Sloppy Seconds

by Laney Kay

  He nodded. “Yep. Just got moved in yesterday and I start work Monday.” His eyes never left hers. “You should come by and check out the new house and office. I’m almost settled in.”

  “Sounds great. Well, we need to go. I hope you have a good day and congratulations on your move.” She spun her cart around and headed in the other direction. Daisy turned to join her, but hesitated when she saw Jack’s face. He looked so sad that her heart went out to him. She touched his arm and he looked at her.

  “Jack, I’m really glad I got to meet you, and I’m really sorry y’all decided you couldn’t work it out.”

  He snorted. “Is that what she said? That we decided we couldn’t work it out?” Daisy nodded yes, and he rubbed his hands through his hair, obviously frustrated. “No, that’s not what happened at all. I wanted us to be together, but she made it perfectly clear she’s not interested in a relationship. I don’t know what the hell to do. I can’t make her take a chance on us.”

  Daisy nodded slowly. “No, you’re right. You can’t make her take a chance if she’s not ready.” She patted him on the shoulder. “Look, she’s been miserable this past month. Don’t give up on her, just hang in there, okay?” She waved and ran around the corner to catch up with Bella.

  Daisy caught up with Bella halfway down the aisle and grabbed her arm to drag her to a stop. When Bella turned around, tears were rolling down her face and she looked miserable. Daisy hugged her and then told her to leave the buggy and guided her outside to sit on a bench. “Bella, what is going on here? Y’all both look pathetic. Please talk to me and tell me what’s wrong.”

  Bella just shook her head. “I can’t talk about it without crying. It’s been a month and it’s only gotten worse.”

  Daisy took her hand. “Bella, what happened? You said y’all both decided a relationship wasn’t a good idea, but you refused to talk about it and you’ve been nothing but sad for the last month. And that was not the face of a man who doesn’t care about you, so what’s really going on?”

  Bella took a deep breath. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe it would be good to talk to someone about this, because I sure as hell haven’t been able to figure it out on my own.”

  Bella reached into her purse for a tissue but didn’t have one. Daisy didn’t have one either, but found a panty shield in her purse and offered it to Bella. “I’m afraid this is the best I can do.”

  Bella laughed and shrugged. “What the hell? That’ll work.” She used it to wipe her eyes and blow her nose. She wadded it up, threw it away in the trash can behind them, and turned on the bench so she faced Daisy and started to talk. “Daisy, I didn’t know you then, but I had a really rough time when I lost my husband. It was completely unexpected and I had a really hard time afterwards. I got up every day and I went through the motions of living, but it took me years until I was able to feel happiness and joy in my everyday life. I was rocking along, perfectly content, working, hanging out with my friends, and then I reconnected with Jack. And boom, he’s fun and he’s a great guy, and we’re having a great time, and I had finally come to terms that I was ready to commit to being great friends who fool around and enjoy each other when we have time.”

  Daisy nodded. “So, basically, y’all would have a casual, long-distance, friends-with-benefits arrangement. No strings, no deep emotions, no real relationship, just the sex and the fun. The good stuff, not the hard stuff.”

  Bella was relieved that Daisy understood. “Exactly. Then Jack comes into town, and the chemistry was through the roof and the sex was amazing, and then he tells me, oh by the way, he’s moving to Atlanta in a month.” Her eyes teared up again. “And I knew that if he moved here and we were still together, there’s no way we wouldn’t end up in a relationship.”

  “Would a relationship be such a bad thing?” Daisy said. “From what you said, he seems like a great guy, and it’s obvious he’s crazy about you.”

  “He is a great guy, but Daisy, I don’t know if I can risk that again. If we got together and something happened to Jack, I don’t know if I’d be able to come back again. And I don’t want to be the kind of person who lives a joyless, miserable life.”

  Daisy nodded. “I totally get that. And Bella, just so you know, when my marriage ended after my husband knocked up his bimbo secretary, I had a lot of the same type of issues. I never wanted to put myself in a position where someone I trusted could betray me like that. It was easier just to avoid a relationship completely than to be that vulnerable to another person.”

