Unrequited(16)

“That’s screwed up,” she scowled.

“We don’t make the rules,” I protested.

“You only manipulate them to your benefit,” she finished.

I quirked an eyebrow and shrugged. “I wouldn’t say manipulate.” Had I manipulated Winter into having sex with me? Was that why she turned away? Because she was hurt and angry? No, I think the hurt came from my silence. The way that I let her walk away without calling her back.

I was ready to make up for that, and if she needed to be wooed, I could do that. “Forget the wingman shit. We’re past the stage where you vouching for me would be helpful. What I need is take her out on a good date. Wine her and dine her. Lay your ideas on me.”

"I took AnnMarie to the Natural History Museum," Bo said. "Chicks dig museums."

"You did not," AnnMarie exclaimed. "That was for our assignment."

"If you want to think we were meeting there for class, by all means, delude yourself."

"That was our first date?" AnnMarie looked confused.

"Sunshine, our first date was Advanced Economic Theory when I winked at you and you glared back." Bo bent over and kissed her neck. She pretended to be offended and tried to push him away. He was about a hundred pounds heavier. She wasn't moving him anywhere. Bo lifted her out of her chair and set her on his lap.

"If we're labeling dates based on random interaction with the opposite sex, then I've been getting around," I mused.

"Ignore him," AnnMarie said. "Remember, you were the one who correctly placed Bo at level three on an evolutionary scale of ten."

"Me man, you woman," Bo grunted.

"I hope you don't plan on making a living with this routine." I raised my eyebrows. "No offense, but I've seen five year olds with better comedic timing. Do you realize, though, that we don't date anymore? We talk, hook up, realize that we're suddenly sleeping with someone, and then are too lazy to make a change."

AnnMarie pinched Bo's side, and he made a big show of grimacing. "Take her on a picnic. Maybe out to your farm?"

I rolled the idea around in my head. "Yeah, I like it. Thanks, sweetheart." And then to piss off Bo, I leaned down and kissed AnnMarie's forehead. Bo kicked me hard enough to bruise my shin, but I laughed. It was worth it.

I headed downtown to the jobsite and checked in with Henry. He and I had come to a tentative agreement of mutual uncertainty. His was more accurately labeled distrust, but the other night at the strip club apparently made me appear more manly in Henry's eyes because when I saw him, he actually said hello instead of his usual grunt.

"Grading inspector tomorrow." Henry always greeted me with the most important task of the day—or tomorrow, as it were in this case. No hello, how're you doing? Just this shit needs to be done, and I don't think you're quite up for the task.

"Yep. Everything looks good. What's the worst thing that could happen?" I give him an easy smile even though my stomach churned "We have to pull them out and start again."

"That's right." Henry nodded slowly. "It's what your old man would've done." He awkwardly patted me on the shoulder and then went off to inform the crew.

Pouring the footings before the grading inspector came was a risk. If we ended up needing to move more dirt to satisfy the inspector, some of the footings might have to be redone. In order to get in under the tiny margin Dad built in when he bid the project, we couldn't have any delays. Not one.

I wanted to see Winter again, tell her to give me—us—a chance. I couldn't promise her a picket fence, but there was something between us I'd be a fool to let go of. But I figured I'd give her a day or two to stew about what we'd said.





6





WINTER


Even though I hadn't worked Ivy's shift at the club last night, I still felt eighty years old the following day. I couldn't stop thinking about Finn or Ivy. I had a nightmare where I was having sex with Finn, and Ivy walked in on us. After I got up, ate a half a pint of ice cream and then went to sleep again, I had a nightmare I walked into my bedroom, and Finn and Ivy were having sex.

Rachel was the only one at Atra when I arrived early to check my duty sheet. I had three consultations, two I knew about and one new one—Adam Rees. I liked Adam, but he had been best friends with Finn since they were kids, so today of all days, I wished he wasn’t coming in. The last thing I wanted was to think about my love life, or lack thereof, while at work. I tried to focus on finishing the tracing outlines for two other tattoos Tucker would be starting—an intricate back tattoo featuring wings and thorns, and a skull head for a local biker.