Rhett by Margaret McHeyzer

 

 

 

I park outside Rhett’s mom’s house and sit staring through the window. Family dinner. This means the entire family is going to be there, and I’ve been invited. It must be nice to have people you can rely on. I wouldn’t know. Not with...doesn’t matter, I don’t want to think about it. Because when I do, the only thing that happens is I become sad and cry. I certainly don’t want to cry, not today.

There’s a sharp rapping at the window, causing me to startle and place my hand to my chest. I turn to see Rhett’s pressing his face right up against the window. My rapid heartrate instantly eases when I see his goofy smirk smooshed against the glass. I start laughing, and so does Rhett as he steps back, opens the door, and nearly yanks me out of the car. He instantly wraps me in his arms, holding me tight against his hard body. “You okay?” I ask. I love being this close to him. He has a calming effect on me.

“I need this.” He squeezes me in his arms, and kisses the top of my head. “The shift I finished this morning was hectic. It was one thing after another, and it felt like it was never going to end. No quicker than we’d finish one job, another would come through the radio and we’d be onto that one.”

“That’s pretty bad, but if it’s any consolation, thank you.”

With his arms firmly around me, he pulls back and looks at me questioning. “Why are you thanking me?”

“Because I’m fairly certain, in those moments when you’re helping someone, they forget to acknowledge the amazing acts of bravery you all put yourselves through.”

“Oh.” He exhales while his shoulders inch forward.

“And for the message you sent me. Like I said, I really needed to hear those words.” It’s been a long time since anyone’s told me they miss me. A long, long time.

He perks up, and hugs me again. “Tell me how your day was.”

“Busy, and I was kinda out of it. I kept dropping everything all day. I broke three plates, and two glasses at The Narrow Table, and the boss said if I break anything else, he’ll take it out of my pay. Which, incidentally, made me super nervous, and I ended up breaking two more things.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

A lot of my own shit is what’s going on. “I don’t know,” I lie. Lying is the wrong word. I’m not ready to tell him yet.

“Come inside, Alec and Serena are here, and Dean should be arriving soon with Joanne, Thomas, and Tripod.”

“Tripod?” I ask.

“Dean rescued a dog that was being used as a bait dog. The poor thing’s front leg was nearly torn off. So, Dean did what Dean does. He rescued the dog, got his leg amputated, and nursed him back to health. Honestly, I didn’t think the dog was capable of being rehabilitated, but he was,” he says as we slowly walk toward the house.

“Dogs are so forgiving,” I say. “They just want to be loved and accepted, so if they’re given any type of human kindness, they cling to it.” Sounds familiar. “Should I have brought something?”

“Like what?”

“A dish of some kind?”

Rhett chuckles. “Ah, that’s right. This is your first family dinner. No need to bring anything, Mom puts on a feast that can feed us all for days to come.”

“I feel bad coming empty-handed.”

Rhett kisses me on the temple. “Don’t. Mom wouldn’t have it any other way.”

We walk in, and toward the back of the house where the kitchen opens to the family room, and there are glass sliding doors leading out to the patio and grill. Elise is in the kitchen preparing something, while Serena is washing tomatoes. “Hey,” Serena says when she sees me.

Elise’s entire face lights up when she sees me. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she says as she leans in to give me a quick hug.

“Thank you for inviting me. I should’ve asked if you wanted me to make something.”

Elise tsks and rolls her eyes. “This is my domain, and I like to put on a big family dinner.”

“That she does,” Serena confirms.

“Do you want a drink?” Rhett offers. I nod, and he walks us both out to the patio where Alec is sitting, scrolling through his phone.

Alec glances up, back to his phone, then up again. “Hey, Dani. How are you?”

“I’m good thanks.”

I feel weird being here. It’s different from when I was here for Rhett’s birthday. It’s kind of awkward. As Rhett hands me a soda, I hear something scraping against the floorboards in the house. I look over to see a three-legged dog trying to run, but kind of waddling toward the back. He sees me, increases his speed and jumps up on his back two legs, leaning his front one on me. “You must be Tripod.” I give him a scratch behind the ears, and he pants while wagging his tail and licking me all simultaneously.

