by Jamie Knight
“Should I call Amelia to come get me?” I asked timidly after I finally had caught my breath. I started to get up up to get my phone from the floor next to the bed. He grabbed my arm and pulled me back to him.
“No, stay,” he said, his eyes pleading with me.
The words, not to mention his expression, made me melt. I wasn’t going anywhere.
Not that I wanted to. So without a word, I crawled into his arms, where I remained for the rest of the night.
Chapter Ten
Elliot
It had been two days since I had seen Candy and she was all that I could think about. I kept thinking about the night that we had spent together. But, more than anything, I just kept thinking about how much I enjoyed her company. I couldn’t wait until I could see her again.
Part of me had thought I’d be able to get her out of my system, but now that I’d had her, I just wanted more…
This was something that I wasn’t used to. I had always been the one-and-done type of guy. I would have my fill of a girl in a night and that would be all that I would look for. I would send her on her way and if I ever saw her again, it would be a huge surprise to both of us. I actually tried to make it a practice not to run into the girls that I spent the night with again.
But, here I was, borderline obsessing over Candy. I just could not get her out of my head.
My phone rang, startling me out of my thoughts.
It was my work buddy, Rich.
“Hey, there, stranger,” he said. “What have you been up to?”
I didn’t want to tell him that I had been stressing and obsessing over a girl, so I told him that I had been busy working on a work project. He tried asking about details, but I dismissed him.
“To what do I owe the honor of this phone call?” I asked, wanting him to get to the point. I knew he wasn’t calling just to check on me.
“Well, a bunch of us are getting together tonight to go to Winkies and I wanted to see if you wanted to join us,” he said. “We’re meeting up there right after work. And dude, bring you’re A-game because they are having strippers.”
I couldn’t remember a time in Winkie’s history when they had had strippers, so I knew that this was definitely going to be a sight to see. But at the same time, the idea held about as much appeal as eating I told him that I would meet them there. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I welcomed the change of scenery. Hopefully, it would help me keep my mind off of Candy.
When I got to Winkie’s, the parking lot was packed with the usuals plus a few extras. I had to park a few blocks up the street. But, I didn’t mind the walk, so I didn’t complain. I spotted the guys right away. They had already served up shots and were cheering in a rowdy way in the back of the bar. The strippers hadn’t come out yet, but the crowd was already drunk and ready.
Everyone looked like they were having a great time. And normally, I probably would have enjoyed the scene, too. But I just wasn’t into it. Even once the strippers came out and the crowd went wild, I kept finding myself wanting to leave. Hell, especially when they came out.
I was bored. And I kept thinking about Candy. I wondered what she had been doing at that moment and if she had been thinking of me as much as I thought about her. I couldn’t stop thinking about how she felt, how I felt inside of her. My dick hardened at the thought.
Just then, one of the strippers stands up on the bar and starts dancing. Her heels clicked loudly on the bar and she slapped her thighs hard. It made me smile because it reminded me of Candy’s victory dances when we were bowling.
Could I really think of nothing else other than Candy? I was starting to get annoyed.
I couldn’t take it anymore and decided that I had to leave.
I got into my car, sliding down into the leather. I rubbed my temples, the music still ringing loudly in my ears even though I was outside. I pulled out my cell phone and found Candy’s number. It was late, but I wanted to hear her voice so badly.
I dialed the number.
“Hello?” she said, sleepily.
“Hey, Candy, it’s Elliot,” I said. “Sorry if I woke you.”
“Oh, you didn’t wake me,” she said, her voice starting to sound more perky. “What’s going on?”
“Oh, nothing much,” I said, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. “I was just thinking about you and wanted to give you a call. Everything okay with you?”
She was silent on the other end for a minute
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said.
“Good,” I said. “The other reason for my call was…I was wondering if…would you like to go on another date with me?”
I held my breath, waiting for her answer.
“Yes,” she said breathlessly and eagerly. “I would love to go out with you again.”
I felt like doing a happy dance.
“Good. Great. Thanks.”
I hung up, a smile plastered on my face. I started the car and drove home. There was nothing left for me at Winkie’s and I knew it.
I couldn’t help but wonder if this girl was the mythical “The One” that everyone speaks about.
Chapter Eleven
Candy
One Month Later
I couldn’t believe that I could say that I officially had a boyfriend. I had been single for so long, I was starting to think that it would never happen for me.
But, then Elliot came into my life. It had been a month since we had started dating and it had been a blissful month. I had never been so happy in all of my life. The only thing that I could even closely compare it to was the feeling that I felt when I finally started my bakery.
My heart sank as I thought about my business. Even though I had been having a great time dating Elliot, part of me felt guilty about dating him because I felt like I was neglecting the bakery because of it. I guess this was the part of the trade-off between having a dating life and a thriving business.