  Bella thought about that. Daisy avoided being hurt by avoiding relationships, just like Bella was doing with Jack. “How did you get past it?”

  Daisy laughed. “I didn’t. It was all Luke. At that point in my life, I was way too much of a chicken to take a risk like that on my own. Basically, he wore me down. We hung out as friends for months, and I kept pushing him away, and he kept coming back. Then he switched tactics, and distracted me with sex every time I tried to push him away. Eventually, I realized I was in love with him and I stopped pushing.”

  Bella smiled. “He’s a patient man.”

  “That he is.” Daisy patted her leg. “Bella, I totally get that you’re scared something will happen in the future and you won’t be able to be happy. Well, guess what? You’re not happy now. Maybe jumping in with both feet is less of a risk than you think.” Daisy stood up. “Just think about it.”

  Suddenly, Bella grabbed her arm and pulled her back down next to her. “Ssh. There’s Jack.”

  Daisy automatically looked around and whispered back. “Where?”

  Bella inclined her head toward the other side of the parking lot, still whispering. “Over there. In the red Explorer.”

  Daisy looked to see Jack unloading groceries in the back of the SUV. From their bench, she could see his face, and she whispered. “He looks upset.” Then she shook her head, realizing he couldn’t hear them, and poked Bella in the side. “Bella, think about what I said.”

  Bella shrugged. “I’ll think about it.” She turned and kissed Daisy on the cheek. “Thanks. Come on, let’s go finish our shopping.”

  Bella stood up and they walked back in to find her shopping cart where she left it. They finished their shopping and went home.

  8

  Bella got up early the next morning and headed out her front door for a walk. All night, she’d dreamed of Jack, and when she’d woken up at five, her face was wet with tears and her body throbbed with wanting him. She kept thinking about what Daisy had said, and she thought a little exercise might help her get some clarity on the subject.

  When she reached the sidewalk, she saw a man sitting on a bench in front of her house with a little fluffy, cream-colored dog on a leash. The dog ran over to her, stretching his leash as far as it could go, wagging his tail so hard his entire little body was wiggling. Bella dropped down on the curb to pet him. Then she saw the Longhorns harness and her head whipped around to see the man on the bench.

  Jack smiled at her. “Hey, Bella.”

  Jack saw the unguarded expression on her face before she hid it, and he was happy to see it was pure pleasure to see him. For the first time in weeks, he started to feel that maybe he still had a chance to work his way back into Bella’s good graces. He had decided last night that he’d given her enough space, and that he would approach her as a friend, no pressure. To help his cause, he had given Melvin a bath and shaved and put on the cologne and gym shorts that he knew she liked from their time in the hotel.

  She dropped her gaze to the dog as he climbed into her lap and flipped over so she could reach his belly. “And who are you, you sweet, adorable, handsome, boy?”

  “Uh, I’m Jack.” Jack said with a straight face, which made Bella laugh a little, despite herself. “Oh, you mean him? The little guy in your lap is Melvin.”

  Bella rubbed Melvin’s belly and his eyes closed in ecstasy as his body relaxed. When she stopped for a second, he put his front paws together and waved them at her until she started pet
ting him again. She laughed and stopped again so she could see him wave for her to continue. “Jack, your dog is hilarious. Why have I never seen him before when we were video chatting?”

  Jack laughed. “Usually by then, he was in my bed asleep or outside playing in the yard. In our old neighborhood, he liked to sit outside every night and howl back and forth with the neighbor’s dog. Plus, I tried to keep him out whenever I thought there may be some adult activity, like strip poker. He’s still young and impressionable and I didn’t want to scar him for life.”

  Bella’s mouth tipped up slightly at the corners. Even though she still wasn’t making any extended eye contact, that little movement gave Jack hope that Bella had warmed up to him a little. “What kind of dog is he, Jack? He looks like some kind of dachshund mixed with something fluffy.”

  Jack walked over and dropped on the curb next to Bella. “My office staff had him DNA tested as my birthday present last year. He’s a sheltie/dachshund/chihuahua mix. My sister says that makes him a she-doxie-huahua.”

