Page 164 of Dream House
But Lark shakes his head. “I don’t think you do.”
“No, I d—”
“I don’t want to get married. Ever. To anyone,” he says, his eyes narrowed and tortured. He shakes his head again. “I never have. It’s not you, it’s—”
“Don’t you dare sayit’s me,”I warn, my words shaking on a manic laugh.
Lark frowns at me. “But it’s true.” I watch him swallow. “The sooner you know that, the better.”
Two hours ago, I told Pen I wasn’t mad. And I wasn’t.
But now?
“Are you serious? That’s why you left?” I can’t believe my ears. So leaving me without a word didn’t just mean things between us were casual? It was… it was…a fucking message?
“Marriage,Lark Bienvenue, was the furthest thing from my mind Saturday night,” I announce before giving the world’s most joyless laugh. “I mean,seriously?Do you think I have any positive associations with the institution of marriage?”
I make a sweeping gesture at Nanna’s sprawling house behind me. “I come from a long line of disappointed women whose husbands have been the primary source of their disappointment.” I’m practically choking with indignation now. “If only avoiding the altar were a sure-fire way of side-stepping disappointing men. Regrettably, for me, that’s not the case.”
Lark’s narrowed eyes have widened during this little speech. Or tirade. It might be more of a tirade.
“Stella, I—”
“You? You, what? Assumed if you left me in bed after what we shared—” I force down the knot of rage in my throat to get the words out, the memory scalding me with humiliation—“after what Ishowed you,I’d get the message you weren’t husband material?”
At this, his face pales. I’m surprised I notice since all I see is red.
“Well, don’t worry. Loud and clear, Bienvenue.” My voice shakes just a little. My whole body is shaking. That soak in the tub might need to come sooner rather than later. And my price just went from two glasses of wine to two bottles. “Thank you for beingsucha great communicator. I was a fool to think what we shared was something amazing—”
Pain slashes across his eyes. “I-It was—”
“And might have been the beginning of something—something—”Beautiful? Precious? Life-changing?I can’t speak any of these words because if I do, I’ll lose it.
Instead, I clear my throat hard. “So thank you. Thank you for not letting me believe you were a better man.”
“Stella—” Lark’s voice shakes. He steps closer.
I step back. “No. I can’t be here right now.”
I need to get away from him. Going inside is out of the question. I turn and sprint back to my car. Slam the door. Start the engine. It revs when I stomp on the gas. I know his eyes track me as I reverse down the drive, but he doesn’t try to stop me.
Thank God.
I can’t trust myself just now. I’m a mess.
Thank you for not letting me believe you were a better man.
The residue of the words tastes awful in my mouth. I delivered them like a blow, and I wanted them to land hard. Right up until they did.
I can’t even look at him as I back into the alley.
I notch up the gearshift and just drive.
ChapterTwenty-Six
LARK
I leanagainst the hood of my Jeep and rake my fingers through my hair.
