His brows slid together and he said, “You mentioned him earlier.”
“No, I mentioned my father,” I stated clearly. “I don’t have a Dad.”
“All right, then we’ll talk about your father.”
“No, since I never talk about him.”
“Nina.”
“Max.”
“Did I stay away long enough?” Mindy called, Max twisted, I got up on tiptoe to look over his shoulder and Mindy halted at the counter. “Whoops, see I didn’t.”
“You did,” I said quickly.
“I can come back.”
I pushed against Max’s stomach again, he released me and moved to my side as I said, “You’re fine.”
“Sure?” she asked.
“Definitely,” I replied.
Her eyes hit the stove and she observed, “Bacon’s all greasy, Max.”
“I’ll sort it out,” Max told her.
She skip-danced around the counter, throwing him a cheerful smile and I marveled this girl was raped three weeks ago. Marveled at the same time that the knowledge hit my stomach like a rotten pit.
“I’ll do it,” she offered and I saw she was in one of Max’s t-shirts and obviously her own jeans for they fit perfectly.
“You need a shirt?” I asked and she looked at me as she pulled paper towel off a holder.
“Uh, last night, I kinda got beer on –” she started but Max cut her off.
“Damon doused you with beer,” he stated and Mindy’s eyes flitted to him.
“Damon?” I asked, grabbing my bowl.
“Her dickhead boyfriend,” Max muttered, pulling down a plate and handing it to Mindy.
“He’s just –” Mindy began but Max interrupted her again.
“A dickhead,” Max declared.
Her face fell and she arranged paper towel on the plate.
I decided to wade in. “Why did he, um… I mean how did he get beer on you?”
“He threw it at her,” Max answered and Mindy ducked her head and pulled bacon out of the skillet.
“He threw a beer at you?” I asked Mindy, not comprehending these words, at least not in recent Nina Land with Niles who didn’t even drink beer just occasionally gin and tonics or wine with dinner and he wouldn’t begin to imagine dousing anyone with any liquid.
Older Nina Land was the land where there were dickheads who might (though they didn’t) douse women with beer. Though, maybe not women who’d recently been violated.
“He’s, not, really… coping… uh –” Mindy stammered.
Max’s hand went to the back of her neck and he said quietly, “She knows, Mins, I told her.”