THE CRAZY GOOD SERIES - Rachel Robinson Page 0,366

language is still as colorful as ever. What changed? It’s been six long months.”

She narrows her eyes at me. “You’re not answering my question.”

We get to my apartment building and enter the elevator. It’s not empty. “Yes. To answer your question. Of course,” I say, mumbling quietly but loud enough that she can understand. She leans against the back of the elevator car, smiling like the cat that got the mouse. There’s a few people between us, but I can see her over their heads. Her new haircut accentuates the angles of her face. Her long hair was a huge turn on, and right now I’m second-guessing myself because she looks smoking hot. We exit on my floor and I let her lead the way to my place. Leaning over her, I unlock the door, push it open, and give her the ‘after you’ wave.

She glances around, checking everything out like any woman or interior decorator would do. “Is Maverick coming back for his things?” she asks. Sometimes I forget about her past, how she’s just as observant, if not more so than I am. I notice a leather duffel in the corner and a shirt lying on top.

“He must be, yeah. Unless he’s leaving it here until next time.”

I hike my thumb down the hall to my bathroom. “I’m going to shower. You can help yourself to anything in the kitchen. Sparkling water is in the fridge and plates are in the cabinet next to the sink if you don’t want to eat out of foam.”

She reminds me that she’s been here and knows exactly where everything is and I retreat to the shower. I’m antsy, wound up, too excited to think straight. This is the moment I’ve waited for and I don’t have a game plan. First, I start the shower to heat up the water and then I slip the box out of my pocket and crack the lid. It’s not a bauble of the highest caliber, it’s a wedding band. Lainey’s wedding band that I had made especially for her. How did he do this? It has diamonds wrapping the entire band and an inscription that reads. We’re better together. How fucking intuitive was I, back then? What does Maverick think I’m going to do with this now? I take a deep breath because it’s been almost a minute and I haven’t breathed. This takes me back. What if we’ll never be there again? Who knows what she’s thinking? I’m a part of a past she wants to forget. I’m holding the ring, wide-eyed, shirtless, when Lainey knocks on the door.

“Can I come in? I’ll sit on the toilet and talk while you shower. I know how lonely you get when you have to wash yourself.”

I slip the ring into a drawer, throw off my shorts, and jump into the shower. “Come in,” I yell. The steam has clouded the glass shower, so she can’t see me. I’m sweating bullets and contemplating huge decisions. My face is probably contorted beyond recognition.

I hear the door click open and nothing else. She must be barefoot. “Thanks for the sandwich. It was so good I ate it quicker than it takes you to jack off. That’s what you’re doing in there, right?”

I see her outlined in the bathroom. She’s standing, not sitting like she said she would. “No, I’m actually planning my attack,” I say, shampooing my hair and then washing my face with the run off. “Tell me about the new you. Then maybe I’ll be able to come up with something.”

“I’m not something you should attack, Cody,” she replies, laughing. “I’m the same person, just new and improved. You know those women who go from relationship to relationship in short time frames? Like a serial dater except it’s more than dating. Well, I feel like those women never truly find themselves. They only know who they are with another person. Sure, I bet they change a little with each new man, that’s necessary, but who are they really? Do they like watching Discovery TV on Friday nights or is it just because their significant other does? I bet they’d rather be playing strip poker instead. What I’m trying and failing at saying is that I found more of myself when I was alone. I wasn’t lying to Dax about my past or trying to fix some horrendous mistakes with you. I just was.” I’m intrigued. It makes sense, but it also is worrisome.

I clear my throat. Soap