Jenny immediately turned her attention to him. “I’m trying to figure out what you’re doing taking me to this ball thing when you should be taking her. I realize you guys had a fight…”
“Understatement of the century…”
“But so what. Get over it. Make up. You guys are perfect together.”
Rick snorted. “I don’t think anything you’ve ever said has ever been less accurate. And that includes the time you thought your hamster could predict the weather.”
“Very funny. Glad your sense of humor is still intact. A lot of men lose that when they lose the love of their life.”
Rick almost veered into the other lane. “What the hell does that mean?”
“You know exactly what it means. That lovely young lady you stupidly walked away from isn’t one that you’re going to get over.”
Rick’s heart agreed with Jenny, but his head kept throwing up obstacles. “We’re too different.”
“Opposites attract.”
“We’d spend our entire lives fighting.”
“And making up. Make-up sex is amazing. In fact, it’s been a while since I’ve had some good make-up sex. I might go out and get a new boyfriend just so I can piss him off and then have some make-up sex. You know, Tony had his faults, but I’ll tell you what, that man was a genius at—”
“Oh my God, if you say anything about you having make-up sex, or any other kind of sex, for that matter, I’m going to hurl all over your dress. I really do not need to know that much about your sex life. Especially if it has to do with that asshole.”
“Simply making a point,” Jenny said, an amused smiled playing on her lips.
“Yeah, I got it. Thanks. Besides, it’s not that easy with me and Gina.” Rick shook his head, his resolve failing a little more with each half-assed argument. “We’ve only known each other, what…like a month? A little more? That’s not long enough to know if you love someone or not.”
Jenny shook his head. “That’s plenty long enough. Dad said he knew Mom was the one for him before their first date. From the first moment she smiled at him. I’m not saying you have to run off and marry her. But you are one stupid son of a bitch if you let her get away.”
Rick glared at her. Then zeroed in on what she had said. “What do you mean, let her get away? She’s the one who ended it.”
“And how hard did you try to convince her otherwise?”
Rick gripped the steering wheel. The truth was he hadn’t tried. Because he’d known there was no future for them. Why fight for something that you knew wouldn’t work out? But…what if he’d given up too soon? No, they hadn’t known each other long, and yes, they drove each other batshit crazy. But they also made each other happier than they’d ever been before. At least that was true for him. And he’d be willing to bet it was true for her, also.
“Do you love her?” Jenny asked, her voice gentle and soft, all trace of teasing gone.
He took a deep breath. “I think so. Yes.”
“Then what the hell are you doing here with me?”
“Trying to spare us both a lot of pain when our relationship eventually crashes and burns.”
Jenny sighed. “You can’t know that’s going to happen, Rick. Look,” she said, heading off his next comment before he could make it. “I know people say you need more than love to make a relationship work, but I don’t think that’s true.”
Rick cocked an eyebrow. “I’m the one usually saying that.”
“I know. And I think you’re wrong. Even people who have everything in common are going to fight about something at some point. But those people have the same thing in common that you and Gina have. You love each other.”
“I don’t think…”
“She loves you, Rick. Believe me. It was written all over her face every time she looked at you. And that love you have for each other is what will help you overcome anything that comes your way. You could have the exact same personality, the same interests, the same dreams and hopes for the future, the same everything, and sooner or later, something is going to piss you off. Your love is what’ll keep you coming back. You and Gina might have more opportunities to take your love for a spin, that’s all.”
“Oh, that’s all, huh?”
Jenny smiled at him and took his hand. “I want you to be happy, Ricky. And I have never seen you as happy as you were when you were with her. Or as miserable as you are now without her. Am I wrong?”
Rick’s mind flooded with images of Gina. Her laughing. Her rolling her eyes at him. Her arguing over something ridiculous. Her smile. Her gazing up at him while they made love, her eyes dark with passion.