“You can go if you want, Byron. The girls are fed, thanks to you and they can sit and watch TV until their dad gets home. You don’t need to stick around until he gets here, if you got stuff you need to get back to.”
“He didn’t eat any of his food,” Elsa announced before he could respond, and Lucy nodded adamantly.
Ali’s brows furrowed. “You’re not coming down with something are you?
“No. I’m fine.” He stood up feigning a genuine smirk as he glanced at Elsa. “Don’t be ratting me out, Elsi.” She giggled when he winked at her then he turned back to Ali. “I’d just eaten before I picked them up. Only ordered myself something out of habit but I was stuffed. In fact—” He pointed at her as he started toward the door. “—have you eaten?”
Ali started to shake her head, but her eyes went wide in protest. So, before she could, he rushed to the door pissed that he hadn’t thought of calling ahead and asking her if she wanted him to bring something. He’d just been so riled he wasn’t thinking straight. Still wasn’t. But this worked out. “Girls packed up my sopes real nice. I’m not gonna eat them. You can have them. If not, givem’ to Beast when he gets home. I’m sure he’ll wolf them down as an appetizer.”
Hurrying down the pathway outside to his car, he held in the impending roar he knew he’d be letting out sooner or later. Normally he wouldn’t take Ali up on her offer to let him go before Beast got there. But today he was going to. As pissed as it made him that Vannah, a girl he knew for just a week and hadn’t even slept with yet could do all this to him, he needed to get out of there. He felt ready to blow, and they’d all picked up on it. Even little Lucy.
Grabbing the to-go bag with the tray of sopes, Byron closed the car door and headed back. His phoned buzzed in his pocket more than once but he hesitated to pull it out. If Vannah had the nerve to respond with something snarky about his weekend plans or worse, assure him she too would find another friend to spend hers with, he’d be too tempted to hit the call button. Ali and the girls were already onto his broody ass mood. His cussing loudly on the phone just outside the house would only confirm what they already suspected. That something was, not just going on with him, but tearing him up.
Once in the house, he gave into the temptation to check the texts. He knew no matter what, he wouldn’t consider calling her in the presence of his Littles. Even Beast who was notorious for his short temper rarely even raised his voice in front of his girls. Byron would be beyond needing to raise his voice if Vannah decided to go toe to toe with him about what they’d each be up to this weekend. As riled up as he was feeling, he started reading the first text and it confused him.
You know me, I would’ve called but I’m at work. Don’t be a party poop again. We’ll be down at The Chuperia again tonight.
Stopping before he was done reading, to look at who it was actually from, Byron frowned when he saw it was from Irma. A girl he got together with from time to time. Even this was an infuriating reminder of what Vannah had done to him all week. Irma had reached out more than once in the past week and it only irritated him when his phone screen confirmed it wasn’t a call or text from Vannah. He didn’t bother reading the rest before clicking on the next text.
Tell Gus Christine will be here.
Again, he didn’t bother reading the rest—something about why her friend Christine wasn’t texting Gus herself. Like Byron gave a shit. But this only pissed him off even further. Normally he would’ve taken her up on her invite to Taco Tuesdays at The Chuperia this past week. Instead, it’d been an easy pass. Even though he hadn’t been able to see Vannah that night, he’d been quick to choose video chatting with her in between her classes instead.
It burned him now when he remembered how quick and okay, Vannah had been today about not being able to see him for lunch after all. She probably had the other guy on standby. Getting past Ali’s protest about his leaving her his food, he said his goodbyes to the girls quickly and got out of there before he started roaring about all the infuriating thoughts still bombarding him.
Byron managed to keep the impending meltdown, to growls and a few bangs against his steering wheel all the way home. He felt like a fucking idiot for having interpreted everything he thought this girl had begun to feel for him in such a short time. What was he, thirteen? A few kisses, an amazing make out session and weeklong of nonstop texts, video chats that neither ever wanted to end despite how late into the night they’d drawn out. He’d practically heard harp music and wedding bells after their very first kiss. All for what? For someone that turned out to be exactly how Nine described hot freaky college girls and what Byron should’ve anticipated especially after his experience with Barbara. What’s worse, Vannah had never denied it’s what she did.
