Page 92 of You've Got Hate Mail
“You’re fine.”
“No, I—I should give you your privacy.”
“Cricket.”
“No, seriously, I get it. Everyone has their breaking point.” She bites her lip and looks at me like she wants to say something else.
“What?”
“This isn’t an emergency or anything, but I didn’t want you to be startled, so I feel obligated to tell you that there’s a chicken in that big open room off of the tasting area. I can get it. But if you hear clucking or anything?—”
She pauses.
Probably because my blood pressure is rising again, and if the way she’s cringing is any indication, I’m likely not masking my feelings about a chicken in the gift shop very well.
“It doesn’t seem to have been here very long, and I did a segment once where I learned to be a chicken farmer, so I can handle this. Promise. Swear on the reputation I’d like to have in the industry at some point when I get my life back in order. And I’ll clean up the mess. I learned how to do that too.”
If I open my mouth right now, I’m going to say something I’ll regret.
A hesitant smile peeks out on her face, andfuck me.
She’s so goddamn pretty.
Her big brown eyes.
The dark hair with the light streaks that she’s been pulling up in ponytails more and more often.
Soft round cheeks.
Her gentle curves.
I haven’t thought anyone else who’s come through this place waspretty.
Not the way she is.
I also haven’t met anyone else here the day after they arrived. Usually, there aren’t as many things breaking that need my attention to pull me over to the main house, and when Lav’s in school, she’s there less. So when I meet new people, they’re well into finding their footing again before we cross paths.
Maybe that’s the problem.
Maybe I’ve finally seen a woman who’s outwardly as much of a mess as I feel like I am inwardly.
“What?” I ask like the cranky bastard that I am.
She tries to hide her smile, but it doesn’t work. “You— It’s just good to see that you’re human too.”
“I’m fucking human. I’ve always been fucking human.”
“Do you drink?” she asks in a whisper.
I eyeball her. “Why?”
“I found this stash of cabernet sauvignon and a bottle opener, and I was thinking of sharing a glass with the chicken, but you look like you might need it more than she does.”
I blink once.
Blow out a slow breath.
Lav’s with Ginny and Dori. Dori’s still new enough that she didn’t know anything was wrong with me, but Ginny did.
