Beautiful Beast - Page 112

“I’m not everyone,” Ariel sniffs indignantly. “I’m your best friend, and I want to make sure you’re safe.”

I sigh. “I’m sorry. Everything is just happening so fast with Adam. I’m happy and he’s exactly what I want. But we have a lot to figure out.”

“At least, we don’t have to kill him now. That was my next move.”

I laugh. “Murder isn’t necessary, I promise. He’s going to get everything sorted out, and I won’t sleep in his bed again until he does.”

“That sucks,” Ariel replies. “But no one is perfect. Everyone has secrets, some darker than others. Briggs has something going on, too.”

“PTSD?”

“I don’t know,” Ariel says. “But we’ve hung out a few times and I think maybe he… He might have ED or something. Is that part of PTSD?”

The absolutely perfect sexual experiences I’ve had with Adam flitter through my mind and make my face flush.

“Adam doesn’t have that problem. They’re old, but notthatold. I mean, doesn’t that kind of thing happen in your fifties?”

“It’s mental, though, at least to some extent. I just don’t understand why he hasn’t made a move on me. He keeps asking to hang out and texts me all the time. But he hasn’t so much as kissed me, and I’ve made it very clear I’m open to it.”

“Why don’t you just ask him?”

“I thought about it,” Ariel replies. “But if he says that he just wants to be friends, I’ll be really disappointed. I also don’t want to embarrass him if he does have a dick problem. I’d rather wait it out and have him either tell me or try to bone me.”

I laugh. “I’d totally try to bone you.”

Ariel is wearing tiny denim shorts and a white tank top, but even a simple outfit can’t hide the fact that she looks like a cover model.

“There’s one boy we can always count on and who would never hurt us,” Ariel says. “Let’s get Busteroo to the vet.”

“Are you sure that you don’t want me to come in with you?” Ariel asks for the third time.

We’re standing outside my building after spending an hour at the vet with no definitive answer about what the bump is.

We did a battery of tests, which I had to put on a payment plan because I won’t have any extra cash until the sale of my grandmother’s apartment goes through.

But now we have to wait for results.

And waiting is the absolute worst.

“I’m okay,” I tell her. “I just want to cuddle with Buster and take a nap.”

“Call me later.” Ariel gives me a fierce hug. “We have to stay positive. Everything is going to be okay.” She bends to kiss Buster on his head. “Love you, buddy.”

In the elevator, I decide to give Adam one last chance.

Belle: Buster had to get some tests done today. After what just happened with you, I’m a total disaster. Really wish you’d stop pushing me away. Come down and see us or else Buster and I can come up.

There’s no response by the time we reach my grandmother’s front door. Part of me is disappointed, and part of me expected that he would disappoint me again.

With nothing better to do, Buster and I resume our positions on the couch. It’s hours later when I’m startled awake that I realize we fell asleep. I guess your body just eventually shuts down when you reach a certain level of tiredness.

I take a quick look through my phone, but only Ariel checked in. Still no Adam. Even if he is serious that he doesn’t want to date me, surely, he would at least ask what’s going on with Buster because Adam loves my dog, too.

Something isn’t right.

I kiss Buster’s head and leave him snoring on the couch while I head upstairs to Adam’s place. I just want to hear his voice and know that he’s okay. If the morning light didn’t change his mind about us and he’d still rather be alone in his misery, then so be it.

There are only so many times I can try.