But, I was still determined to see my business grow. I rode past the building that I had my sights on and saw that it was still available. It was a shame, though, because I still hadn’t found a way to come up with the money that I was shy. That frustrated me. It was like I could see the clear path to my true joy and yet it evaded me.
I had a dinner date with Elliot, so I told myself that I would think more about my bakery and how I could get the building later. For the moment, I would enjoy spending time with Elliot.
He picked me up from my house, opening the door for me like a true gentlemen. I couldn’t help but wonder what I had done to get such a class act.
We went to an Italian restaurant that had the best chicken alfredo and wine pairings. We always got the same thing when we ate there. It was one of our favorite spots.
I guess it was a popular spot for a lot of people because as we were finishing up dinner, I looked on the other side of the dining room and noticed Tammy, my baking rival. She was sitting there with a guy that I noticed had been at the auction.
“Give me just a minute,” I said, excusing myself from the table. “I just want to go say hello.”
I walked over to her table.
“Excuse me, Tammy?” I said. "I just happened to be eating here, and I saw what just happened. Good for you! I wanted to come over and congratulate you on your happiness. I also found happiness with the man I met at your auction, so thanks for that,” I glanced over my shoulder and smiled, Elliot’s face making my heart do a little flip in my chest.
“Wow, that’s great,” I said. “I’m glad to see that you have been happy since the auction. I have been happy since the auction myself.”
I turned and looked in the direction of our table where Elliot was sitting. He smiled at me. I waved and smiled back at him.
“I guess you and Jim didn’t work out after all,” Tammy sniped.
"Ugh, he was such a douche. I'm glad to be done with him!" I exclaimed in disgust.
I figured it was easier than explaining just how deep “douche” went.
T
ammy’s eyes widened in surprise as she set down her water glass.
"Tell me about it! I could have told you that, after he dumped me for you," she replied, trying to sound casual and failing.
My mouth fell open. So, the rumors had been true. Rumors had been circulating the Jim and Tammy had been dating, but Jim told me that it wasn’t true and I had foolishly believed him. To hear her confirm shouldn’t have been a shock at this point, but somehow it was.
"He did?" I heard myself saying, “I didn’t know. I never would have given him the time of day if I had have known that he had a girlfriend already.”
Tammy’s face softened as she realized that I really had been in the dark about things with Jim.
“Well, it’s not your fault,” she said. “You couldn’t have known the level of loser that you were dealing with. It’s just a really good thing that you found out sooner rather than later.”
“You don’t know the half of it,” I sigh, rubbing my upper arm.
Just thinking about him, I swore I could still feel the phantom digging of his fingers into my flesh, the way he’d grab me hard enough to bruise.
“So, how is business treating you?” I asked, wanting to shake off the ugly thoughts.
“Business is good,” she said. “Actually, I had had my eye on a piece of real estate that I think we mutually are interested in.”
At first, I started to feel a little competitive to hear that she was interested in the same property, but then I came up with an idea.
“What if we buy it together?” I asked. “I mean, we’re both really good at what we do and we’re in the same industry. It would be like a remix of sorts. We could have some of your creations and some of mine and then we could create some together. It will be great. The auctions have been bringing more people to town lately, so I don’t see why we couldn’t build a new brand and see it expand. In fact, I think that maybe working together would mean more money for both of us.
Tammy rubbed her chin like she was thinking it over. Then, she shook her head.
“No, thanks,” she said, dabbing the corner of her mouth with her napkin. “I’m fine on my own. It does sound like a good idea, though.”
She smiled at me warmly, something that I can’t ever remember her doing. I could tell that our conversation had broken down a lot of walls that had been built between us. She had softened toward me.
Things were starting to look better and better.
Chapter Twelve
Candy
“I’m so sorry,” I said, rejoining Elliot at our table. “Where were we?”
Elliot smiled and put his hand on top of mine.
“Exactly where we’re supposed to be,” he said gently.
I had to cross my legs to keep from getting too excited. We were sitting in a public restaurant, after all. He kept reminding me why dating him had been such a good idea and I fell more head over heels every day.
And yet, something nagged at the back of my mind. What was it?
It couldn’t have been the conversation that I had with Tammy. It had been very pleasant and even cathartic. We had been able to clear the air from decades of misunderstandings, jealousy, and rivalry, some of which that I was unaware even existed until today.
Even with all of the good that came from that run in, I still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Anxiety lingered, this unending feeling that something was off.
We finished our dinner and I passed on dessert when asked, for the first time since we’d started dating.
Elliot looked at me, concern etched on his face.
“Are you okay?” asked Elliot. “You seem like something is bothering you. Are you feeling well?”
I laughed.
“I have to be sick to turn down dessert?” I asked. “No, I’m just tired, that’s all. Can you take me home?”
I yawned to give my words more of an effect. I was really tired, that wasn’t a lie. But, then, there was that something else, that something that I just couldn’t put my finger on.
