His features relax somewhat.
“Did that cross your mind?”
“Don’t try to play cute with me.”
“I’m not.”
He crosses his arms over his chest.
“Did you really think I’d do that?”
“No. You not talking to me made me think that. Don’t try to paint me as someone naturally distrustful. I have faith in people until they do something nasty and break my trust.”
He seems tense again. And sober.
“You were annoyed I was there,” I continue. “And yes, I knew you were furious that Cardenas had talked to me.”
“What did he say?”
He seems sincerely curious.
“What do you think?”
“He wants to meet you again?”
I stay quiet.
“Let’s say our ‘one-time’ thing is no longer a ‘one-time’ thing,” I murmur.
He seems darkly amused.
“So I had every right to be mad,” he says, smiling.
I wag my finger at him.
“Don’t try this with me. It won’t work.”
“Fair,” he says. “I wasn’t trying anything. I knew he was after you.”
“You knew it when he bid on me the first time.”
“You have a way with words…” he says. “You wouldn’t be who you are today without his bid.”
“I wouldn’t be who I am today without you allowing him to place his bid.”
He tips his head to the side and studies my face as if thinking about something else.
“Where’s your car?”
“I disposed of it.”
“Why didn’t you buy a new one?”
“I didn’t have time.”
I pull my lip between my teeth and look down.
“How were these past two weeks?” he asks as we begin to relax.