Take A Number - Amy Daws Page 0,107
I didn’t let her get away,” I growl and heave myself off my beanbag chair to get some fucking space from these two crazy women in my house. “Norah pushed me away. She’s buying out my investment in her bakery so she can get as much space between us as humanly possible.”
“Seriously?” Kate asks, looking astonished from her spot on the floor. “Damn, that girl goes big. I’m impressed.”
I shake my head in disgust. “She wants nothing to do with me anymore. She said she wants a real boyfriend and a real life with open possibilities. She’s going to France to stay with a friend for who knows how fucking long.”
“So, go with her. Be with her,” Lynsey exclaims, and her hopeful naiveté makes me want to smother my face in a pillow.
My voice is resigned when I reply, “No fucking way, Lynsey. I’d ruin her.”
The room goes quiet as Kate and Lynsey gape at me for a long moment.
“Why would you say that, Dean?” Lynsey asks, her voice grave.
I pin her with a look. “You’ve met my parents, Lynsey.”
Her chin juts out, and she shoots a knowing look at Kate. “He’s more messed up than we thought.”
“Shit, you’re right,” Kate confirms, standing up and walking closer like she’s going to examine me. “I really thought setting him up with someone nice would fix him. Can you do therapy on him, Lyns?”
“Doubtful. He’s too far gone.”
“Guys, stop talking about me like I’m some charity case. I’m getting really tired of it.”
Kate tsks. “You pretty much are.”
“Jesus,” I groan and turn to walk into the kitchen and grab myself a beer. Who cares that it’s only ten o’clock in the morning? “Is it time for you guys to leave yet?”
“We aren’t going until we fix this,” Kate says matter-of-factly.
“There’s nothing to fix.” I stand at the counter that I can’t look at without thinking about Norah. “I can’t be Norah’s boyfriend, even if she still wanted me. I said some fucked-up shit to her, and I messed with her mind because selfishly, it felt good to be with her. I let my guard down and ignored all the signs that feelings were involved, which makes me a selfish prick because I knew our fake arrangement was ending.” I huff out a self-deprecating laugh. “God…I would have done my father proud.”
“You are not your father, you big dumb idiot,” Lynsey bellows and holds her hand out to Kate for help out of the beanbag chair. Once Kate’s yanked her up, Lynsey stomps over to me with her hands on her hips. God, she really is a mom now. “Dean, you are the warmest, most generous guy I know…I mean, my husband is great, but he’s a solid fifty percent dickhead, and I still love him like crazy. You have a much lower dick ratio than Josh, so you certainly deserve love too.”
Kate laughs knowingly. “She’s not lying, Dean. And you tolerate your mother like a fucking saint. I would have bagged off on her years ago if I were you.”
“She’s my mom,” I state defensively through clenched teeth.
“I know, but give yourself some credit. She’s a toxic relationship for you, yet you grin and bear it, treating her with so much unconditional love and respect. You are amazing.”
“I feel sorry for her. I mean, Jesus, look what blind love did to her. She’s so bitter she can’t hold down a functional relationship. If I turned into that or, God forbid, I turned Norah into that…I’d never be able to forgive myself.” The image of Norah turning into my mother slices through me like a knife.
“Dean,” Lynsey groans, pain evident in her voice. “You are not your mother or your father. You are your own person. Just as Kate and I are our own persons. Do you look at the two of us and think our marriages are going to fail?”
“No,” I huff honestly. “You guys found unicorns or whatever. Kate, you love Miles’s macho alpha male, jealous bullshit, and Lynsey, you’re the perfect antidote for Dr. Dick’s psycho intensity.”
“And you pulled Norah out of her shell more than I’ve ever seen her,” Kate states sincerely as she pins me with a serious look. “I’ve seen Norah at Rise and Shine Bakery for years, and she’s never looked as happy as she did when she was with you. You two were in your own little world. It was adorable. And she really cut loose with us girls in Aspen. I mean, when she