“He likes you,” Joanne says when she sees Tripod licking me.

“He’s cute. I love his name.”

“That was my idea,” Rhett says.

“Bullshit, it was mine,” Alec claims.

“Well, whoever’s idea it was, it’s a cute name,” I say before the two brothers get into a wrestling match over it.

“Mine.” Rhett points to himself.

“Yeah, right. You’re a loser,” Alec teases.

Rhett punches him in the shoulder, and Alec responds by flipping him off. So much testosterone. I wonder how they handle it at work. “I think I know what you’re thinking, and yes, they’re like this all the time,” Joanne says.

Serena heads out and sits beside Joanne. Tripod leaves me and walks over to her. “Rhett, Alec!” Elise calls. Both of them stand and head inside.

“How’s the restaurant doing?” Serena asks.

“Busy, as always. I wish you’d come back though.”

“I don’t miss the rude customers, but I do miss you guys. It was a good environment to be in.”

Rhett, Dean, and Alec all bring plates, food, flatware, and set places on the table. They head back in and return with more food. Elise comes out holding a huge salad, and sits at the head of the table. Rhett moves in next to me, Dean beside Joanne, and Alec next to Serena. “Wasn’t Thomas coming too?” I ask.

“He stayed back with May. She challenged him to some PlayStation game she bought, and he wanted to stay,” Joanne says.

Elise begins serving herself, and looks over to Serena. “How’s your brother doing?”

I glance over to Serena. She has a brother? “He’s doing really well. We’re going to see him next weekend. We’ve been twice now, haven’t we?” She looks to Alec for confirmation and notices I’m confused. “My brother is a recovering drug addict, and he’s in a treatment center in Kentucky.”

“I didn’t know. I’m sorry.” How did I not know that? “Did you ever tell me when we were working together?”

“I didn’t tell anyone anything,” she replies.

“She didn’t even say anything to me for a while,” Alec says.

“That’s ’cause you were being an ass when I met you. Why would I have told you?” Serena bites back as she loads her plate with food.

“Because,” Alec replies.

“‘Because’ isn’t an answer.” She playfully leans into him, and he kisses her head. “Jordan’s doing really well, and he’s talking about being a drug and alcohol counselor for teens.”

“Oh, before I forget,” Alec says through mouthfuls of food. “We bought a house.”

“You did!?” Elise nearly screams. “Where?”

“When are you moving out?” Rhett asks.

Alec glares at Rhett, then turns his attention to Elise. “Here in Mulberry Point. We put a deposit on it this morning. Four bedrooms, and three bathrooms. There’s also a small in-law apartment that Jordan will be able to move into when he’s out of rehab.”

“This is wonderful. You’ll still be near me.” Elise claps her hands in happiness. “Which means, you’ll be moving out soon, right?” She turns her attention to Rhett.

“Yeah, when they move into their new home. Which is when?” Rhett tries again.

“We’re hoping within the next four weeks,” Serena answers.

“Yes!” Rhett replies with excitement. He leans into me and whispers, “You’ll love it there.”

“Will I?” I ask, unsure why he’s even including me in the discussion.

“Yeah, it’s not overly huge, but it’ll be enough for us.”

“Us?” I whisper but discreetly look around to see if anyone else heard.

“Yeah, us,” he says surely.

Now’s not the time to talk about this. “We’ll talk about it later.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.” He continues eating as if he’s not just announced this huge-ass plan to move our relationship along.

“Rhett,” I whisper, careful to be quiet. “We’ll talk about this later.”

He narrows his eyes and shakes his head. Whatever is going on in his head, he can’t assume I’m moving in with him. We’re just barely dating. We haven’t even had sex yet. Jesus, we might not be compatible.

Dean’s phone rings, and he takes it out of his pocket, looks at the number and crinkles his forehead. “Excuse me.” Abandoning his food, he stands and walks away from us while he’s on the phone.

