Page 122 of Maple Mountain
“Cheers,” he said, lifting his pint.
I clinked my glass against his and then took a sip.
He peered at me.“It’s been two days, and you still won’t talk about it.”
I swallowed a hefty drink.“I think Lenni’ll have fun tonight.Don’t you?”
“Let’s not talk about Lenni.”
“Why not?”
“Because we always talk about her.I want to talk about you.Us.”
“Us?There’s nous,” I stated.
“There’s an us,” he said, leaning back against the booth.
“How do you figure?”I demanded.
“We’ve taken our relationship to the next level by having epic sexual relations on the floor of our shared living space.”
“It wasn’t that epic,” I muttered, feeling my cheeks heat.
“Liar.Look, Wyn.I’m gonna lay it out for you, okay?There’s an us.I’m not dating anyone else.You’re not dating anyone else?—”
“How do you know that?”
“You don’t spend your nights off outside the house.You stay home in your room with your sewing machine.Ergo, you’re not dating anyone.”
“Or I could be sneaking out after you go to bed and be painting the town red.”
“The town?The town that closes down at nine o’clock, sometimes ten if a place is busy.This town?Plus, I’ve heard no gossip about you.Aside from that Garrett flirting thing, but that’s already died out.”
“Gossip about me?”I asked.“Why would anyone gossip about me?”
“Because this is Huckleberry Hill.Everyone gossips.You’ve been hiding, Wyn.”He leaned forward.“It’s time to stop.”
ChapterTwenty-Six
The Bar
My heart pounded in my ears.Archer’s eyes were earnest and his command hung between us.
“I haven’t been hiding.”
“No?”
“Just because I don’t want to go out and flirt with boys doesn’t mean I’m hiding.”
“One, we’re not talking about you flirting with boys.We’re not even talking about you flirting with men.I’m talking about you and me.You’ve shut me out, Wyn.Ever since we slept together.”
“I’ve been lied to in the past,” I said, my tone clipped.“Men say what I want to hear and then disappear.I’m left with the wreckage of failed relationships and each time, my trust is eroded more and more.So you can say there’s anusand I’m just supposed to believe you?”
He was quiet for a moment.“You don’t trust me with your heart.”
I swallowed.“No, Archer.I don’t.You’ll break it.”
“Says who?”
