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“I, uh…” I can’t admit to her how much I was looking forward to her nightwear, how my shoulders seemed to preemptively ache waiting for her to massage them, how parched my throat was expecting a glass of whiskey to soothe it. “I’ve gotten used to it.”
“I’ve only done it twice,” she smiles. Really? Only twice? It seems a lot longer than that. “But I’ll make sure to stop by tomorrow night.”
I nod, ignoring the burst of anticipation that races through me, instead motioning to her foot. “Is everything okay?”
She rolls her eyes good-naturedly. “You’re not going to believe it, but Petey tripped me again. I promise I’m not normally this clumsy.”
“That dog’s a menace.”
“He’s a sweetheart. And I didn’t even realize my ankle was hurting until I was standing at the stove making this popcorn.” She scoops the pieces that had fallen out of the bowl back in, seemingly unconcerned.
“Do you need to go to the doctor? I can call one in-”
“Archer, I’m fine. I took some Tylenol and should be good in the morning. It’s only a little sore. I’m just giving myself permission to relax and veg out in front of some mindless TV in the meantime.”
I turn toward the screen. “What are you watching?” There’s an unshaven messy looking guy, another with ridiculously parted big hair, and a normal woman in a suit, all in some kind of office environment.
“The IT Crowd.” Her eyes widen at my look of incomprehension. “You’ve never heard of it?”
“No.” Was I supposed to?
“Here.” She scoots over and pats the spot next to her on the bed. “Watch an episode with me.”
No, I still have work to do. And I shouldn’t be laying in her bed with her. And I might accidentally jostle her ankle.
And yet, I find myself sitting down, slowly easing into the plush pillows she has propped behind her, listening to her explanation of what’s going on. She laughs at my questions about the incompetent boss and strange goth guy, telling me it’s not meant to be realistic, and I relax after that, letting the dry British humor wash over me.
I eat the popcorn she offers, some kind of addictive parmesan topping making my mouth water, and listen to her occasional laughter, leaning in to hear it better. When’s the last time anyone really laughed around me? And when did my life get to the point where I can’t remember something like that?
As the episode ends, neither of us say anything as the TV autoplays to the next one, and I stay equally silent as she moves closer while readjusting her foot on its pillow. This near, her perfume makes its appearance once again, wafting softly over me, comforting me.
“Did Angelina comment on the photo from this afternoon?” she asks, settling back into a reclining position.
“She approved. Especially adding the dog.” I take another bite of popcorn. “What did Wendy say?”
“About what?”
She’s going to make me say it? “When I kissed you.”
Her eyes dart over to me and back to the TV. “She said it was good to see me happy.”
I nod, focusing on the show again, but something niggles at the back of my mind.Good to see her happy. As if she wasn’t before. And Wendy mentioned Serena being upset last month after getting engaged to Gabriel.
But Serena’s a great actress. Why would she appear upset?
“Have you… not been happy?”
She sighs, keeping her gaze faced forward. “I didn’t want to marry your brother,” she replies bluntly. “But I’ve come around to the idea since then.”
Since she was still engaged to Gabriel? Or since marrying me?
Not that it matters.
“Are you happy now?”
She finally looks over at me, but for some reason, I can’t meet her eye. “Yeah, I am,” she says softly.
Warmth spreads through my chest unexpectedly before I tamp it down. She’s not happy because of me. It’s probably because she has her dad off her back now.