“Are you leaving the furniture?” Rhett asks Alec still on the conversation about the house.

“Can you let us be in the new house first before you begin redecorating?” Alec snaps.

“I need to know what we have to go shopping for. Just a sofa, or a sofa and a bed. Or everything.” Rhett points to me, then himself.

My hand stills from eating, and I suck in a breath, unable to calm my reaction. This is all so overwhelming.

“Rhett, you’re a boy, and I think you should allow Dani to pick whatever she wants,” Elise says casually.

Is everyone here out of their fucking minds? I open my mouth, ready to tell everyone they’re nutcases, when Dean walks back to the table, drags his chair out and sits staring at Rhett. “Really?” he says.

“What?” Rhett looks around, not sure what’s happening. I’m lost. What’s going on?

“You didn’t tell us you rescued a guy from his car that had plunged into the ocean? Why the fuck wouldn’t you have said anything?” Dean asks.

“What?” Alec looks around, confused.

“You didn’t tell them?” Elise’s hard stare lands on Rhett.

Why didn’t he say anything? “It’s what we do,” Rhett replies and uncomfortably shifts in the chair. “Anyway, how do you know?”

“The station called. The family showed up with flowers and chocolates to thank you, but you’re not there. They called me to tell me what’s happened.”

Rhett pushes his food around on the plate, and lowers his gaze. His leg begins to bounce and he clears his throat. I reach over and place my hand over his, calming him. He gives me a tense smile.

“It was an amazing thing to watch,” I say trying to drag everyone’s attention away from Rhett.

“You were there?” Alec asks.

“Yeah, we were going to have lunch. Well, we hadn’t ordered yet. A car came around a curve too fast, and went into the water. Rhett was like a machine.” I squeeze his hand, and smile when he glances at me. “I’m so proud of him. He ran down there, and jumped into the water to save the guy.”

“It was nothing,” Rhett says with a small rise of his shoulders.

“The family said he had a heart attack, and if you hadn’t done what you did, he wouldn’t be here today,” Dean says.

Rhett lifts his chin and smiles with confidence. “He had a heart attack?”

“Yeah, and they wanted to express to you how much they appreciated what you did,” Dean says.

“It was the right thing to do,” Rhett says, he tightens his hand into a fist, so I push my fingers to entwine with his, forcing him to calm. “Anyway, is the furniture staying?” he asks Alec again.

Why is Rhett so uncomfortable with attention?

“You know what? You’re being a pain in the ass, so I’m keeping all the furniture,” Alec says. “It can go in the in-law apartment.” Serena chuckles from beside him.

“Good, I didn’t want your crappy old furniture anyway,” Rhett retorts. Somehow, he’s shifted back to easygoing Rhett as opposed to tense and uncomfortable Rhett. He really isn’t an attention seeker at all.

The rest of family dinner is spent with Alec feeding Tripod under the table. Dean, Alec, and Rhett all giving each other shit, and me loving every single moment of being part of their family.

“Wanna watch a movie?” Rhett asks as he lays on his bed.

“I’m not having sex with you with your mom in the house.”

“That was not code for sex.” He lifts the remote, and turns his TV on. “I meant watch a movie.” He pointedly looks toward the TV.

“Oh, right.”

I sit on the edge of the bed, where Rhett reaches over, wraps his hands around my waist and drags me to him. “My arms are your natural environment.” He moves my hair and kisses me neck.

“Is that right?” I nestle into him, and stare into his dark, soulful eyes. “Why were you so uncomfortable with your brothers knowing what you did?” I ask.

Rhett’s square jawline tenses. “I don’t know.”

“Come on, don’t lie to me. I don’t like it.” He moves closer to me, his body pushing up against mine. I lift my leg to swing it over his legs. Rhett kisses my nose. Pulling back, I notice how he’s struggling. “If you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to.”