So why was he so incensed?
Byron wasn’t even sure who he was madder at. Her, for swooping into his life so unannounced and unexpectedly and having this kind of effect on him? Or himself for being such a chump and allowing anyone to have this kind of hold on him so quickly.
Once back at the shop, Byron did his best to try and snap out of his horrendous mood. He threw his phone in a drawer refusing to obsess over every ding it made. Trying to concentrate on his work, he failed miserably at not being obvious as fuck that one wrong word could lead to blows, he was so tensed up.
“What the hell’s wrong with you?” Gus half smirked; half frowned after Byron snapped at him for like the third time. “I was just messing with you. Something up your ass today? Everything okay with Beast and his girls?”
Stopping for a moment as he cleaned his grimy hands off with a rag, Byron took a deep breath, feeling like an ass but shook his head. “They’re fine.” Then he had a thought. He needed a shot—or two. “When’s the last time you saw Christine?”
Gus’s brows furrowed in question and he shook his head. “Christine? It’s been weeks at least. Why?”
Byron glanced down at his watch. “I need a drink. Irma text me earlier. She and Christine are down at the Chuperia right about now.” He threw the rag at Gus who quickly caught it. “Go home and shower up. I’ll do the same then meet me back here. Uber’s on me.”
Gus smiled big with a nod. “Haven’t had me some Christine in a while. Will do, sir. See you back here in a bit.”
Even that last comment grated Byron to no end. Gus always said Christine wasn’t the boyfriend type of girl and always up for a good time, as long as no demands were made. Byron did not need a reminder of the kind of girl he’d now confirmed Vannah was.
Thirteen
Calm Before the Mayhem
Vannah
It was a shame, and Vannah felt so guilty that her parents had spent all that money on tickets to the Frozen musical in Hollywood for the whole family and she hadn’t been able to enjoy any of it. Byron’s response to her text had been such a blow to her heart the entire night it’d been all she could think of. She’d read it several times thinking she must’ve read it wrong. Maybe he meant something else by his time with her always turning into an overnight thing. But after rehashing it with Xochitl for as much as even her cynical friend tried to make something different of it, they’d both come to the same disappointing conclusion. Despite the amazing night they had last week, and all the time they’d spent video chatting this past week, Byron was making it clear now that she’d been right about her first thought on why he asked her out to begin with. He was in no way looking for anything serious. This was probably his way of pulling back in case she was getting too ahead of herself.
It was almost embarrassing. Had her excitement and willingness to talk to him all week, day and night and into the wee hours of the morning been too over-the-top? Vannah could only conclude that her eagerness had spooked him. She’d tried so hard to not sound as incredibly disappointed when he cancelled the lunch date she’d so been looking forward to. Even her text about trying to squeeze in some time with him the next evening had been reworded a million times as to not come across as needy in case it’s why he’d canc
elled their lunch to begin with.
But his response to her text had sealed it. He’d made no bones about it. This was his way of making it clear, this was what she was in for with him. She couldn’t even blame him. Here she’d been all about not being into the boyfriend thing and it was exactly why he’d been into her to begin with. Her gut feeling that he was all for this because she wouldn’t be expecting more from her had been spot on. Then she had to ruin it with her weak admission that she missed him.
Once they’d agreed that there was no doubt about what he was making clear in his text, Xochitl was livid. They’d been sitting at the kitchen table in their dorm scrutinizing the stupid text Vannah had kept to herself the entire night before.
“I’m good?” Xochitl frowned after sipping her coffee. “That’s rude as fuck and I don’t like him—at all—anymore. He may as well have said—” Xochitl held her hand up in the air all animated “—Pass!”
