Page 34 of Pretend You Love Me

“Well, I guess I’ll talk then.”

I point to the island. “There’s a laptop and iPad you can use. They are already connected to Wi-Fi. The password on both is 1234.”

Her eyes jerk up - full of surprise.

“I had some extra stuff that I haven’t been using. It’s not a big deal,” I shrug. “Next, if you need to go into town, you can use Mom’s car. It’s in the garage. It doesn’t get driven much. I try to start it every few weeks. The keys are beside the iPad.”

“I’m not taking your car.” She sets her coffee down.

“Ginger.” Is she really going to fight me on this too?

“I can't take your car.”

“It's not my car. It was my mother's. No one is using it.” My voice comes out louder than I mean for it too.

She scowls.

“I’m not using it.”

I rub my temples. Why does she have to be so fucking difficult about every fucking thing?

“I don't want to be worried about you getting eaten by a moose or caught in a lightning storm. I need to be able to work without distraction. If I don't know where you are, and I think you're wandering around outside in some sort of unsafe situation, I'm going to worry, and I'm not going to be able to get my work done.”

She rolls her eyes so hard I’m surprised she doesn’t fall over.

“No,” she says.

“Are you just still mad at me about yesterday?”

“Yes.”

“Cupcake, come on. You have to admit it was funny.”

“No, it wasn’t, and I’m not using your stupid car. Stop trying to bully me.”

Goddamn it. I’m just trying to help her.

“Why are you so bossy?” she says.

“Why are you so difficult?”I fire back.

She makes ahmphsound and then takes a sip of her coffee.

“Is there a bike, or something I could use?”

She’s going to give me an aneurysm, that’s for sure.

“A bike?”

“Yeah, Grumpy, you know that thing with two wheels and pedals?”

“I’m familiar. There’s one in the garage, but you can’t use it.”

“Why not?’

I wave at her arm. “Your arm is broken. Did you forget?”

“I can still ride a bike,” she huffs.