“It’s not that, it’s just...” He huffs and sits up in bed, pulling me up with him. Within only a few movements, he positions me on his lap. He throws me around as if I’m a ragdoll. I kind of really like it when he does that. I wrap my legs around him, so we’re facing one another. “I haven’t said anything to anyone,” his tone is dark and ominous. Almost like he’s embarrassed to tell me what he’s thinking.

“What is it?” Rhett appears devastated, and I have no idea what to say or do to help him.

“I love being a firefighter,” he begins, then pauses. “But, it’s...” He glances to the side and exhales. “I want to be more.”

“What do you mean?”

“I feel like I’m betraying my brothers.”

I’m thoroughly baffled. “Betraying them? How?” I’m attempting to piece together his cryptic clues, but it’s damned hard, considering Rhett’s barely saying anything.

He finally flicks his hand. “Don’t worry about it.”

I unwrap my arms from around him, and stand. “This isn’t going to work if you don’t tell me what’s going on, Rhett. I’m not a mind reader, and I can’t help if you don’t say anything.” I reach for my bag.

“Where are you going?” He jumps off the bed, and grabs my arm before I pick up my bag.

“I’m going home.”

“Why?”

I feel a surge of anger tingling throughout my body. “Seriously?” He lifts his shoulders. I rub at my temples and blow out the caught air of frustration. “Something is clearly bothering you, and instead of talking to me about it, you’ve decided to bottle it up and push me away.”

“How am I pushing you away?”

I pull my hand out of his grip, and step backward. “Nope, sorry. I’m not doing this.” I point to him, then me. “If you can’t talk to me, then how are we supposed to have any kind of relationship?”

“I just don’t want to worry you, Dani.”

“Then deal with it on your own. Evidently, it’s worked for you so far.” I sling my bag over my shoulder and head straight for the door.

“I want to be a paramedic,” Rhett blurts.

His admission stops me from leaving. I turn slowly to face him. “You don’t want to be a firefighter anymore?”

“I don’t know,” he admits as he sits on the edge of the bed and rakes both his hands over his face. “I don’t know,” he says in a quieter voice.

“Aren’t you trained as a paramedic, anyway?” I ask trying to understand what’s happening.

“I am—we all are,” he corrects. “But I want to advance that part of my career. But, I don’t want to leave being a firefighter either. I’m so torn about what to do. I mean, I love helping people. The other day, when I jumped into the water and saved that man, a part of me was alive and pumping with adrenaline. And when we’re at fires and I’m on the end of a line, just fighting a fire, I love it and I want to be there. But I feel like something is missing, and I need to be doing more.”

Fuck, what a heavy state to be in. “I’m sure between you and your brothers, you can figure out a way to still be a firefighter, while being a paramedic too. Maybe you can do both jobs.”

“That’s impossible with our shifts. We’re twenty-four hours on, and forty-eight hours off. I wouldn’t be able to do both.”

“Is there no happy medium where you can specialize in being a paramedic and still be a firefighter?”

“I don’t know,” he answers. “I don’t want to let anyone down, Dani. Maybe it’s best I keep it bottled up and don’t say anything.”

“Do you want to leave?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugs and lifts his arms. “I honestly can’t answer that question.”

“Well, wouldn’t it be best to figure it out so then you can have a conversation with your brothers about it? I guess, if you’re torn between the two, perhaps see if you can become a paramedic for a trial period and see if that’s what you truly want to do. Because it’s no use in giving up a career you love, to pursue something you’re not a thousand percent sure you’ll love as much as firefighting. It looks to me like you love your job, but you just want more from it. Maybe the more isn’t leaving to become a paramedic.”

He looks up at me, and clasps his jaw tight. He grabs me around the hips and pulls me toward him. He places his head on my stomach and sighs several times. I scrape my nails through his thick hair and down his neck. “You’re right. I need to talk to Dean and Alec so we can find some kind of solution to this problem of mine.”

“I wouldn’t call it a problem, Rhett. I’d call it a decision. A really positive decision.”

