Reflected in You(79)

"You think I'm a coldhearted gold digger, but my concern is maternal, believe it or not.


I want very desperately for you to be with a man who has the money and wherewithal to guard you with everything he has, so I'll know you're safe.


And I want you to be with a man you love."


"I've found him."


"And I can't tell you how thrilled I am.


I'm thrilled he's young and still open to taking risks, so he's more forgiving and understanding of your .


quirks.


And he knows," she whispered, her gaze softening and growing liquid.


"Just be careful.


That's all I'm trying to say.


Don't give him any reason to turn away from you."


"If he did, that wouldn't be love."


Her lips curved wryly and she pressed a kiss to my forehead.


"Come now.


You're my daughter.


You can't be that na?ve."


"Eva!" I turned at the sound of my name and felt a rush of relief to see Trey hurrying toward me.


He was of average height and nicely muscular, with unruly blond hair, hazel eyes, and a slight angle to his nose that told me it'd been broken at some point.


He was dressed in faded, frayed jeans and a T- shirt, and I was struck by the fact that he wasn't Cary's usual flashy type.


For once, it seemed, the attraction had been more than skin deep.


"I just found out," he said when he reached me.


"Detectives came by my work this morning and questioned me.


I can't believe this happened Friday night and I'm only just finding out about it."


I couldn't hold his slightly accusatory tone against him.


"I just found out early this morning myself.


I was out of town."


After a quick introduction between my mother and Trey, she excused herself to go sit with Cary, leaving me to elaborate on the information Trey had gleaned from the detectives.


Trey shoved his hands through his hair, making it look even messier.


"This wouldn't have happened if I'd taken him with me when I left."


"You can't blame yourself for this."


"Who else do I blame for the fact that he's screwing around with another guy's girl?" He gripped the back of his neck.


"I'm the one who's not enough for him.


He's got the drive of a hormonal teenager and I'm working or in school all the damn time."


Ugh.


Total TMI.


It was a struggle not to wince.


But I understood that Trey likely didn't have anyone else he felt comfortable discussing Cary with.


"He's bisexual, Trey," I said softly, reaching out to run a comforting hand down his biceps.


"That doesn't mean you're lacking."


"I don't know how to live with this."


"Would you consider counseling? With both of you, I mean."


He looked at me with haunted eyes for a long minute; then his shoulders slumped.


"I don't know.


I think I have to decide if I can live with him cheating.


Could you do it, Eva? Could you sit at home waiting for your man, knowing he was sticking it somewhere else?" "No."


An icy shiver coursed through me at the mere words.


"No, I couldn't."


"And I don't even know if Cary would agree to counseling.


He keeps pushing me away.


He wants me, and then he doesn't.


He's committed, and then he isn't.


I want in, Eva, like he's let you in, but he keeps shutting me out."


"It took me a long time to break through to him.


He tried pushing me away with sex, always coming on to me, taunting me.


I think you made the right decision keeping it platonic on Friday.


Cary puts his value on his looks and sex appeal.


You need to show him that it's not just his body you want."


Trey sighed and crossed his arms.


"Is that how you two got close? Because you wouldn't sleep with him?" "Partly.


Mostly it's because I'm a mess.


It's not as obvious now as it was when we met, but he knows I'm not perfect."


"Neither am I! Who is?" "He believes you're better than he is, that you deserve better."


I grinned.


"Me .


well, I bet part of him thinks I deserve him.


That we deserve each other."


"Crazy f*cker," he muttered.


"He is that," I agreed.


"That's why we love him, isn't it? Do you want to go in and see him? Or do you want to go home and think about it?" "No, I want to see him."


Trey's shoulders rolled back and his chin lifted.