I Shouldn’t Love Him (Book 2) – Chapter 65

Manning

Tiffany bounces on the spot, her eyes closed and her big smile. She had pulled her hair back into a twisted bun and kept it simple in a loose summer dress and a little makeup. She was a natural beauty.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked.

and a large white candle.

d.

antic.”

then put my hand around the candle and lit the wick with my Zippo.

?” she asked.

wn opposi

 I did.”

udied m

was afraid you wouldn’t like me

ikes.”

ue. All the counselors knew it. I had stopped some of the guys who were talking about her, I had heard jealous snipes from the other girls.

ep the past at bay. Drinking, smoking, using my hands to build things for others. It wasn’t a bad life . I slept with whoever I wanted. I didn’t have to watch my mouth or not light my cigarettes.

you seeing any

table.

d you ?”

f I did, though.

de no secret of the fact that he was looking at Tiff.

him what do you like in your spaghetti but he didn’t kno

t his girlfriend likes?

aiting to talk like that ever since I’d a

ng smile. “What else is there?”

ms, eggplant, grilled peppers, chicken…”

you mind calling her name?” I ask

ate here.”

ny’s eyes

e told him. “Otherwise, everything you did was goo

the kitchen.

ke anyone I’ve ever dated.”

you.”

d.

now, Tif. Most girls, I tell them something once and they listen, not three times. Even if Bucky flies to Italy and brings us a bottle

repared myself for her t

now. I’m just nervous.

not.”

es.

“Yes.

ually when I’m alone with a guy, we’re either drinking or smoking or there are people in the other room. It’s weird being out here in the middle of nowhere on

use.

that weird?”

.”

ick anything

fferent. Why did

as talking about, getting too intense without something to dull the effect.

aybe it’s too early for that.”

er napkin on her knees.

anyone else. Do you understand?”

don’t want me with someone else?

rowled.

mean . . It sounds cr

ious relationship since high school…”

er shoulders.

answer, but she didn’t say anything else, just swirling a salt shaker on the table.

heeky girl I’d seen so far.

rk ?”

eah. It’s d

led.

ot.”

n in and out of baseball camp all summer and had destroyed us while Tiffany and Lake were watching us from the grass. Smug satisfaction was on Corbin’s face as we shook hands after the match, but completely disappeared as soon as Lake arrived.

iffany’s hand.

with him? I asked.

mily. Kind of heartbreaking.

hed.

He’s just a boy who thinks with his… You know .”

e that wanted to know more about Corbin.

.

“How?”

have an excuse to keep him away.

. Is he going to try to pressur

at.” She rolled her eyes. “But maybe he should.”

“What”

course, I don’t want Lake to do anything before she’s r

at is?”

s, she acts like she’s twelve, but she’s not. When I was his age, I wasn’t so naiv

nce me that she was older when I wanted her to remain innocent.

it’s like to be that age.”

e laugh

first year, my first boyfriend was the quarterback of the varsity football team. A senior. Do you think he treated me like a kid? No. He taught me and my kids friends, how to sneak out of the house. How to party. Be

im, more interested in getting me to go out with Tiffany.

, and an even better chance that I would be bad for Lake.

ame back and set both plates down.

me negotiating,

I ho

I said. “She’s a minor.”

ed.

ed my mind.”

m to repeat himself. I couldn’t control my reaction if I was right.

lone again.

ighed on my mind.

ls in half.

“Who?”

esent in the grand scheme of things.

ng out and all that.”

no.”

him. I went to get my fork.

uld but she ab

” “Wh

erything daddy says all the time. Like he’s so perfect? ​​He’s not, you know .

agree.

uble.”

h to drink one night and embarrassed herself while doing karaoke at a party? Or is the cover missing? -fire because she lost track of time while talking to a cute boy? Or ditched a class to go get ice cream at the mall?” She took a sip of water. She’ll be eighteen in a few years anyway.

, she still had two long years to go her, to change, to become who she was supposed to be.

ed.

t

ed.”

“Bu

fork. She raised one shoulder.

dship.”

me. The truth was that I had good reason to be concerned. A reason that would silence Tiffany. I just didn’t want to share it. I sat back in my seat, staring at my food for a minute as I got nervous.

ting,” Tiffany said, blinking her bi

in your appetite if you had

fany stopped chewin

t. But that’s why I’m so protective of Lake. I never want you or your fa

m so sorry. I had no idea. When you mentioned your sister, I thought. . I thou

was

t people had felt about me since it happened. “Can’t.”

Was she sick?”

rsation, even if it was with a lie.

anning?” » Tiffan

ried to s

, actually moved it back

arms. “I do not wanna talk about it.”

”

g I hadn’t had in a long time, the calming touch of a woman who cared. “THANKS.”

n part.”

hands and kissed my forehead. “I can’t imagine if this happened to Lake. I w

Maddy’s death. I didn’t even realize that was a possibility until it had already happened. If I had, I would have done anything to stop it. I patted Tiffany’s a*s. “Come on. Let’s not ruin the date. It’s going well.”

ped back and looked me in the face. There was no minty breath, no cigarette smell clinging to her. Just the earthy tomato sauce and the wooden

I said, “that I eat a lot.” I shoved noodles into my mouth and my word

.” Tiffany chuckled

assacre.

ft the show. His attitude might even be cute. The highlights, the pink nail polish, the low-cut tops, they didn’t appeal to me. No more than any girl I might meet in a bar. This side of her I could spend time with.

s store bought chocolate cake with raspberry drizzle. Tiffany took two bites and slid her plate away. “I’m on a diet.

t.”

uch as you want. You work out too. Right?” “

e co

e you feel bad about what you’re doing.

ants you to be taken care of. I loved construction, but not that my next job was still up in the air. I saved every penny I could just in case. I never wanted to be left with nothing to offer. In this way, I understood Tiffany’s father. When the ti

re. Money isn’t important.

use you have it. Living

in love than rich.”

ti and meatballs in a small room with a crappy candle instead of a fancy restaurant?”

didn’t. Not when it came to this. “I get the feeling you’re not really enjoying this. Rough it out.”

idity fading. “It’s fine.”

in my chair. “Is it the girls?”

k it would hurt her, I would have laughed. Tiffany surely understood why she was having so much trouble. The girls were mini versi

t?”

them better than you.”

’t spent any time with my cabin.”

aid.

ur eyelids.

led. ” Eyeliner ? It’s not. It’s hard, actually.”

home should learn how to do makeup? Not really. But in the grand scheme of t

she said. “I guess I could try that. Then, I w

durin

ly as we headed into the woods. I could have used a cigarette, but I didn’t want to stop. Better, I took her to her cabin quickly.

behind when I picked Tiffany up for our date tonight. I hadn’t realized my hand was on the back of Tiffany’s head until I pulled her hair, and she moaned, bringing me back to the present moment. She pushed her tongue against my lips and I opened my mouth. I owed her my attention, but she also demanded it. She wrapped her arms around my neck and ki

d so loudly that I jumped back as if we had been caught. I held her at a di

she whispered.

. . should make yo

ously?”

he ends of my hair.

jumped into bed.

g started”

.” Betw