“How do you figure it’s positive?” he mumbles while still leaning his head against me.

“You’re twenty-three, have a strong supportive family, with an incredible career as a hot firefighter, who may want to be a hot paramedic.”

He lifts his chin, smirking. “Did you just call me hot?”

“Ahhh, yeah. You know you’re a lady-boner, right?”

He falls backward laughing, taking me with him. His mood has eased slightly. “A lady-boner?”

“Yeah, a lady-boner. You’re clearly nice to look at, and when you’re in your uniform, you make women’s lady parts quite tingly.”

“You did not just say that.” He extends his neck back, laughing.

“Seriously? Dean, Alec, and you are all very easy on the eyes. I mean, how many women throw themselves at you? You have to have a tally of the number of chicks who want a piece of Rhett.”

“Eww.” He grimaces. “It’s not like that, Dani.”

“Do you remember in high school? You could’ve had any girl you wanted. They would do anything and everything to get your attention.” Rhett screws his nose up, as if this is all new information to him. “You think I’m making it up?”

“It’s not that.”

“You were the nice guy who treated everyone well, and all the girls would talk about who had done what with you. They were all comparing notes of your skills.”

He lifts me off him, and sits up in bed. “What are you talking about?” he asks confused.

“I remember going to the bathroom and there was a bunch of seniors in there, I don’t even remember who they were. They were talking about who was going to be the first to give you a blow job on the weekend.”

“What?” Rhett yells. His face pales, and his eyes widen. “That never happened,” he says.

“Hey, even if it did...”

“No!” He grabs me around the shoulders. “I’m telling you, that never happened, Dani. The only person I ever wanted was dating someone else.”

“Aww, how sad.” I place my hand to my heart. “You should’ve told her how you felt.”

“I couldn’t do that. I’m not the type of guy to break a couple up so I can have the girl. That’s not how I roll.”

“Who knows, maybe they’re happily married now and it’s worked out for the best.” A tinge of hurt sprinkles over me. But it’s all worked out, because now I’m the lucky one to be with Rhett.

“I fucking hope not!” Rhett says with too much force causing me to feel like shit. “Because if she was married to him right now, she wouldn’t be sitting here with me.”

Huh? Rhett’s talking about me! Slowly, I lift my hand and point to myself. “Me?”

“Yeah, you.”

“You wanted me?”

“I wanted you from the moment I saw you in the cafeteria. But you and Brent hit it off, so I said nothing.”

“You wanted me?” I ask again, not sure I heard him right.

He smiles, and when he does, my eyes are drawn to his strong jawline. “Yes, you. I’ve only ever wanted you. No one else. Those things you heard about me, not one of them was true.”

“Me?” I repeat, still confused.

He lifts his hands to gently cup my face. “Yes, you.” Leaning in, he places a soft kiss to my mouth. “I’d wait all day and night just so I could spend one minute with you.” He seals his mouth over mine.

My entire body erupts in a fine spray of goose bumps. My heart races while our mouths glide perfectly together. I want more from us. I want us as close together as I can possibly get. I place my hands on his chest, feeling his taut, muscled torso as I slowly drag my palms down until I’m at his pelvis. I try to undo his jeans, but Rhett grumbles against my mouth. I try again, hopeful to be able to feel him inside of me. He stills my hands, leans back, and shakes his head. “No.”

“Um,” I say as I avert my gaze. “Um.” I purse my lips together feeling humiliated, yet thankful. I was the one who said I had no intention of having sex with him here in his mom’s home. So, why am I feeling so rejected?

“It’s not that I don’t want to have sex with you,” Rhett starts.

I lift myself off the bed, and look around for where I’ve dropped my bag. How incredibly mortifying that this is happening. I swoop my bag up, and clutch it to my chest. “It’s not you, Rhett. It’s me.” I open his bedroom door, and take off down the hallway and out the front door. Rhett’s chasing after me, but I don’t stop to talk to him.

