“What about her? How is she?”
I straighten and unclasp my hands, curling my fingers around my beer. I bring the bottle to my lips, a grin tickling my lips.
“Twisted... And hot,” I say before taking a swig.
“That’s hard to miss. She’s beautiful. Why does it sound like it’s a problem?”
I set the bottle on the table.
“It’s not. It’s just that I don’t know how far we can go,” I say.
Concern rolls over her eyes.
“I was afraid you’d say that,” she says, disappointed.
I stare blankly at my beer.
“The thing is, I’ve never been with anyone before. And I don’t know if I can be too close to her. She’s far from being whole.”
She takes a sip of tea.
“What do you mean?” she asks, setting the cup on the porcelain saucer.
Our eyes connect.
“She had some family issues.”
“What kind of issues?”
“She got in some sort of disagreement with her family a few years back. She left her parents’ home and struck out on her own. She did well for herself. She hadn’t been in touch with them until recently. I met her family. They couldn’t have had more disdain for me even if they tried. They didn’t know who I was and despised me. That pretty much sums it up.”
“Does she like you?”
“Yeah... I think she does, but that doesn’t mean anything. Things can change, you know.”
“I think it’s more than liking for her. It’s not her I’m worried about. And I told her that as well,” she says after a moment.
I glance at her, surprised.
“What exactly did you tell her?”
She gives me a pointed look, reminding me of my mom.
“I told her you might leave.”
The blood drains out of my body.
“Why would you tell her that?”
Her chair scrapes the floor as she pushes to her feet and pivots to the oven. She runs an expert eye over the pie before returning to the table and sinking back into her chair.
“Because it’s the truth. I don’t know if she’s the woman for you or not. If she is, it has to be more than a good fuck between you two. I don’t see you falling for that thing only.”
“How do you know it’s not more than that?”
“Had you fallen for her, you wouldn’t be here with me, missing being in my kitchen. You’d be home with her.”
I study her.