A truck drives by and drowns him out, but I think I can fill in the details.
Her eyes close and she turns her head away from him.
“Who is that?” I ask as he climbs into his car.
“No one.”
His car races by.
I step closer. “That was your ex, wasn’t it?”
“I’ve gotta get back inside.” She starts to turn, but I slip my hand into hers.
“Delia, are you okay?”
She looks up and her bottom lip quivers.
I don’t know if that was her ex or some random guy being weird. I pull her into my arms, but I don’t know what to say.
To her…
But given the chance, I’ll be giving that asshole my two cents and then I’ll be asking for change.
The moment she wraps her arms around my waist is when I know I will protect this woman with all of my heart and all of my might.
This woman is the one I need in my life.
Delia
“Doyou remember that time when there were those boxers on the school flagpole?” he asks.
I pick up another chicken wing. “Yeah. The ones that had a skid mark?”
“Yeah.” He raises his eyebrows and clears his throat. “Ummm…” he points to himself while he cringes.
“They were yours?”
“We had Mexican food at home the night before and then at school that day and then football practice was really hard.”
“Oh…my…God. You poor thing.”
“I wasn’t always the alpha everyone thought I was. Just because I had a good arm didn’t mean I wasn’t taking a hit every once in a while off the field.”
“I guess you never know what’s happening in someone’s world.”
“Nope. So tell me, what’s happening in yours?”
“Wow, I walked right into that one. You act all vulnerable and then expect me to be.” I set the chicken down, my stomach suddenly turns.
“Fair is fair.”
“Nothing is fair, Joel.”
His hand covers mine on the table. “You shouldn’t be treated like that, Delia.”
“I know, but as long as he’s the best salesperson for the company he’ll be part of my life and I just have to put up with—”
“No. You don’t have to just put up with it.” His face starts to turn a little bright. He squeezes my hand. “I’m sorry. I just want you to understand that you don’t have to take his crap.”