I’m in my car and down the street within seconds. “Of course, he doesn’t want you, why would he?” I scold myself as I drive like a maniac to get away from this embarrassing situation. “He’s way too good for you, Dani.” I drive straight home, humiliated and shaking from the cringe-worthy moment of thinking he might actually want me.

The moment I park my car, I’m out and heading straight inside.

“Hey, Dani!” I hear Mrs. Walton call from the trailer across from me.

I wipe my eyes before I turn to wave to her. “Hi, Mrs. Walton,” I say in the strongest voice I can while I offer her a quick wave.

“Not working today?”

“No, not today. But I’ve got a few things I have to do, so I have to go.”

“Okay, sweetheart. I’m making a pot roast in case you’re hungry.”

I’m barely holding the tears of rejection back and don’t think I can speak again without my voice cracking. I wave to Mrs. Walton, choosing not to talk.

I open the door of the trailer, step in and lock it. I slide down with my back against the door. Clutching my arms around my knees, I cry into my legs. Why would someone like Rhett want me? I’m dumb to even think I’m even in the same league as him.

There’s heavy knocking on the door, and I startle as I jump to my feet and back away from the door. I close my eyes for a few seconds, getting ready to open the door to tell Mrs. Walton I don’t want her damn pot roast. “Dani!” Rhett’s deep, gravelly voice calls.

What the fuck? I frantically search around the trailer, trying to find a place I can hide.

“Dani!” he calls louder and knocks on the door. I clasp my hands over my mouth, trying to be as quiet as possible. “Open the door!” I shake my head, because I can’t have him know. “Open the goddamn door or I’ll kick it in,” he says in a controlled voice.

I look down to the floor, defeated. I walk over to the door, and open it. “What?” I say as I hold on to my composure.

“Are you going to let me in?” He looks past me, but I close the door further so he can’t see.

“No, I’m good. What do you want?”

Rhett looks around, and we both notice Mrs. Walton standing outside, her arms crossed over her chest. “Are you okay there, Dani?” she calls.

I look to Rhett, then to Mrs. Walton. “Yeah, thank you,” I say. Mrs. Walton gives me a nod, but stands firm in her spot. I step back and let Rhett inside. “Did you follow me?” I hiss, venom rolling off my tongue.

“I did. We need to talk.” He looks around the trailer and crinkles his brows. Realization slowly overtakes what he’s seeing. “I thought you live with your parents.”

I roll my eyes as a disgruntled sneer erupts. “Yeah. Right,” I say as I clench my jaw. “Sure, let’s go with that.”

“You said you live with your parents.”

“Because if everyone knew the truth, they’d look at me with pity and say things like, oh there goes that poor girl who was abandoned by her parents,” I shout at Rhett. “Don’t worry, I get it. You don’t want me, it’s not like I’m a stranger to rejection. Hell, my parents didn’t want me; I don’t know what made me think you would.” I step back, leaning against my tiny kitchen counter.

“What are you talking about, Dani? What do you mean if people knew the truth? Where are your parents?”

“My parents? Well, let’s see. When we moved here, they decided about two months later that they wanted to move again. Of course, I fell in love with someone and said I wanted to stay. So you know what they did? Left me a hundred dollars and said, look after the trailer.” I look to Rhett and wait for his reaction, which happens to be exactly what I had a fear of it being. Fucking pity.

“They left you?”

“Yeah, because they didn’t like being settled in any one place. Never have. Up until moving here to Mulberry Point, I’d been to no less than thirty schools. Thirty fucking schools, Rhett. Maybe even more.” I throw my arms up in frustration. “But don’t worry, I know rejection when I see it. So, tonight, when I tried to have sex with you and you rejected me, just know you’re not the first person who’s basically said I’m not worth their time or energy. You see, my parents beat you to it. Now can you please leave so I can lock the door, and cry until I have no more tears left? Because tomorrow I have to keep going on with my life, and I have to do that knowing the one person I’ve always loved has never loved me.” I stand staring at Rhett, completely stunned that I admitted to him how I’ve always loved him. “I mean...”

