A Different Slice

22 - Gelato (Kieran)

The following week, as much as Kieran wanted to skip Rusty's training, he was glad to be there. Naomi's subtle closeness was addictive. In front of Brinny, she was friendly and professional as she joked and bonded over Rusty. When Brinny was on her phone, or if Kieran shielded him and Naomi from Brinny's view, Naomi's touch would linger if she took extra treats from his palm, or she'd speak so softly they had to stand close to hear.

He'd thought it had gone unnoticed until Brinny stood at the door with crossed arms as he slipped on his shoes. Rusty stood at her side and let out a short yip.

"Be careful, Kier."

"Sorry?" He studied her concerned face.

"With her. It's her job to be friendly and sweet, but those actions aren't necessarily sincere once she's not being paid."

Little did Brinny know, he and Naomi had been hanging out after these sessions over the past month, but he wasn't about to tell Brinny. "Naomi's genuine."

Brinny chewed her lip, and her expression softened. "I've never seen you like this, and it's easy to believe the best in people when they show a bit of interest in you. It's crushing when that interest is for the wrong reasons."

Plenty of men had taken advantage of Brinny in the past, but he could never see Naomi doing that with him. Their connection was genuine.

"I understand where you're coming from. Naomi's not like the guys you date."

Brinny sighed and brought her hands to her sides. "There's a difference between people like her and people like us."

"Like her?"

"Thin, attractive people."

He did not need that wound reopened. "Thanks for the confidence boost." He forced a laugh and reached for the door handle.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. You're attractive to some people." She blinked her long lashes a few times. "But she's objectively hot, and that comes with a lifetime of getting what you want and feeling entitled to certain treatment."

He'd witnessed insecurity on Naomi's part, and she was used to unmet expectations if her ex was any sign. Plus, she'd confided she didn't experience physical attraction and didn't care about his size.

Brinny picked at the skin on her thumb. "I was bigger when you and I first met, and heavier before that." She averted her eyes as if he would judge her, even though he always challenged her self-critical weight-related comments. Rusty rubbed up against her leg. "Before you moved here, I hung out with this guy, and we hit it off. He was a dream like Naomi is for you, handsome, charming, and a total flirt. It started amazingly, but when we were alone, he'd ask me to do things that were... demeaning. I didn't want to lose what we had, so I did them."

Her thumb-picking had drawn blood near her lower knuckle, but it didn't slow her. Katy had told him a few stories of assholes she'd gone on a date or two with before they'd met, so he sensed what Brinny was hinting at.

"In the end, it didn't matter. I meant nothing to him when he meant the world to me. He said we were just messing around, and I was naïve to believe he'd want a relationship with a woman who looked like me. After that, I did everything I could to never be treated like that." She leaned down to pet Rusty, who licked at her face.

She'd lost at least fifty pounds since they'd met, and she'd dyed her hair blond to get Cole's attention.

"That's shitty. I had no idea."

"It's not something I like to talk about. I wish I could forget it," she muttered.

He tucked his hands in his pockets, unsure what to do with them. "Does Cole treat you like that?"