And now that I recognize her in the mirror, I refuse to keep becoming her.
We’re broken. I get that. But I’m tired of trying to glue us back together when he won’t even admit we’re cracked.
The rumble of the garage door opening makes my stomach twist.
I set my wineglass down on the dining table and take a deep breath.
Rhys walks in a minute later, looking like he’s been through a war, exhaustion stamped on every line of his face.
“Hey.” He drops his keys and coat at the door and comes closer, brushes his lips against mine.
“You need a shower?” I ask bluntly.
He frowns. “What?”
“Ah…if you need a shower, go ahead and take it.”
“Baby, what’s going on?”
What am I doing? This isn’t calm and rational. This is me being batshit weird.
I swallow. “I have something to tell you.”
He sets a chair at an angle beside mine and lowers himself into it, the air between us as tense as a courtroom before the verdict.
I cross my arms. “How’s Tory?”
He blinks. “What?”
“Tory.” I enunciate every syllable. “How is she?”
His jaw tightens. “Jayne?—”
“Did she comfort you today? Tell you how misunderstood you are?”
“What’s this about?”
The hell if I know!
“You know, you told me how you told her what she was doing was inappropriate?”
He nods hesitantly. “Yeah.”
“The way you said it was like you thought you deserved a medal for it.”
What is wrong with me? This is not what I want to say. Why are these words coming out of my mouth?
His eyes flash. “I told you because I wanted to be honest. I didn’t have to tell you?—”
“But you did,” I cut in. “Like you’re some kind of hero.”
I can’t believe the venom pouring out of me. I’m picking a fight. All my hopes of having a cool, calm conversation are out the window. What do they say,hurt people hurt people?
Well, shit, I’m a gaping wound.
He exhales, long and shaky. “Baby….”
I didn’t even know this Tory business was brewing inside of me, building to this point. But there are so many things that are issues between us that it’s a pick-and-choose smorgasbord.