  Bella laughed out loud. “That’s hilarious. He’s a rescue dog?”

  Jack nodded. “Someone dumped his mom and a litter of five puppies by the side of the road, and the mom had gotten killed by a car. Fortunately, someone found the puppies and took them to a rescue group, but they were still so little that their eyes weren’t open yet and they had to be bottle fed. One of the nurses in my old office volunteers with that rescue, so she brought the entire litter to the office so they could be fed around the clock. We set up a schedule and we all took turns taking them home until they were weaned. This little guy took to me from day one, and when it was time to find them homes, I couldn’t let him go and Melvin became mine.” At the sound of his name, Melvin opened his eyes and wagged his tail and then immediately relaxed again as Bella stroked his tummy. “I work long hours and I didn’t want to leave him home by himself, so I had him trained and certified as a therapy dog and he usually goes to the office with me. He loves everyone, and he’s especially great with some of my injured veterans. He usually hangs out in the physical therapy department during the day, and when the patients take a break, Melvin takes one with them.”

  Bella finally raised her gaze to meet Jack’s. “That’s a great story. And I love the fact that you found a way to spend time with Melvin while you’re working.”

  Jack smiled at her. “It’s worked out great for Melvin and me, both.”

  Bella smiled back at him and then quickly dropped her gaze back to Melvin. He was so relaxed, he was almost asleep, and kept jerking himself awake whenever he started snoring. “So y’all were waiting for me?”

  Jack kept his tone casual. “We thought you might like to join us for a walk or a run. Melvin, here, may be a lowrider, but he’s a little jock and can run or walk for days. We needed some exercise and wanted some company, so we put your address in the GPS and came on over. You up for it?”

  Bella stared at him, and Jack started to get nervous. He’d figured an informal invitation in a public place wouldn’t freak Bella out, and Melvin was so adorable, he’d yet to find a female dog lover who could refuse him.

  Finally, Bella shrugged. “Sure, why not? I was just about to go for a walk anyway.”

  Jack let his breath out in a whoosh of relief. Melvin strikes again. As soon as Melvin heard “walk,” he got to his feet and was ready to go. They started off down the street. Melvin strutted out to the end of his leash and trotted along the sidewalk, greeting every person and dog with a wagging tail and a huge doggie smile.

  Bella laughed at Melvin’s attitude. “Jack, that may be the happiest dog I’ve ever seen.”

  “Yeah, I tell people he’s the Walmart greeter of the animal kingdom. He loves everyone and everything.”

  They walked for a little while, until Bella broke the silence. “So how’s your house? You get everything moved in?”

  He grinned. “Yeah, it only took about twenty minutes.” She raised her eyebrows. “When I left Houston, I decided I wanted a fresh start, so I sold my house completely furnished to one of my ex-partners who was going through a nasty divorce, and I basically walked away with my clothes, my personal stuff, and Melvin. I don’t really know where I want to live, and whether I eventually want to get a house or a condo, so I’m renting a little furnished house over by the VA. It’s a great little house, but I did have to buy a bed. I paid a chunk to get it delivered yesterday because I was afraid if I slept more than one night on that rental bed I might end up partially paralyzed.”

  Bella smiled. “The disadvantage of not being eighteen anymore.”

  “No kidding. I think a bunch of college kids lived there before, and some of the furniture is a little worse for wear. I’m going to buy a chair to hang out in and I’m buying a couple of big TVs today.” They stopped for Melvin to investigate an interesting smelling bush. “Any suggestions on where to go? I’ll get the TVs at Costco, but I have no idea where to get a good chair.”

  “Check at Costco while you’re there, but if you don’t see anything, I’ll think about a place for you to go if that doesn’t work out.”

  “Thanks.” He wanted to ask her if she’d join him, but he didn’t want to push too hard and scare her off. They kept walking until they crossed over into Virginia Highlands. Jack was just about to ask Bella if she’d like to get some coffee when they heard a familiar voice.

  “Bella? Jack?” It was Daisy. She was sitting at a table outside of Java Vino with her husband Luke and their three dogs. Melvin immediately started wagging and pulling at his leash trying to get closer so he could visit, so Jack walked him up to the table.