Elliot whipped out his credit card, put it on the edge of the table, and signaled for the waiter to come over.
“Sure, let’s get out of here,” he said. “I need to get you home that you can get your beauty sleep. I can’t have you out here turning into a pumpkin on my watch, now can we?”
I laughed. He had such a great sense of humor. When the waiter came back to the table with his credit card, we left.
On the ride home, Elliot made it a point to reach over and slip his hand into mine. It was such a sweet gesture. It made my heart skip a beat.
When we pulled up to my apartment, he walked me to my door.
“Good night,” he said, landing a sweet, sensuous kiss on my lips. I leaned into the kiss, taking it all in. He was such a passionate kisser. I melted into his arms whenever he pressed his lips to mine. They were soft, but firm at the same time. It was wonderful and I loved every minute of it.
But, I had to admit that it left me wanting more. Part of me almost invited him to come inside so that we could finish what we had started with that kiss.
But, that nagging, sinking feeling just wasn’t going anywhere. I told him good night and let myself into the dark apartment. I turned on the light and saw that the apartment was empty. Amelia wasn’t home yet. I hoped that whatever she was doing she was enjoying herself. She deserved to have a good time.
I got ready for bed, hoping that a good night’s sleep would help me to shake whatever this feeling was. I slipped on my night gown and climbed into bed.
What was it that was bothering me? I had to figure it out before I fell asleep. I needed to be up early in the morning to get some work done at the bakery.
That’s when it hit me. That sinking feeling that I felt was guilt over not being as attentive to the bakery as I should have been. I was neglecting my business. Thankfully, my assistant Leah had stepped up and took on working more hours in my absence. She hadn’t complained at all about the extra workload, in fact she had eagerly jumped at the opportunity for more hours, but it was bothering me anyway.
It was just the fact that I had worked so hard to get as far as I had gotten. I really couldn’t afford to take my foot off of the gas or, worse, halt altogether. I shuddered at the thought. It hadn’t dawned on me that I had been spending less and less time at the bakery until I laid there in bed trying to remember the last time that I had been to the bakery. Had it been a week? Or maybe more? I knew that that was unacceptable. I knew that I needed to make some changes. And fast.
The thought that kept playing over and over in my head was that I might have to make the hard choice to go back to being alone. The thought broke my heart and I was enjoying myself with Elliot so much that I really didn’t want to, but I couldn’t think of a better way to get things back on track with my business.
Even though I knew that thought came from a place of responsibility and passion for my business, I also knew that the thought was partially driven by fear. Even though years had passed and I had grown wiser, part of me was deathly afraid of getting into another abusive relationship.
Tears started streaming down my cheeks as the realization washed over me.
I was running and I knew it.
But, I just couldn’t help myself.
Chapter Thirteen
Elliot
It had been a few days since our date and I was upset and confused. Everything seemed to have gone fine, and I’d been poring over every moment in my head, trying to pinpoint what might have gone wrong. I dropped Candy off and we shared a kiss so tender that I was sure that she was going to invite me in.
But, she didn’t. Now, I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d gotten my signals crossed.
I couldn’t get Candy to answer any of my calls and she ignored my messages. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I knew that I had to see her and talk to her so that I could find out.
I stopped by a flower shop on the way to her house and picked up a dozen roses. I figured if she wa
s mad at me for anything, the roses would help to butter her up. And if she wasn’t mad about anything, it was still a good gesture to give her flowers. She was beautiful and she deserved them, anyway.
I drove over to her apartment, I checked the parking lot and saw that her car was in the drive way. I pulled out my phone and dialed her number again. It went straight to voicemail. I sighed, put my phone in my pocket, and stepped out of the car. I walked up to the apartment, checking the windows for any signs of life. I didn’t see any. I knocked on the door and waited to see if I could hear anything. The door swung open and I stood face-to-face with Candy.
“Uh, hey,” she said, nonchalantly, looking everywhere but in my eyes.
“Hey, these are for you,” I said, thrusting the flowers toward her. She beamed.
“Oh my gosh, these are beautiful,” she said, gathering the roses in her arms and hugging them like they were a long lost friend. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I said. “I’ve been trying to get in touch with you…”
“Yeah, I know,” she said interrupting me. “I’ve just been – there’s a lot going on with me right now. I just need some time to think. I need to concentrate on my business. I’ve been neglecting that. And I’m trying to expand right now. I… can’t really do that and get ahead if my head’s in the clouds with you.”
I felt like someone had kicked me in the chest. I didn’t even know how to respond to that.
So I didn’t. I turned and I walked away.
Was this seriously over before it had ever had the chance to get off the ground?
This must be what heart break felt like. I felt shattered, used.
I didn’t want to feel it. I didn’t want to feel anything.
I knew one way to change my mood and get me out of a funk: partying.