question hits me like a fastball to the head. “What?” It’s all I can manage through my surprise.
“I’m just saying. Am I one of many? Do you make your way through the entire student body? No judgment or anything like that. I’m only wondering if maybe I’m getting in the way by being around.”
“Where is this coming from? What gave you the idea I sleep with the students?”
“You mean aside from what we’ve done?”
I have to grit my teeth before answering. “Obviously. And I’m not in the mood to play games, so you might want to come out with it already.”
She drums her fingers on the table, glaring at her plate. “She was talking a lot about you. Aspen. All this time you spend together and how great it is. It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together. Her whole face, like, lights up when she talks about you.”
Was that supposed to clear any of this up? I’m more confused than ever. “I don’t understand what you’re driving at.”
“How long have you been fucking her? Jesus Christ, it’s like pulling teeth. Do you deliberately pretend you can’t follow along?”
That’s it? That’s the problem? Maybe I shouldn’t laugh, but how am I supposed to help it? “You are way off base,” I manage before laughing again.
“Right. I’m sure it’s just a really deep, beautiful friendship. And listen,” she insists when my laughter only gets louder, “I don’t care, I really don’t. I just think it’s kind of shitty. Unethical. She’s an actual student here.”
“You care so much about ethics all of a sudden?” I needed that laugh. I really did. And now that it’s out of my system, there’s room in my awareness for understanding. Is she jealous? Is that what this is about?
For a second, the evil bastard inside me considers dragging this out. Letting her suffer a little. However, she’ll only make me suffer in the end. I don’t know how, but she’ll find a way.
“I don’t think it’s funny.” She folds her arms, having given up the pretext of being interested in dinner.
“Neither do I. I don’t think it’s funny at all.”
“So why are you laughing at me?”
“Because you couldn’t be further from the truth if you tried.” I push my plate to the side, folding my arms on the table and facing her head-on. “Do you really not know? I assumed you did. It’s not a secret.”
Color blazes on her cheeks. “So you do have a relationship with her?”
“I do, but it’s not the kind of relationship you’re assuming it is.” I can’t help but grin at her confusion. “Aspen isn’t my girlfriend or even my fuck buddy. She’s my daughter.”
It’s worth it, telling her if only to watch her jaw drop. Her face goes blank, almost like her brain shuts down for a moment so it can catch up. I’m unable to hide my amusement, though she doesn’t seem to notice.