“No!” he says with force. He lifts his finger and points it at me. “You don’t get to deny any of that.”

I hold my head up and pull my shoulders back. “I won’t deny it,” I say with a shaky voice. “Now, get out. I refuse to be uncomfortable in my own home, and I want you gone.” Rhett looks around and sees my sofa, walks over, and sits. “That’s the opposite of where I want you.”

“I’m not going anywhere until we talk. About this.” He circles his finger up near his head. “And about us.” He points to me, then him.

“There’s nothing to talk about. You don’t want me. And all I’ve ever wanted is you.”

He sucks in a deep breath, and lets it out slowly. “Sit.” He pointedly looks beside him. I stand my ground, refusing to move. “Sit,” he repeats in a gentler voice. “Please.” I cross my arms in front of me. “I’m not going until we talk,” he adds.

There’s a standoff between us. He’s not going anywhere. I want him gone so I can cry and scream and try to move forward with my life. The moments pass, and finally I clear my throat, walk over past Rhett to sit on the opposite side of my small sofa. “Talk,” I say.

“First, why didn’t you ever talk to me about your parents?”

I tilt my head to the side and sigh. “Do you have any idea how humiliating it is to have your parents abandon you?” He shakes his head. “Why would I advertise that?” I shrug and huff. “They don’t want me.”

“They’re idiots.”

I let out a humorless chuckle. “You think?”

“They don’t deserve you.”

I look out the small back window, shaking my head. “I’d cry myself to sleep, terrified that something would happen to me here. But over time the oldies who live here figured out I was on my own, and they helped me. They’d drop off a meal, or slide ten dollars under the door.” I crack, and begin to cry. “But I knew I had to get a job, so I was working pretty much from the time they left. Wherever I could work, I did. When we finished high school, The Narrow Table gave me more shifts, and Elle did too. So, I knew I was going to be okay. Thankfully, my parents left me the car, too. At least I only had to worry about rent for this place.” I look around.

“You said you fell in love and that’s why you wanted to stay.”

Shit, I did say that, didn’t I? “No, I didn’t.”

“Did Brent know this?” I shake my head. “How?”

“He was consumed in his own world, I guess. He came here only once, made fun of me for living here. It was easy for me to make an excuse as to why my parents weren’t ever home.”

“You never said anything?”

“Why would I? I’m not a charity case, Rhett. It’s bad enough the oldies helped look after me. I mean, I’m grateful they did, because I doubt I’d still be alive if they didn’t, but now it’s time I stand on my own two feet. And I don’t want charity or pity from anyone.” I shrug. “Nor am I going to accept rejection. If you don’t want me, that’s all you have to say. I’m nearly twenty-three and lived a thousand lives because I’ve been pulled from pillar to post, and abandoned. I’m not going to let someone else dictate my self-worth. You don’t want me?” I shrug. “Then I’m not for you.”

Rhett stands and paces back and forth alongside my small kitchen. “You’re hell-bent on this aren’t you?” he asks. “You think I’m rejecting you?”

“What happened between us back at your mom’s?”

“I said no.”

“You said no, after saying you’d wait all day and night just to spend one minute with me. When I finally try to deepen our connection, you push me away. How am I supposed to not take that as a rejection?”

“You allowed your past to translate my reaction into something it wasn’t.”

“Then how was I supposed to react to that? In the club that night, you had me up against the door in the bathroom, staring at me like I was yours. You told me you didn’t want anyone else to touch me, yet, I fucking throw myself at you, and you say no!” I stand and get right up in his face. I poke him in the shoulder. “You said no, Rhett! I made myself vulnerable for a second, and you rejected me.”

“I didn’t reject you,” he says in a small voice as he steps back from me.

“Yes, you did.” I step closer, eliminating the distance he’s trying to put between us. “You know what?” Rhett runs his hand through his hair. I step back, and point to the door. “Just get out.”

“I’m not going,” he replies quietly.

