He dips his head to meet my eyes, pushing my hair behind my ear. “Look at me, lovely.” He tilts my quivering chin to him. “That’s not what he meant, and I’m sorry you were made to feel bad. You’re the only girl I have ever taken to a personal photo shoot. I know it’s important to girls to know this kind of thing, and yes, you’re the first and the only; it was special for you.” He taps the end of my nose lightly with his index finger. “There, one problem solved. Now eat something.”
He takes a big bite of his own sandwich and turns to get us both a bottle of water out of the fridge. Sliding mine across to me, he says, “I gotta tell ya though, Laney, for someone with a boyfriend, you sure like calling me out on my supposed female shit.”
OUCH. Memo to self, be ready to take it if you’re gonna dish it out with Dane.
He’s obviously assumed Evan is my boyfriend based on whatever it is he and Bennett have discussed behind my back, but I’ve had enough humiliation tonight, so I’ll let him stew on that misconception a little longer.
“You’re absolutely right. It’s none of my business and I’m out of line. I just...I haven’t felt special since I got to college, and you made me feel that way. It hurt to think it wasn’t, I’m sorry.” I was wrong before, this is what a fool feels like.
“Doesn’t Evan do things to make you feel special?” His voice has softened.
“Oh, God yes, all the time. That’s probably why I miss it so bad.”
“And now he’s banging skanks? Big leap.” So he’d caught every word I’d ranted earlier and was going to call me out on them one by one. Normally I’d kibosh this, but I’d put it all out there and I’ll be leaving soon anyway, never to see him again, so I might as well get it off my chest.
“I don’t know what he’s doing. We haven’t talked in a while.” I get up to put my plate by the sink; I’ve had all I can stomach. “I feel a lot better; can you take me back now?”
“Why don’t you stay here and relax? There’s plenty of room and I’ll get you back in the morning.” He waits for me to say something, I guess, but I don’t. “You’re safe here, Disney.”
I’m back to Disney now, he must not be mad at me anymore.
“I don’t want to impose, really, I feel better. And I’m sorry, Dane, I really am pretty low maintenance most of the time,” I sigh. “I just lost it.”
“I know, and you wouldn’t be imposing. It’s lonely in this huge house, Laney. Why do you think I’m at the dorms all the time? Come on, I’ll give you a tour.” He comes over and takes my hand, pulling me to a new part of the mansion.
Right out of the kitchen is a large living room with a huge stone fireplace as the focal point. The furniture is beige leather, all oversized, and the couch faces a wall completely taken up by the largest flat screen TV made, I’m sure of it.
“Well, remind me never to watch movies here.” I fake a scoff. “I mean, how would I see it on that teeny tiny thing?”
He gives me a smirk but doesn’t shoot back a retort.
The long hall holds several doors he doesn’t open and leads to an open foyer with marble flooring. There stands the largest floating staircase I’ve ever seen, and to the left, a dining area hosting an enormous mahogany table with about twenty chairs. To the right is a sunken den that houses a beautiful grand piano, which makes me wonder if Dane plays.
In the corner is a set of French doors that I’m sure lead to the backyard. While it’s all beautiful and immaculate, it feels cold. Sterile. I didn’t see a single picture. There’re no worn out recliners where dads watch the game, no throws on the couch, and no catch-all spot with papers and junk...it’s not a home; the word mausoleum comes to mind.
Dane leads us up the stairs and to the left to show me a full gym, like ‘please fill out this application for your membership’ full gym. There’s at least one of any piece of equipment you could name, most of which I can’t, and that’s saying something, since I’m a freaking athlete. The walls are solid mirrors with speakers along the ceiling intermittently and oh, of course, a small bar in the corner...why, sure. It’s the sleekest gym I’ve ever seen, but it would intimidate the hell out of me with all those mirrors.
“Wow” is all I can think to say.
He just laughs and pulls me out and further down the hall...to the place I’d like to be buried. It’s the biggest and best home theater in the whole wide world! I can’t help the gasp that escapes me; it’s fabulous. There are four rows of seats, which are big and fluffy, not hard-backed and stiff, with headphones and cup holders. The screen itself is massive and oh my God, the room is the perfect temperature-I can feel my toes! The whole right wall is shelves lined with movies, and I can’t decide whether to cry or get down on my knees and pay homage. I guess he sees the look in my eyes.
“I figured you’d like this. Just imagine Disney in here.” He smirks at me. He read my mind. He starts to pull me by the hand to continue the tour and I dig in my heels and beg to stay in here, to which he laughs, “come on, you can come back any time you want.”