If it didn’t hurt so much Vannah might’ve laughed at that. Instead, she pouted and to her surprise was incapable of stopping her lips from trembling as the warm tears filled her eyes. Xochitl immediately leaned over and patted her hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make light of it, honey. Guys are assholes.”
Vannah shook her head brushing away the tears with her fingers. “I just feel so stupid, is all.”
“Don’t,” Xochitl insisted. “You said the beach last week was incredibly romantic and then you were so caught up with him all week, you and I hardly spoke! Of course, you’d think there was more to all of this.”
“But he even made a point that night to bring up that I wasn’t expecting anything serious about this. I forced him to be this blunt.”
“No.” her adamant roomie insisted. “He didn’t have to be an asshole about it. He could’ve just said he’d already made plans. Why be so explicit about it?
“Because after avoiding me all week and then cancelling on me, my weak ass couldn’t keep the fact that I missed him to myself.”
“And what was his response?” Xochitl arched a brow.
Vannah lifted and dropped a shoulder. “It was an obligatory response. What else was he supposed to say?”
“No, he said he missed you too and he wasn’t going the whole weekend without seeing you.” Xochitl squeezed Vannah’s arm. “I’m sure he meant it too. He’s just a typical man whore and while he certainly wouldn’t mind having some more good time with you, he’s even making it clear he needs to see you again soon, he just wants to make sure it’s clear and you’re okay with not being the only one he’s spending time with.”
“Well, I’m not.” Vannah said standing up and walked her cup to the sink. “As much as I’d like to say, I’m the kind of modern girl who can do the fun-and-run thing without getting all hurt, clearly, I’m not. Technically I’ve officially known this guy for all of what? Just over a week and here I’m tearing up over him already. No way.” She started to rinse out her cup and clear up the other dishes in the sink. “No way can I do this. I’m done. I’m just glad he put it out there before I was in too deep.” She turned back to Xochitl who was still sitting at the table drinking her coffee and pouted. “My heart hurts this much already. Can you imagine if I’d slept with him? Thank God I didn’t.”
They discussed it for just a little longer before she got the call from her sister. “We’re going to 5th Street tonight. Daddy’s request.”
“What?” Vannah gasped. “What happened to Hearst Castle? I thought we were doing that today?”
“Yeah, but since we’re doing Tamale Lilliana’s for dinner, he figured we’ll be right by there.” Nena sounded a little too excited about this, while Vannah’s head was already spinning trying to come up with a good reason to balk. “It’ll be a nice way to end the evening. We’ll take a stroll of the gym then get some epic tamales for dinner after.” Nena giggled before adding. “Daddy’s being all touristy this weekend. He said he hasn’t been to 5th Street in years. We’ll pick you up for breakfast in about a half hour, so be ready.”
Once off the phone, Vannah begged Xochitl to help her brainstorm and come up with a way of getting out of going. “I can’t risk seeing him. You saw me already,” Vannah pleaded, alarmed that she was feeling choked up again. “He already felt the need to be this blunt with me, can you imagine if I pathetically tear up on him?”
“No,” Xochitl shook her head holding Vannah’s arms as she looked her straight in the eye. “If you see him it’ll be a good thing. You’ll be armed and surrounded by your family and you’ll be fine. He has plans tonight, remember? Odds are he’ll be nowhere near 5th street tonight but even if he is, you’re bound to run into him sooner or later. Better to get your first time having to face him out of the way this way than if you’re alone, right?”
Vannah gulped back her emotion. Her friend had a point. Still, they wouldn’t be at Hearst Castle all day and night. They’d likely finish up midday. There was still the possibility he might hit the gym before his date tonight. The thought of seeing him, especially this soon and on the day when she knew what his plans were that night—because he’d made sure she did—scared the hell out of her.
“You’ll be fine,” Xochitl smiled then hugged her. “I hate that he turned out to be a jerk, but I still have my doubts about him not being totally into you.”
