Page 60 of Dirty Daria

“What?” He looks at me, shocked at my question. “Yeah, why?”

“That was nice. Even though you were kind of a jerk about it. And I approached it thinking you’re a good person and we were in a good place, literally and emotionally. So, I let it happen. And I was right to. We needed to get that off our chests.”

“Off our chests?”

“Yes. Off our chests, out of our systems, eradicated from our minds.”

“It’s not gone for me, Quinn.”

I spin my head back and forth, fast enough for my hair to fly. “Whoo, did you see that?”

“What?” Reed pivots his own head, slower than me, wincing when it pinches his neck.

“That mood change of yours where you and I are concerned. It swept by so fast I almost missed it.”

He narrows his eyes at me. “Cute,” he says drily.

I smile back at him. “So?”

“So, what?”

“It’s not gone for you. What are you going to do about it?”

“Do? Nothing. Admitting that to you changes nothing, Quinn.”

“Right. Okay.”

I look down for a minute, trying to think of what else I might say to him. Coming up empty, I stand instead. “Well, do you need anything before I go?”

“No.”

I check the small table next to him, taking note of the number of empty minibar bottles and the prescription bottle next to them. “Reed, you aren’t mixing your prescription with alcohol, right?”

“Nope,” he lies. I know he’s lying, and he knows I know. But he does it anyway.

“Okay, well, we’re only here for another week so maybe we can both make the effort to get along and be friends.”

“Sure.”

“Okay, see you later.”

“See ya.” His voice is angry and his posture stiff. But I leave anyway. I’m too tired to try and pull more things out of him. Plus, he’s been honest with me about how he feels. He’s thinks I’m too much work. That I’m trouble. Not worth the effort. And I don’t want to be with a guy who doesn’t want to work for me.

I’m not too much, I know that deep down. It’s only when my insecurities get the better of me that I begin to doubt that. Just because I haven’t found the one for me doesn’t mean he’s not out there. And in the meantime, I’m on a dream vacation with my best friend. She’s back together with the love of her life and happier than ever.

Now if they’ll just let me help them catch the bad guys, my life will be complete.

Mostly complete.

As complete as it can be until I meet the love of my life as well.

* * *

Mack and Daria are going over paperwork at our outdoor dining table when I return to the villa.

“How’s he doing?” Mack asks.

I shrug.