Dark Intentions - Charlotte Byrd Page 0,57

pointless, girly trash.

After that, I would hide them in my backpack. I would always hide them under more important books that were supposedly a better representation of me as a person. But the truth is that he was the one who was an asshole.

There are no right or wrong books; they’re just right or wrong novels for you. There are no such things as guilty pleasures; there are just pleasures. It’s okay to like anything you like and no one should tell you otherwise.

The truth is that people who make fun of popular books and the writers who write them are the ones who've never written a book themselves and don’t know how hard it is to write one.

I wait for Dante, the serious corporate Master of the Universe type, to tell me that romance novels are stupid. But he surprises me.

“I’ve read these two and I think you’ll like them. They’re really good. As far as this one goes, let me know how it is. It seems really hot.”

He smiles at the corner of his lips, holding the romance.

"You know, you're full of surprises," I say to him after a long pause.

"I am?" he asks.

"Yeah. I mean, if I hadn't called some other guy back a million times, I don't think he'd be sitting here talking to me about books."

"I can leave," Dante says, pointing to the door. "I mean, you pretty much told me to fuck off in not so many words, and maybe I should have listened.”

"No, I'd like you to stay. I got some Denny’s,” I say after thinking about it for a moment.

"I don't want to eat your dinner."

"I got two orders," I say, taking off my jacket and hanging it on the hook near the front door.

"You did?" he asks.

I nod. "I didn't want to order more in a few hours or in the morning when I got hungry, so I figured I'd just get another order and warm it up."

"Well, if you don't mind, I'd love to join you."

Dante takes off his jacket, hanging it next to mine. He slips out of his dress shoes and places them neatly next to my boots.

"Thank you for coming," I say and start to unpack the food.

34

Jacqueline

Dante and I have a pleasant dinner over eggs, hash browns, and pancakes. The food got cold so I warmed it up in the microwave. It shouldn’t taste great, but eating it here with him makes it the most delicious thing in the world.

We talk about nothing and everything. I tell him about Dartmouth and Allison, wanting to be a journalist, and my current status of unemployment and lack of prospects.

He tells me about his overbearing mother and University of Maine, and how much of a disappointment it was that he didn't go to Yale like his brother.

"So did you not think that you were going to get in?" I ask, trying to be as tactful as possible.

"No, I was certain I would."

"Oh, well, isn't that cocky of you.” I smile.

He tosses his hair from one side to another.

"No, I'm certain I would get in because my grandfather bought them a building and wrote it into the agreement that the trust would pay for the upkeep in perpetuity as long as all of his descendants get to go there."

"Oh, wow.” I raise an eyebrow.

”Yeah, so I didn't even apply."

“Why did you choose Maine?"

"I love it there. It's beautiful, wild. People are not so pretentious."

"I can't imagine that your mom was very pleased with that decision,” I say, slathering my pancake in a generous amount of maple syrup.

"No, she wasn't, but we go through these hot and cold periods where we talk, don't talk. She's not the easiest person to have a relationship with."

When I find out that Dante got sent to boarding school at age seven, my heart goes out to him. He doesn't shy away from telling me how much he was hurt and how scared he was, and I immediately realize that he's a lot different from any other man than I have ever met.

We talk late into the night and we laugh. We talk about our favorite movies and books and shows, and we fall asleep a few times on top of the sheets.

The second time I doze off, I rouse a few minutes later and I see Dante deep asleep. His face is relaxed, eyes closed, body limp, and I watch him sleep for a little bit and wonder why he's suddenly in my life.

I've put