Page 33 of Roar for Me
“Hey, Jen.”
“Everything okay? You sound off.”
She could always tell when something was wrong. It’s why they were such good friends. “I’m not sure what to do. There’s a … there’s a woman.”
He pulled the cell phone back from his ear as she squealed.
“It’s about damn time!”
Well, he hadn’t expected such an enthusiastic response.
“Are you there, Dunc?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m here. I might be half deaf though.”
“Hush, you. This is huge! Tell me about her!”
“She’s … she’s …” Amazing, strong, beautiful …
“Yes?”
“It’s someone from my past.” He paused as the line went silent.
“You’re not getting back with that bitch, are you?” Jen’s voice was frigid.
“God, no!”
Jen released a relieved sigh. “Are you bringing her to the gala?”
Sweat beaded his brow. “I believe she’s already going.”
“You have to introduce me!”
He groaned. “You don’t understand. I’m not worthy.”
She was silent for a few beats. “Explain, Duncan.”
He told the story as best he could without saying who it was. It was bad enough Mike had figured him out. He wanted to keep his secret a little longer until he could gauge Roar’s feelings better.
“But she said she’s attracted to you.”
“That doesn’t mean she forgave me for being a jerk to her in school.”
The sound of a palm hitting a forehead come through before Jen replied. “If she hadn’t, do you really think she’d be talking to you or watching a movie with you?” When he stammered, she continued. “The answer is no, Dunc. She wouldn’t. But how doyoufeel abouther?”
He sighed and stared out his sliding glass doors as the sun dipped in the sky. “I don’t know how to explain it. I want to hold her hand when she’s scared. I want to run my fingers through her hair when she’s had a rough day. I want to watch musicals with her on my couch and get popcorn thrown at me when I tell a bad joke.” He was rambling, but he could trust Jen. “I want to hold her all night. And I want to make up for the lost time.”
Jen let out a low whistle. “It sounds like you’re in love with her.”
Love? That was crazy.
“This is nothing like what I felt for Mariah. I don’t know what this is.”
“You’re right. Itisnothing like what you felt for Mariah. Because thatwasn’tlove.”
The clock ticked. The air conditioner hummed. And Duncan forgot to breathe.
Jen let her words sink in, then continued. “I know you thought it was. Hell,sheprobably thought it was. But you don’t try to change someone you love. There’s a whole show dedicated to that, you know.”