“Stop,” Vannah pulled away shaking her head. “Last thing I need is to be delusional. He’s made it clear now what he’s into and I just can’t do that.” She wiped at the corner of her eye, hating how weak this made her feel. “I feel stupid now that I actually thought and made him think I could do the just friends thing with anyone, especially someone like him. Lesson learned. No romance for me unless I’m ready for serious. I’m just glad the damage was this minor.”
Even as she made that last comment, she knew it was a major understatement. It was just too embarrassing to admit now how quickly she’d been swept off her feet by this guy. She hugged her friend again before trudging off to change, glad she’d already showered. As much as she dreaded seeing Byron again, Xochitl was right. Her family was nothing if not protective—all of them. The last thing she’d be feeling while surrounded by them today, if she happened to run into him, was vulnerable. She just hated how much one little text could change the circumstances. She’d gone from walking on air all week and dying to see him again, to dreading coming face to face with those piercing eyes and fighting the now perpetual stupid knot in her throat.
Fourteen
W.T.F?
Byron
Before he even opened his eyes, Byron was struck with an even heavier feeling of the usual bitterness he’d been waking to for the better part of the last year. But it took him a moment to remember why it was heavier than the norm. When it hit him yet another thing about last night came to him. He opened his eyes slowly and turned to her.
Irma lay there next to him, naked from her bottom half down, still sound asleep. He winced as bits of last night came to him. He’d hung out with her touchy-feely ass all night, though he couldn’t for the life of him remember leaving the place or how they ended up in his bed. Closing his eyes, he swallowed hard as more bits of blurred memories of the night came to him slowly. Like how hard he’d tried to replicate the utter bliss a single kiss from Vannah amassed—but failed miserably. That he remembered because of course . . .
Not even close.
Just like the night at Frat Row Friday when he kept doing double takes each time he thought he saw her, he remembered those same three words kept blasting in his head the whole night. Only unlike that night when the phrase confused him, this time he knew exactly what it meant. There was so much more to Vannah than any other girl he’d ever met—kissed—touched. He still couldn’t wrap his head around it, but obviously he wouldn’t be getting over her like he stupidly thought he might by going out and getting laid.
Fuller memories from last night came to him slowly. Like how at first it was infuriating, and he remembered trying all night to stop thinking about her.
Every time he’d be assaulted with the visuals, he’d up his atypical playful chatter, something he begun to pick up from Vannah after only a week. Something he was also sure Irma took by surprise and she’d likely had interpreted as an intensifying interest and desire to hook up with her.
That’s when he remembered something else. For all the obnoxious flirting he and Irma had done last night, and groping she’d begun to do, he’d been annoyed that he’d drank so much because he couldn’t get so much as a rise. Only time that’d ever happened in the past was when he’d had too much to drink or smoke. Last night he’d done both.
Though there’d been other times in the past when he’d done both and was still able to perform just fine. Obviously, last night had ended with a bang if she was still here. Of course, if last night had come even close to the night he’d had with Vannah, even if that one hadn’t ended with a bang, he might remember this one. He squeezed his eyes tight trying in vain to remember anything past their drunken groping, but he couldn’t. There were just bits and pieces. Mostly of Gus laughing and holding him up and then a blur of faces.
Opening his eyes again, Byron sat up slowly. Thankful that he probably smoked more than he drank because his headache wasn’t too bad. He could tell he was dehydrated as hell but mostly he felt completely drained. He was sure it had more to do with the angst he’d felt all night over the visuals of Vannah and her fucking friend. Ironically, no amount of drinking, or smoking had languished the memory of what had gone from fury to an ongoing dull ache in his heart. How he could’ve been so off the mark about her he’d never know. He’d been certain despite her claims of not doing the exclusive relationship thing, she’d begun to feel differently with every conversation they’d had this past week—morning, day and night. Damn it! Moreover, as sweet a girl as she was and regardless that she’d openly admitted to having multiple friends she hung out with, she did not strike Byron as one who’d be making out with more than one in the same week. Would she sleep with multiple guys too?
Not Even Close (A New Generation) Page 13