“So good,” he said around the mouthful. “I haven't had one in ages. Roxie doesn't let me eat fast food.”
I pulled one of my fries from the container, careful not to overreact without thinking.
He took another sip of his drink and said, “That's my ex. Roxie. I didn't tell you her name, did I?”
“No, you didn't. What do you mean she doesn't let you eat fast food? Doesn't sounds like the present. What's going on?”
“Oh.” He crumpled up the wrapper from his burger. “Slip of the tongue.”
“You guys are divorced, aren't you?”
“We're separated. That's basically divorced.”
I felt myself getting chilly, or feeling chilly, at least. “No, those aren't the same things. They're very different things.” My voice got hard, matching my emotions. “Listen, maybe I'm a rebound fling for you, just some girl you're f**king to cleanse your palate, but do me the courtesy of being honest.”
He stared straight ahead, not meeting my gaze. The vehicle interior was dark, with only a bit of streetlamp illuminating us.
“We're completely over. She's just staying with me temporarily.”
I inhaled sharply. “She's staying with you?”
He turned, met my eyes, then turned away as quickly. “Oh, yeah. I was going to tell you that tonight, but then you distracted me, with your sexy body.”
I crumpled the fast food packages in my hand and tossed the bag on the floor.
“I think you'd better drive me home, or I'm going to throw up in your nice truck.”
He turned, looking worried. “Are you sick? Was it the food?”
“No, Trevor. It's my reaction to you still living with your wife, from whom you are not f**king divorced.”
“We're separated. And she twisted her ankle, so she couldn't get around in her duplex, because it's on three different levels, so she's in one of the guest rooms.”
“Perfect.”
“Naomi.”
“Trevor.”
He shook his head and started the vehicle. I'd meant for him to drive me back to my office, so I could get my car, but he took me home instead. I remembered the car when we pulled up in front of my house, but by this point, I couldn't stand to be in the vehicle with him one more second.
“Naomi, I really like you,” he said.
“Yeah? I think you really like ha**ng s*x with me. I don't think you know me.”
“Come on. That's not fair. It takes two to tango, and you were all over me on our first date.”
“Maybe. But I didn't not tell you I had some ex living with me. Some ex I wasn't actually divorced from.”
He turned off the engine, but I already had my hand on the door.
“I'm going through a transitional phase right now,” I said.
“You are?”
“Yeah.” I took a calming breath and let my voice get soft and mellow. “Sorry I got so upset with you. I was just shocked, but I think this is a good thing for both of us.”
“We can get past this.”
“No.” I shook my head, feeling more sure of my idea. “We should get over this. We both have issues from our past we needed to get over. I was chasing around boys who weren't dating material, and you are a really nice guy, Trevor. Really nice. And you showed me what it could be like to date a real man, and I think I helped you out too. I think I took your mind off your ex, and now you're ready to date someone. Soon. Not immediately, but she's out there.”
I patted him on the leg and he just stared at me, his mouth open.
I thought about my sister, at her office, working for Trevor, and about things being awkward for her if it all ended badly for me and Trevor, so I said, “No hard feelings, right? Maybe we can go out again, sometime in the future. As friends.”
“Friends ...” he murmured, sounding completely confused.
“Lesson learned,” I said to him. “This is what happens when you won't talk. Someone else has to do all the talking. I'm fine with talking. Look at me, talking up a storm.” I gave him a forced grin. “So, as I was saying, I had a really great time with you on our first date, and on the second, and on whatever the hell this was. Especially the bit with the photocopier. Really fun.” I shook my head, chuckling. “I will not look at that photocopier the same way again. So, let's kiss now. We'll kiss goodnight, we'll say goodbye. Don't get out of the truck, I'll let myself out, okay?”
“Naomi ...”
I kissed him on the mouth to shut him up. His hands reached up for my head, to hold me close, but I pulled away from him.
I wasn't going to let him break my heart, not any more than he already had.
With my head held high, I pulled away, jumped out of the truck, and walked up to my house.
I kept my composure as I opened the door, and then, inside, as I said hello to my parents, who were just finishing dinner. They were having chili and green salad and brown rice. A chocolate cake sat on the counter nearby.
Keeping myself composed, I said, “I ate at the office. Had to work late, and now I have to go check my email for something.”
Mom shook her head. “They work you too hard!”
I shrugged. “I guess some people never learn.”
My father gave me a quizzical look, then said, “We'll save you some cake. You look like you need it.”
“Thanks.” I gave them each a hug, then I ran to my room, shut the door, and cried.
After I was out of tears, I started cleaning my room. I got a storage box and put away some of the collectibles I'd started gathering when I was little—mostly statues of horses and kitties and the usual girlie stuff.
I rearranged the furniture to be different, to offer a fresh perspective. And, because looking at the pink sheets reminded me of seeing Trevor lying on them, with his big, manly body, I tore them off the bed and re-made it with plain, white, grown-up sheets.
My sister felt Trevor was transitional, as in representing a change in me.
And it was true. Cleaning my room had just got me started, and I was planning my next move, moving out on my own, away from the easy comfort of my parents. I had a few friends who might make good roommates, or I could get a modest place, on my own. It would cost me in rent, but home was still right there, and dinner on Sunday nights. I started to get excited about buying new dishes and setting up my very own kitchen.
When I climbed into bed to go to sleep, I could have sworn I could still smell Trevor on the sheets, then I realized I hadn't showered, and I was just smelling him on me.
I got up, had a shower, and cried some more.