Chapter 53
MALLORY
I was being silly. Like a sixteen-year-old, but I didn’t care. I felt like I needed an excuse to see Theo but delivering him his jacket he’d forgotten at Lindy’s house this morning was flimsy. I was content with flimsy.
Maybe it was because I was in a good mood. I was back in Hunter Valley a free woman. I was getting sex on the regular. This morning in the shower with Theo had been a first. When he said he loved pussy, he hadn’t been joking.
Right now, my clit throbbed with eagerness for more of his mouth.
I entered the doctor’s office, Theo’s coat tucked under my arm.
“–book every day at six, so I figure four would work.” Verna was standing in the open office doorway, her back to me.
“Thanks.” That was Theo who responded.
Verna must’ve heard the door because she stuck her head out, saw me, then turned back to Theo. “I assume Mallory Mornay’s your six o’clock?”
I stilled, confused why she was talking about me with Theo when she knew I was standing right here.
“How do you know that?” Theo replied. I could hear the surprise in his voice. I’d known Verna a long time. She knew everything about everyone. It amazed me that Theo hadn’t caught on to that yet.
“That smile,” she said to him.
I blushed, then looked around, wondering if I should hear this. I should. Since Verna knew I was here, but clearly not Theo, their conversation was fair game.
And I wanted to know about the smile he had on his face.
“I’m not smiling because of Mallory.”
I clenched his puffy jacket and barely breathed.
“Oh? Gas pains?”
“Verna,” Theo warned.
“I thought you and Mallory had a thing going on.”
“How do you know that?”
She didn’t say anything because I assumed she was giving him a look.
“There is no thing,” he replied.
What?
“Oh? Then what is it?”
“There are some things a gentleman doesn’t share.”
“I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about love.”
Theo laughed. “Love? I don’t love Mallory Mornay. It’s just a standing–” He cleared his throat.
“Are you stringing her along then?” Verna sounded pissed.
I was too stunned to be pissed. I’m just a standing… yeah, I could fill in that blank.
“Of course not. Mallory knows that it’s only… you know.”
“Because Tom Zajik had chlamydia and you didn’t want her to get it on their date.”
WHAT? My mouth fell open and I leaned against the wall because… wow.
That was why Theo had been at The Lodge. That was why Tom had fled. Not diarrhea. That was why Theo had stepped in to have sex with me. Because the only guy who’d want me slept around and picked up sexually transmitted diseases.
“We don’t talk about patients, Verna,” Theo warned.
“I heard it from Sandra Nimoy, the gym teacher at the high school. I was in line behind her at the grocery store. I said hello and she told me all about it. It’s definitely not a secret.”
Everyone knew about Tom but me.
But that wasn’t important because Theo knew. He just inferred he was a patient.
“I’m talking about you and Mallory.”
“Why are we talking about me and Mallory? There’s nothing to say. There’s just… nothing.”
Nothing. I was nothing. I meant nothing to him. After everything we did together, that’s what he felt. Nothing.
I bit my lip. God, fuck. Shit. Dammit! Was I lovable for anyone?
Now I was pissed.
I stomped over to Verna, who wisely stepped out of the way.
Theo’s eyes widened. Clearly, he was surprised to see me. I tossed the coat at him. He caught it. “Mallory.”
“Theo,” I said. I was sure Theo could give some sort of wordy explanation for the adrenaline dump I just had. My body was shaking. My heart was pounding. “I wanted sex. I made that very clear. It was understood. You definitely gave it to me.”
“Mallory–”
I held up my hand and pushed on. “You didn’t offer anything more. You set no false expectations.”
Fuck, was I glad I gave him the house back. Yeah, fuck. Not fudge. Screw fudge and sugar and all the stupid swear word alternatives.
“Just sex. I think I’ve had a thorough education now and you’ve done your job. So thank you.”
“Mallory,” he said, his eyes narrowing in anger.
Why the hell would he be angry?
“It’s not like that.”
I nodded. “It is. It’s nothing, remember?”
Those words hurt to come out, but I had to do it. I couldn’t linger where I wasn’t wanted.
“See you around.”
I spun on my heel, faced Verna. Her eyes held sympathy, but she tipped her chin up. I tipped mine up in return. I knew, silently, she’d started that conversation for me and was telling me to be strong.
I could do that. I could take care of myself. I always had.