  Bella shook her head and followed. Crap. Now, Daisy would be interrogating them and Bella wasn’t really ready to answer questions. Luke was already standing up to shake Jack’s hand as Daisy introduced them, and when Bella reluctantly joined them, Luke put his arm around her and kissed her on the cheek. “Hey, Bella.” He indicated the chairs on the other side of the table. “Y’all join us. We’re just hanging out and our three pups would love to have a new friend to play with.”

  Jack pulled out the seat for Bella and, as she got situated, he grabbed the other chair and dropped into it. “This is Melvin, and as you can see, he loves to meet new friends.”

  Daisy pointed as she introduced their dogs. “This is Cletus, Monroe and Diego. And they also love new friends, so this should be great for everyone.” Suddenly, Melvin leaped into Bella’s lap and flipped over so she could start petting him again. When he realized Daisy could also reach him with minimal effort he put his paws together and waved them at Daisy.

  Bella laughed. “Apparently, he wants you to pet him, too, Daisy.”

  Daisy instantly obliged. “Lawd, Jack, he may be the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen. What a little flirt.”

  Jack laughed. “That he is. One of my nurses in Houston was a young, single guy, and he used to take Melvin out for a walk every day at lunch. He called him ‘the world’s best chick magnet’,” crooking his fingers in air quotes, “and I guess he was because the guy came back every day with a new phone number.”

  “That’ll be handy for you since you’re in a new city.” Damn it. Bella didn’t mean to say that, and she winced as everyone fell silent and looked at her. She focused on Melvin and petted his soft fur.

  Jack’s face was expressionless, but she knew the comment had irritated him. He stared at her until she met his eyes. “Thanks, but that won’t be necessary. I’ve already met my ideal woman without Melvin’s help.” He handed Melvin’s leash to Bella and stood up. “I’m going to get some coffee. Daisy, Luke, would you like a refill?” They thanked him and declined, saying they were good. “Bella, what would you like?” She asked for a latte, he nodded and went inside.

  As soon as he was out of earshot, Daisy raised her eyebrows. “Ouch, Bella.”

  Bella blew out a frustrated breath. “Shit. I know, I know. That was a jerky thing to say. It just slipped out. One walk and we’re already starting to get comfortable
together again and I guess I just needed to put a little distance between us.” Melvin flipped over and jumped down to visit with the other dogs and Bella slouched back in her chair.

  Daisy reached out and patted her hand. “I’m glad to see you decided to see him, at least.”

  Bella shook her head. “I didn’t, really. When I walked outside this morning he was outside my house and asked me if I wanted to take a walk, so I agreed. It wasn’t planned.”

  “However it happened, I’m glad y’all decided to spend some time together,” Daisy said. “It’s pretty obvious he’s nuts about you.”

  Bella shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. I’m actually pretty nuts about him, too. That’s the problem.”

  Luke leaned forward. “Bella, can I add my two cents to this? Daisy filled me in on what’s going on, and I’ve been in Jack’s incredibly uncomfortable shoes, so I might be able to offer you a little different perspective.”

  Bella smiled at him. “I’ll take any help I can get, at this point.”

  “It sounds like you’re doing the same thing to Jack that Daisy did to me, which was push me away because of fear of what could possibly happen in the future.” Bella nodded. “I know you lost your husband suddenly, and I can’t imagine what that was like, but the truth is, any of us could die, or get sick, tomorrow, but you can’t live your life worried that it might happen. What if y’all both live to be a hundred and you’re giving up a chance for fifty years of happiness? That’s a lot of living you’d be missing.”

  Bella felt her eyes start to tear up, and Luke handed her a napkin. “Bella, I’m going to tell you the same thing I told Daisy. Don’t think so much. Just relax and have some fun. Don’t label it, don’t worry so much about what might happen, and I promise it’ll work out the way it’s supposed to. You’re a wonderful person and you deserve to be happy. ” Luke reached over to squeeze Bella’s hand and he winked. “And no matter what happens, you’re badass enough to handle it, and you have plenty of people who love and support you, so you’ll always end up on your feet.”