I massaged my hand, ignoring his grin. “What do you think it does to future men when you teach boys that being weak is being a pussy? Pussy meaning female, obviously. Or yelling at men who are doing poorly that they’re being girls? Or ladies? Had enough, ladies?” I squinted one eye at him. It was all my brain could muster for a glare. “Men are teaching boys that they are equivalent to ladies, to girls, when they’re at their worst. At their absolute weakest. And you wonder why we’re from different planets? You wonder why men so often disrespect women?” I patted my purse. “Neck to navel.”
I’d thought he would laugh at the joke I’d thrown in at the end to lighten things up, but he didn’t. Instead, he stared at me silently in the darkness. The small hairs rose on my arms again. Goosebumps erupted on my flesh.
“I hear you,” he said softly. “I never put stock in any of that—the taunting about being ladies—but I didn’t see the bigger picture, either. Just like earlier tonight—no one has ever spelled out the dangers women face when a man asserts himself as I did. That blindsided me. So much of tonight has blindsided me. In my life, when it comes to this, I feel like I’ve been…blindfolded in a way. Not blind, because if I would’ve looked, I would’ve seen, but…” He shook his head. “I’m gobsmacked. Thank you. I’ll be more conscious of this going forward.”
I reached out and placed my hand on his arm, just to make sure he was real. To make sure I was still awake.
He wasn’t acting like any of the men I knew. Certainly not like my ex or his friends. I’d attempted to talk to Matt about the dangers women faced, and he’d blown me off. That wasn’t his reality, and therefore my fear wasn’t justified. The minute, day-to-day suffering women faced for being women wasn’t real.
Austin was ten times as strong as Matt had ever been. Bigger, broader, more masculine. He was the quintessential tough guy. And yet…he was all ears. More than that, he was thanking me for enlightening him. And he meant it.
I need to hang out with better men.
Tears filled my eyes. “You’re a good man, Charlie Brown. Even if you do randomly flex for no reason.”
His smile was soft. He gently removed my hand. “How about getting you home?”
“Okay, but before we get there, let’s steal all of Niamh’s rocks. She’ll be so mad.”TenMy head throbbed before I even opened my eyes. My mouth felt like a cesspool.
Light sprinkled across my face and a shape loomed over me.
Mr. Tom stood beside my bedside, looking down on me. I hurt too much to show surprise.
“Why are you standing over me like a serial killer?” I asked with a hoarse voice.
“Would madam like some breakfast? Or a rag to wipe off the chocolate smeared across her cheek?”
I let my eyes drift closed and palmed my aching forehead. Then I let myself moan, long and loud.
“Coffee and aspirin, then. Shall I bring it up?” he asked, his face way too close even though it was still many feet away and safely out of my personal space bubble.
“Sure, if you don’t mind.”
He nodded, straightened, and stepped back. “I took the liberty of laundering the clothes you littered across the floor and re-homing the collection of rocks you had stuffed in your pockets.”
Oh God, I’d stolen Niamh’s rocks.
Well, technically, Austin and I had stolen Niamh’s rocks. My pockets hadn’t been large enough to fit the whole collection, so I’d started unceremoniously shoving them into his pockets, making him an accessory to the theft.
“Probably best not to mention that to anyone else,” I told Mr. Tom. “Maybe just…keep it between us, if you wouldn’t mind.”
“Of course, madam. Whoever has lost their rocks will never hear a peep out of me.”
“What time is it?”
“Ten o’clock, madam.”
“Ten? Crap.” I struggled to sit up, hurting too much to worry about my tight tank top and lack of a bra. If Mr. Tom cared, he shouldn’t have let himself into my room without an invite. “I have to get moving.”
“Not at all, madam. I have not been up long, myself. People in this community keep slightly different hours than Dicks and Janes. They stay up to embrace the magic of the night and sleep through the uneventful day.”
It was a great excuse, I’d say that much.
“I’ll let you get up and showered. The coffee will be waiting for you.”
“Thank you.” He’d need to cut out this waiting on me stuff, lest I get used to it and not want to leave when Diana’s auntie came home, but today wouldn’t be the day.
I waited until he left before trudging to the bathroom. The shower helped somewhat, though it was clear the day would completely suck. There was no getting around that.