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Chapter Fourteen

I’ over Ethan’s comments hours later, when I let myself into the apartment He’s known hteous and sanctimonious and supercilious? And does the h I have to admit, the ones he’d chosen certainly packed a wallop

Andof me to think I know him based on a couple hours’ observation of his behavior But I heard hi Watched as he threatened to take everything they had just to get so rose-colored glasses, but anyone could see that what he did was not okay

Tori’s not in her usual spot on the couch, but I saw her car in the garage, so I know sheo in search of her I find her sunbathing topless on the patio while the guy from across the courtyard does his best to pretend he isn’t totally skeeving on her

She rab for her bikini top when she sees irl has none--but because she’s practically ju out of her skin with exciteh your closet when you were at work and I’ve narrowed it down to three outfits I think should work for your date Four, if you consent to borrowing my purple dress"

"Why would I borrow your purple dress? You’re a size two, I’plant about to split its skin"

"It’s a little big on ht on ood way It’ll show off all those gorgeous curves of yours Ethan won’t knohat hit hioing out"

"What do you irl who’s had her favorite teddy bear yanked fro forward to this all day!"

Yeah, well, she isn’t the only one I’d been excited--nervous and a little overwhel went to hell in that stupid ue next to Tori’s, I reach for her wineglass After draining it, I tell her the whole sordid story

When I finish, I expect her to offer ure she’ll at least lead the way on so the back of the freezer for so some ridiculous rorown three heads Or usted that it’s hard to tell exactly what she thinks of me Except that it’s bad Really bad

"Are you kidding me?" she shrieks when she finally finds her voice "Are you freaking kidding me?"

"What?" I know I sound defensive, but it’s hard not to be when she’s screa in my face "We think differently Which is fine Ithings But that doesn’t mean I have to like it or be involved with his I figured it was better to stop things before they ever got started than to worry about those differences later"

I’ve so stupefied Tori that it takes her several long seconds to close her mouth Then several more seconds before she shakes her head and says, "You are an idiot"

"Why? Because I don’t ju to hop into bed with hi to hop into bed with hi!"

"That’s not true!"

"Really?" She soundselse "I saw you with hiht The way you lit up when he touched your hand or put an arm around you I’ve never seen you like that with anyone You want that man, so of course you take the first opportunity to run away fro not to be with him because--"

"Because of one incident that you don’t even understand"

"You weren’t there"

"No, and neither were you Not really Not for all the buildup that led thehs, then reaches over and pats -arm those people and it freaked you out Made you think of whatever happened with Miles and your dad Maybe all of it rolled into one But he’s not any of those people He’s Ethan fucking Frost, thethe internship You worshipped him before you s he does for charity and the environment With how he treats his e like he’s Satan hih everything else--the charity, the employee benefits, his business model--are all the sa for flaws in him?"

"I think you’re only human And you’re scared It would be co with hiet in too deep But I also think you ju him a chance to explain himself, simply because it was your way out"

I don’t say anything else, and Tori doesn’t push She’s s tiht, but I do know that from the moment I mailed back that blender--with my own personal letter full of stuff--that I’ve been a nervous wreck Co the way he treated Trifecta stopped er to focus on Soain

But was that one h proof--for me to shut hireat things he’s done through the years? Or is Tori right? Did I just use that as an excuse to extricate myself from a situation I was terrified would turn sticky? I don’t know I don’t think so, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t do it subconsciously

Tori lets me brood for a while as she orders dinner from the Greek place down the block But when the interco tis me inside to watch Crazy Stupid Love, and sorape leaves and discussing hoesoet roped into helping Tori dye her hair

Norets her hair dyed at a salon over on Prospect, but I guess what she wants this time is just too wacky, because her stylist, Geoff, refused to do it for her He’s never said no to her before, no matter how crazy the color is, and I’round this time

At least until I see the myriad boxes of hair dye she lays out on the coffee table in front offor rainbow hair Suddenly I’m not so sure, either I don’t knohy it seereen hair or purple hair, but it does Having multicolored hair just strikes me as an inability to cohs "Who said I had to commit? I’m twenty-one If I can’t be fickle nohen can I be?"