because they’re your friends.” He kissed the top of her head. “I don’t think this has so much to do with your relationship with me, Deb.”
She sighed. “They have a funny way of showing it. Once, I’d like them to ask me what we did over the weekend or listen to me tell them about you without giving me a lecture about the age difference. They aren’t exactly kind behind your back. I’m tired of defending you, us, everything.”
Mick stopped moving, leaned back, and gazed down at her. “Do you have a problem being with me?”
She jerked. Why would he ask such a ridiculous question?
“Of course not!” She kissed him. “I love you. I love what we have together.”
He lifted his gaze from her and peered over at her friends. “Want to get out of here?”
She smiled. “That’s the best thing I’ve heard all night.”
Grabbing her coat off the back of the chair, she turned to her friends. “Sorry, guys, probably PMS.” She rubbed her forehead. “Thanks for inviting us, but we’re going to head out.”
She walked around the table and gave each of them a hug. Squeezing Barb extra-hard, she whispered, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to bite your head off. Forgive me?”
“Of course.” Barb kissed her cheeks. “You’ve always been a fudster .” Barb hugged Debbie back. “Plus, now I know what to get you for your birthday. A shawl…and maybe a pair of knitting needles.”
She groaned. “Barb—”
Her friend held up her hand. “I’ll stop. I just think you’re making a terrible mistake. You should be out having fun.”
“This is fun. I love Mick.” She turned around and headed back down to the other side of the table.
Debbie saved saying good-bye to Juanita for last. Walking back around the table, she found Mick in a serious conversation. A frown marked his face as he leaned down beside Juanita talking.
At her approach, Mick straightened and stopped talking. She placed her hand on Juanita’s back and tilted her head at Mick. Why did he appear so serious all of a sudden?
“Hey, Juanita. I’ll see you on Monday bright and early, ‘ kay ?” She hugged her coworker from behind.
“Dammit. I’m sorry, Deb. It slipped out before I realized what I’d said.” Juanita squeezed her arms.
Debbie glanced up at Mick. The muscle along his jaw twitched from the tension around his mouth. Her shoulders drooped. Shit.
“Not your fault. I should have told him.” She leaned around and kissed Juanita’s cheek. “See you Monday.”
She followed Mick out of the restaurant. He kept his distance and didn’t lay a hand on her. After escorting her into the car, he climbed in and drove.
“Can I explain?”
“I think your actions are enlightening me enough.” His fingers turned white on the steering wheel. “I asked you to let go of your apartment, make the commitment to our relationship, and you lied. Half the time we’re with your friends, you’re more concerned about what they think than letting it all go—”
“It’s not like that.” She threw up her hands.
He slammed a palm down on the wheel. “Are you denying that you’re letting your friend stay at your apartment, but kept the apartment in your name?”
“No.”
“Did you not lead me to believe you had moved into my house with the intent to make our relationship permanent—forever?” He downshifted and pulled onto their street.
“Knock it off, Mick. I’m not on trial here. Let me explain.” She reached over and put her hand on his leg, but he shoved it away.
Neither one of them spoke the rest of the way home. Following him into the house, she wanted to explain her reasoning, but everything she came up with sounded pathetic to her own ears.
Mick stalked off upstairs, and Debbie sank down on the couch. Grabbing the folded blanket, she hugged it to her chest. I will not cry. He’ll calm down, and I’ll try to explain why I did it.
Chapter Nine
Thunk .
Mick stood in front of the couch
She sighed. “They have a funny way of showing it. Once, I’d like them to ask me what we did over the weekend or listen to me tell them about you without giving me a lecture about the age difference. They aren’t exactly kind behind your back. I’m tired of defending you, us, everything.”
Mick stopped moving, leaned back, and gazed down at her. “Do you have a problem being with me?”
She jerked. Why would he ask such a ridiculous question?
“Of course not!” She kissed him. “I love you. I love what we have together.”
He lifted his gaze from her and peered over at her friends. “Want to get out of here?”
She smiled. “That’s the best thing I’ve heard all night.”
Grabbing her coat off the back of the chair, she turned to her friends. “Sorry, guys, probably PMS.” She rubbed her forehead. “Thanks for inviting us, but we’re going to head out.”
She walked around the table and gave each of them a hug. Squeezing Barb extra-hard, she whispered, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to bite your head off. Forgive me?”
“Of course.” Barb kissed her cheeks. “You’ve always been a fudster .” Barb hugged Debbie back. “Plus, now I know what to get you for your birthday. A shawl…and maybe a pair of knitting needles.”
She groaned. “Barb—”
Her friend held up her hand. “I’ll stop. I just think you’re making a terrible mistake. You should be out having fun.”
“This is fun. I love Mick.” She turned around and headed back down to the other side of the table.
Debbie saved saying good-bye to Juanita for last. Walking back around the table, she found Mick in a serious conversation. A frown marked his face as he leaned down beside Juanita talking.
At her approach, Mick straightened and stopped talking. She placed her hand on Juanita’s back and tilted her head at Mick. Why did he appear so serious all of a sudden?
“Hey, Juanita. I’ll see you on Monday bright and early, ‘ kay ?” She hugged her coworker from behind.
“Dammit. I’m sorry, Deb. It slipped out before I realized what I’d said.” Juanita squeezed her arms.
Debbie glanced up at Mick. The muscle along his jaw twitched from the tension around his mouth. Her shoulders drooped. Shit.
“Not your fault. I should have told him.” She leaned around and kissed Juanita’s cheek. “See you Monday.”
She followed Mick out of the restaurant. He kept his distance and didn’t lay a hand on her. After escorting her into the car, he climbed in and drove.
“Can I explain?”
“I think your actions are enlightening me enough.” His fingers turned white on the steering wheel. “I asked you to let go of your apartment, make the commitment to our relationship, and you lied. Half the time we’re with your friends, you’re more concerned about what they think than letting it all go—”
“It’s not like that.” She threw up her hands.
He slammed a palm down on the wheel. “Are you denying that you’re letting your friend stay at your apartment, but kept the apartment in your name?”
“No.”
“Did you not lead me to believe you had moved into my house with the intent to make our relationship permanent—forever?” He downshifted and pulled onto their street.
“Knock it off, Mick. I’m not on trial here. Let me explain.” She reached over and put her hand on his leg, but he shoved it away.
Neither one of them spoke the rest of the way home. Following him into the house, she wanted to explain her reasoning, but everything she came up with sounded pathetic to her own ears.
Mick stalked off upstairs, and Debbie sank down on the couch. Grabbing the folded blanket, she hugged it to her chest. I will not cry. He’ll calm down, and I’ll try to explain why I did it.
Chapter Nine
Thunk .
Mick stood in front of the couch
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