“It’s not that big a deal, Hardin. I’ve known him half my life.”
His eyes grow colder. “I don’t give a shit.”
“You’re being ridiculous. We just moved in together and you’re worried about Noah calling me?” I scoff.
“You have no reason to be talking to him; he probably thinks you want him back since you answered the call.” He runs his hands through his hair.
“No, he doesn’t. He knows that I am with you.” I try my best to fight my temper.
He gestures wildly at my phone. “Then call him right now and tell him not to call you again.”
“What? No! I’m not doing that. Noah hasn’t done anything wrong, I have already hurt him enough—we both have—so, no. I will not say that to him. There is no harm in me being friends with him.”
“Yes there is,” he says, his voice rising. “He thinks he is better than me, and he will try to take you from me! I’m not stupid, Tessa. Your mom wants you with him too—I won’t let him try to take what is mine!”
I step back and look at him with wide eyes. “Would you listen to yourself? You sound like a lunatic! I am not going to be hateful to him just because you feel like you have some insane claim on me!” I storm out of the kitchen.
“Don’t walk away from me!” he booms, following me into the living room.
Leave it to Hardin to start a fight with me after the amazing day we have had. But I’m holding my ground on this. “Then stop acting like you own me. I will try to compromise and make an effort to listen to you more than I do now, but not when it comes to Noah. I would immediately stop talking to him if he tried to make a move or say anything inappropriate, but he didn’t. Besides, you obviously need to just trust me.”
Hardin stares at me, and I wonder if his energy is dissipating when at last he simply says, “I don’t like him.”
“Okay, I get that, but you have to be reasonable. He is not plotting to take me away from you; he isn’t like that. This is the first time he has even tried to contact me since I ended things with him.”
“And the last!” Hardin snaps. I roll my eyes and head into the small bathroom. “What are you doing?” he asks.
“I’m going to take a shower, and when I get out I hope you’re done acting like a child,” I say. I’m proud of the way I am standing up to him, but I can’t help but feel bad for him. I know he is just afraid to lose me to Noah; he has this deep jealousy because of the way Noah and I “look” together. On paper Noah is better for me, and Hardin knows that, but I don’t love Noah, I love Hardin.
Hardin follows me into the bathroom, but when I start to undress he turns and leaves, slamming the bathroom door on his way out. I take a quick shower and when I get out Hardin is lying across the bed in just his boxers. I stay quiet as I open the drawers to find pajamas.
“You’re not going to wear my shirt?” His voice is low.
“I . . .” I notice that he folded it and put it on the table next to the bed. “Thanks.” I pull it over my head. The familiar minty scent almost makes me forget that I’m supposed to be mad at him. But when I look over at him and his dark mood, I remember all too well. “Well, this was a great night,” I huff and take my towel back to the bathroom.
“Come here,” he says when I return.
Hesitantly, I walk over to him and he sits up at the end of the bed, pulling me to stand between his legs.
“I’m sorry.” He looks up at me.
“For . . .?”
“Acting like a caveman,” he says, and I can’t help but laugh. “And for ruining our first night here together,” he adds.
“Thank you. We have to discuss these things instead of you blowing up at me.” I twirl the hair at the nape of his neck in between my fingers.
“I know.” He half-smiles. “Can we discuss you not talking to him anymore?”
“Not tonight,” I say with a sigh. I will have to find a middle ground with him, but I am not completely