Read Object of My Affection for Free Online

voice and I saw Sam cringe out of the corner of my eye.
    She continued undeterred, “Well, the rumor around town is that you’ve been seeing Elijah Jasper.”
    I just looked at her blankly.
    “They say you dumped your live in boyfriend for him.”
    I just kept staring expressionlessly at Lola. The longer I looked, the more she seemed to develop diarrhea of the mouth. “Of course, I haven’t said anything, I just listen, but everybody comes in here, and that’s the latest word. I was surprised. I mean, Jasper’s cute and all, but that Italian, oh my God. So, I said something must be wrong with her, to myself of course....”
    Sam seemed to find the situation funny and finally interrupted, “Honey, you believe everything you hear?”
    Lola tucked her dark hair behind one ear nervously and stuttered a bit before saying, “Well, I didn’t expect to see her walk in here with a tall drink of water like you.”
    A thought seemed to come to Lola’s mind, and her eyes lit up expectantly.
    “You must be the man she was seen riding around town with this week, the one with the Harley,” she practically squealed with excitement.
    “That would be me.” He smiled.
    Sam might have been getting a kick out of the situation, but I was not. My blood positively boiled at the thoughts of people spying on me. My private life was not, nor would it ever be, any business of theirs!
    “Don’t you have anything better to do?” I sneered nastily.
    “What do you mean?” she stammered.
    “I mean, does no one in this town have enough of a life to interest them even slightly more than who I might be sleeping with?”
    “Well, you don’t have to get mean about it. If you don’t want to answer, just say so,” she sounded brave, but Lola was beginning to cringe behind her computer.
    “I’m not being mean, Lola. Mean is spying on your neighbors and running your mouth about things that you don’t understand. What you’re witnessing right now is not me being mean. This is how someone reacts when confronted with idiocy in motion.” The more I spoke the more soft and deadly my voice became.
    Normally, I don’t have such a short fuse, but Lola had pushed the right button on the wrong day. In spite of my reaction, I could still see the question in her eyes. She still wanted to know if any of it was true.
    “Rumors will fly as long as idiots give them wings,” I snarled as I picked up the movies and made my way to the door.
    Sam walked quickly to catch up enough to open the door for me. As I stepped out onto the sidewalk he glanced back at Lola and added, “For the record, I’m staying in the guest room.”
    When I tried to open the door, my hand was shaking so much I nearly scratched the paint with the key.
    “Give it up.” Sam stretched his open hand toward me.
    Fortunately, we’d parked around the side of the building away from Lola and her prying eyes.
    “What?” I asked.
    “You are way too upset to drive.”
    He was right. I handed over the keys and climbed into the passenger seat. Once we were out of the parking lot Sam asked, “You want to explain to me what the hell that was all about?”
    “It just pisses me off,” I snapped.
    “Well, no shit, but do you realize you’re shaking?”
    “You would be too if people had talked about you behind your back your whole life.”
    I launched into an explanation about how ever since I was in school people kept deliberately starting things with me. I had never understood why. I didn’t sleep around. I didn’t start fights. For the most part I was really easy going until someone finally pushed my buttons one time too many.
    “The shit they say has never been true,” I panted.
    “Let me guess, these rumors are spread mostly by women.” It wasn’t a question.
    “Yeah, so?”
    “So, they’re jealous.”
    “Of what? Being the center of ridicule? They want everyone watching every move they make, hmm?”
    “I take it these rumors have never prevented you from getting a