“One moment you can’t keep your hands off me, the next you’re repelled by me.”

“I’m not repelled. It’s just...” He intakes a sharp breath, and freezes. Rhett’s face pales and he shakes his head. “Doesn’t matter.”

“Get out. I’m not doing this anymore.” I walk over to the door, and swing it open. “Relationships built on secrets are cancerous.” I point outside. “Go.”

Rhett refuses to move. Instead, he stands leaning against the counter, looking down at his feet. “I’m a virgin,” he admits.

I freeze, not sure I heard that right. “What?” I ask slowly.

“I haven’t had sex before.”

I close the door, and step backward until my knees find the sofa, where I collapse against it. “You’re a virgin?” I ask, in case I misheard what he said. With his head tilted down, he nods. “That’s impossible.”

“It’s not,” he says. He pushes off from the counter to sit beside me. Rhett reaches for my hand, and clasps it between his. “The reason I was hurt earlier about what you said, the girls having bets, because none of that happened. There was only two times in high school where a girl gave me a blow job. But I’ve never had sex. Then Dad died, and everyone pretty much left me alone at school, and then I started training for work.”

“I see the way women look at you.”

“Women can look at me any way they want.”

“And you’ve never even had a casual hook-up?” He shakes his head. “I just don’t understand. You’re twenty-three and a virgin. Are you saving yourself for marriage?” I ask seriously.

Rhett laughs. “Nope.”

“Then why?”

Rhett’s leg starts to bounce, as he taps his fingers against his knee. He stands abruptly and starts pacing again. “Remember the first day you came to school, and I approached you in the cafeteria line?”

Do I ever. That was the day I fell in love with you. “Yeah, I remember.” And the day I thought he and Penelope were a couple.

“You made my heart come to life.” I blink unable to say anything. “I told you I wanted you from then, but what I didn’t say was I loved you from the first moment I met you.”

“You...” I point to Rhett, then myself. “And me? Are you sure?”

“I’ve always loved you. At first, I’d hope you and Brent would break up so I could have my chance with you. But that never happened, and I’m not a party kind of guy, never have been. So, I just got on with my life.”

“You love me?” I whisper, stuck on those very words.

“I love you,” he repeats, prouder. “And one day, I hope you can love me too.”

“I already do,” I say without thinking. “I’ve loved you since the moment you said hello to me. But, of course, I thought you and Pen—” I flip my hands palm side up while I shrug. “—which I now know was never even a thing.” We’re both quiet, awkwardly staring at each other. We’ve admitted to something intense and life altering. “What the fuck just happened?” I ask, overwhelmed, and entirely confused.

“Well, we both admitted to some truths neither of us knew.” Rhett approaches me, and I can’t help but lean my head on his chest. “I’m sorry I didn’t know about your parents.”

“How could you? I hid it from everyone.”

“I should’ve paid more attention, but I didn’t.” He lifts his arms to embrace me.

“Neither of us are to blame, Rhett. You’ve opened your heart to me tonight in so many ways. I took your uncertainty about sex as rejection.”

“I’m not uncertain, not when it comes to you. I was afraid of what you’d think of me.” I tilt my head up to look at Rhett questioningly. “Being a virgin isn’t exactly something to be proud of.”

“You shouldn’t be ashamed of it.” I smirk. “Knowing I’m going to be the one who breaks you in is kinda sexy.”

“Break me in? What am I? A pair of shoes?”

“It means I can train you to do what I want you to,” I push a little further.

“Don’t you worry, I’ve been getting tips from porn,” he replies with another chuckle. “Because obviously, that’s all real. Not fantasy at all.”

I lean my head against his chest again, tightening my arms around him. “Rhett?”

“Yeah?”

The connection between us softens as he wraps his arms around me. “Thank you.”

“What for?”

“For coming after me. It forces me to believe that maybe I am worthy.”

“Believe it, baby, you’re worth it. Don’t you ever doubt it.” He kisses the top of my head.

Today has not gone as I expected it to go. Not one little bit.