“Really. And what is that?”
“Your ex-boyfriend.”
“What about him?”
“I think you’re not over him yet, and you’re only interested in me because you need a rebound.”
Men were so clueless sometimes. “Uh, no.”
“Really, I totally understand how that happens. You got dumped and you want to jump right back on board with a new guy. It’s happened to me before.”
Her lips quirked. “You got dumped and wanted to jump right back on board with a new guy?”
“Funny. No. But after a breakup, the first thing I did was get together with a new woman. Like right away. It’s an ego thing. I needed to feel wanted, and there’s no better way to do that than with another person. The first available person.”
“Oh, so you think I latched on to you at Mama’s right after Levon and I broke up, and I’m using you to rebound.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
He let out a sigh. “Harmony.”
“Barrett, I appreciate you looking out for me and all, but I can assure you I didn’t select you as my rebound guy. Frankly, I could have used any random guy to rebound, if that’s what I was after. I mean, look at me. It’s not like I can’t get men.”
He stared at her for a few seconds. “Point taken.”
“Do you think I’d go through this hassle of choosing you with you being so close to my brother if I didn’t really like you? I’d have chosen a different guy to”—she used air quotes around her next word—“rebound.”
He didn’t say anything, and she knew that she had him.
“Your whole notion of me rebounding is idiotic, Barrett. I’d have to be heartbroken to rebound, and, frankly, I wasn’t all that into Levon.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“I thought you were upset that night.”
“I was upset. No one likes to get dumped. We were seeing each other fairly exclusively, you know? But it wasn’t love or anything.”
“I see.”
She could tell he didn’t see at all. “I’m not a player. I don’t date multiple men. Levon and I had been exclusive for about three months. But I could see the writing on the wall with him well before that night. He had some idiosyncrasies that were beginning to get on my nerves. It was only a matter of time until we broke up.”
“But maybe you wanted to be the one to do the breaking up?”
“Not necessarily. Maybe I wanted it to be more of a mutual thing, where we’d sit down and have a civilized discussion about where we saw our relationship heading, and that we didn’t see eye to eye on a lot of things, so we should probably go our separate ways. What I didn’t expect was his it’s-not-you-it’s-me speech and how he didn’t have time to devote to the relationship so we need to break up bullshit, which wasn’t the case at all. I mean, is it too much to expect an honest conversation from a guy?”
“Of course not. But I can tell you’re still harboring some hostility over him dumping you.”
She stood, irritation rising. “No, I’m not hostile. To be hostile I’d have to care, and trust me, I don’t. What aggravated me was his less than honest way of ending the relationship.”
“Okay, I think I see your point. You wanted him to sit down with you so the two of you could mutually end your relationship with an honest discussion about why it wasn’t working.”
“Yes. That’s it exactly.”
Barrett laughed. “Babe, that’s never going to happen. With any guy. First, because we’re just not wired that way. If we want out of a relationship, we want out fast. So we’re just going to end things, in the least messy way possible—at least that’s the way we figure it out in our heads. If we have to make up bullshit reasons for it, we will, mainly to spare your feelings.”
She gave him an incredulous look. “Seriously, Barrett? You’re taking his side?”
“I’m not taking anyone’s side. If you ask me, the man was a dick. I usually try to be as honest as possible throughout a relationship and don’t set up a woman with any unrealistic expectations. And when it’s over, it’s over. But I can guarantee you the last damn thing I’m gonna want to do is sit down and have a long-ass conversation with a woman about why it’s over. That tends to lead to accusations and recriminations and tears on the woman’s part. No man wants that. It’s best to just cut the cord and be done with it.”
She stared at him for a few long seconds, then shook her head. “I do not understand your species. At all.”
“Ditto.”
He didn’t seem at all upset, while she wanted to take one of the very colorful decorative pillows on the sofa and throw it right at his damn head.
Deciding she needed a break from men in general, she packed up her things in her bag. “I’m going to the room.”
“Are you hungry?”
She shoved her sunscreen in the bag. “No, I’m not hungry. I’m pissed.”
“Want me to go with you?”
“Oh, hell no. The last thing I want or need right now is you.” She slung her bag over her shoulder. “You can hang out here, or in the water, or at the gym, but honestly, Barrett, I need some space from you for a while.”
He looked confused.
“Okay. Like . . . for how long?”