Read Online Loving Mr. July by Margaret Antone - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Margaret Antone
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Cynthia replied, the only
indication since she started talking that she acknowledged his
existence. “A teacher figured it out, got me help. I still am in
touch with her, even though she’s long since retired.”
Kurt blinked back moisture, thinking about
the cases he’d heard about when he first decided to pick the Bocher
Foundation as RentBro’s foster charity. To think that Cynthia had
lived through something like that was unbearable. He looked upward,
sent a silent prayer of thanks to his father, who he always felt
looked over him still, even though he’d died a number of years ago.
And he decided he’d go visit his mother tomorrow, bring her some
flowers, give her a hug.
“The short story is the guy at the gym wasn’t
the only one I gave my favors too freely to.” Cynthia looked down,
plucked at the blanket she’d wrapped around herself. “It happened
long ago, but it did happen. It’s ugly and embarrassing. And the
way I’ve always coped is by feeding my face. I wouldn’t blame you
if you were disgusted.”
Kurt pulled her in closer, rested his chin on
her head, thought about her words. He realized that what he said
now was important, maybe the most important conversation he would
ever have with her. Cynthia may not realize it, but she’d come to
matter to him. And he didn’t want to hurt her.
“I’m not disgusted, Cynthia. Not with you
anyway.” He rested his cheek against her hair, brought a hand up to
caress the side of her face. “I want to murder that guy. Your
father maybe too, but not you.”
Cynthia gave a ragged sigh. “Too late for my
father. He’s long gone. And the guy at the gym? He’d only sue you.
Don’t give him the satisfaction.”
“Cynthia, the guy’s a creep. My Dad taught me
that when a woman says no, it means no.” Even if she’s led you to
the brink of insanity, he thought to himself. “The guy was pretty
much assaulting you. That’s not okay!”
“I guess he was, wasn’t he?” Cynthia said in
a soft voice.
“So mind telling me why you went voluntarily
to see him in the back of the restaurant tonight?”
Cynthia sighed. “It was stupid. I just didn’t
want him to come by our table, say something embarrassing. Have you
think worse of me.”
“Think worse of you?” Kurt shifted her
in his arms so he could look her in the eye. “What the hell are you
talking about?”
Cynthia shrugged, moved away from his arms
and looked away.
“Cynthia?” Kurt put a hand up to her face.
“Cynthia, look at me.”
She shook her head.
“Okay, have it your way.” Kurt moved to kneel
in front of the couch so he could look up into her face.
She swiped at her eyes and bit her lip.
“Let’s clear some things up.” Kurt gently
pushed her hair behind her ears so he could see her face. “The fact
that you were a victim when you were younger is not your fault. The
guy tonight, also not your fault. I mean, probably not the smartest
of you to approach him, seeing as he outweighs you by a lot and is
much taller and probably stronger than you, but you could press
charges. And should if he tries that again.”
“I know,” Cynthia said, nodding
miserably.
“And in terms of us? Yeah, I was irritated by
the whole calendar thing. I thought you were behind it, and it made
me mad, because you always seemed so unfriendly to me.”
“I did?” Cynthia turned astonished eyes to
Kurt.
“Seemed so,” Kurt said, shrugging, suddenly
feeling a little stupid. “Anyway, I just found out recently that it
was Blake who stuck me with the calendar.”
“He told you?”
Kurt nodded. “And I managed not to rearrange
his face.”
Cynthia gave a watery smile. “Sharon thanks
you.”
“To be honest, I don’t really care about the
calendar. It’s somewhat embarrassing, but if it helps the
foundation, I’m willing to do it.”
Cynthia’s brow came together. “So why all the
fuss—the workouts, the food, making me live here?”
“Like I said, I only found out recently
indication since she started talking that she acknowledged his
existence. “A teacher figured it out, got me help. I still am in
touch with her, even though she’s long since retired.”
Kurt blinked back moisture, thinking about
the cases he’d heard about when he first decided to pick the Bocher
Foundation as RentBro’s foster charity. To think that Cynthia had
lived through something like that was unbearable. He looked upward,
sent a silent prayer of thanks to his father, who he always felt
looked over him still, even though he’d died a number of years ago.
And he decided he’d go visit his mother tomorrow, bring her some
flowers, give her a hug.
“The short story is the guy at the gym wasn’t
the only one I gave my favors too freely to.” Cynthia looked down,
plucked at the blanket she’d wrapped around herself. “It happened
long ago, but it did happen. It’s ugly and embarrassing. And the
way I’ve always coped is by feeding my face. I wouldn’t blame you
if you were disgusted.”
Kurt pulled her in closer, rested his chin on
her head, thought about her words. He realized that what he said
now was important, maybe the most important conversation he would
ever have with her. Cynthia may not realize it, but she’d come to
matter to him. And he didn’t want to hurt her.
“I’m not disgusted, Cynthia. Not with you
anyway.” He rested his cheek against her hair, brought a hand up to
caress the side of her face. “I want to murder that guy. Your
father maybe too, but not you.”
Cynthia gave a ragged sigh. “Too late for my
father. He’s long gone. And the guy at the gym? He’d only sue you.
Don’t give him the satisfaction.”
“Cynthia, the guy’s a creep. My Dad taught me
that when a woman says no, it means no.” Even if she’s led you to
the brink of insanity, he thought to himself. “The guy was pretty
much assaulting you. That’s not okay!”
“I guess he was, wasn’t he?” Cynthia said in
a soft voice.
“So mind telling me why you went voluntarily
to see him in the back of the restaurant tonight?”
Cynthia sighed. “It was stupid. I just didn’t
want him to come by our table, say something embarrassing. Have you
think worse of me.”
“Think worse of you?” Kurt shifted her
in his arms so he could look her in the eye. “What the hell are you
talking about?”
Cynthia shrugged, moved away from his arms
and looked away.
“Cynthia?” Kurt put a hand up to her face.
“Cynthia, look at me.”
She shook her head.
“Okay, have it your way.” Kurt moved to kneel
in front of the couch so he could look up into her face.
She swiped at her eyes and bit her lip.
“Let’s clear some things up.” Kurt gently
pushed her hair behind her ears so he could see her face. “The fact
that you were a victim when you were younger is not your fault. The
guy tonight, also not your fault. I mean, probably not the smartest
of you to approach him, seeing as he outweighs you by a lot and is
much taller and probably stronger than you, but you could press
charges. And should if he tries that again.”
“I know,” Cynthia said, nodding
miserably.
“And in terms of us? Yeah, I was irritated by
the whole calendar thing. I thought you were behind it, and it made
me mad, because you always seemed so unfriendly to me.”
“I did?” Cynthia turned astonished eyes to
Kurt.
“Seemed so,” Kurt said, shrugging, suddenly
feeling a little stupid. “Anyway, I just found out recently that it
was Blake who stuck me with the calendar.”
“He told you?”
Kurt nodded. “And I managed not to rearrange
his face.”
Cynthia gave a watery smile. “Sharon thanks
you.”
“To be honest, I don’t really care about the
calendar. It’s somewhat embarrassing, but if it helps the
foundation, I’m willing to do it.”
Cynthia’s brow came together. “So why all the
fuss—the workouts, the food, making me live here?”
“Like I said, I only found out recently
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