by A. L. Zaun
I took a swig of my water. Looking to my right, I saw Chris walk into the bar with none other than my best friend, Liam. Motherfucker. I wondered what that fucking boy scout was doing out on a Tuesday night. Chris saw me through the crowd and headed in my direction.
"Hey, how's it going?" I said as Chris and I shook hands. Then, I shook Liam's. As we walked over to an empty table, I asked, "What brings you boys out tonight?"
"Lucas, here, is going to read me the riot act about respecting his privacy and not talking about his sex life," Chris said.
When Liam glared at him, Chris shut up.
"What are you drinking?" Liam asked.
I knew I looked like a pussy with my damned plastic bottle of water in a fucking bar. I considered having Liam sneak me a drink, but I was somehow scared of pissing off Madison. I decided to play by her fucking rules. Tonight.
"I'm fine," I said before I gulped down my water.
"I'll take a beer," Chris said.
As Liam walked off to talk to Bruce, Chris faced me. "I love him like a brother, but he really needs to lighten up."
"This sounds interesting."
It really did. I had never been into gossip, much less as a grown man, but this was different. Any information I could pilfer out of Chris would be priceless to me. I peeled off the label from the plastic bottle while Chris eagerly started to talk.
"My girl, Macy…well, she's not officially my girl. We have an understanding. Anyhow, she's best friends with Liam's girl."
"Chris, get to the point. No need for genealogy. Move it along." I had zero tolerance for babbling. I picked up my plastic bottle of water to finish it off.
"Liam and Dani finally had sex," Chris said, shrugging his shoulders.
I choked on the water going down my windpipe.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Yeah," I said between gasps and coughs. "Just went down the wrong pipe. What do mean by finally?"
"Apparently, Dani dated this real motherfucker before Liam. He dumped her ass like yesterday's trash, and she hadn't had sex since then. Can you believe that?"
As Liam walked back with a couple of beers and another fucking plastic bottle of water, Chris hushed quickly, and I composed my coughing fit.
"Hey, are you okay? Try lifting your arms," Liam said as he distributed the drinks.
I waved him off, letting him know that I was fine. I just wanted to rip off his motherfucking head for fucking Daniela. I didn't know what I'd thought they were doing. Of course, they're having sex. Although I didn't want to know about it, there was something sweet about discovering that she hadn't slept with anyone for a very long time after me.
Picking up my plastic bottle of water, I took a swig. I was developing a love/hate relationship with Madison. With that thought, I felt hands slide around my waist as a head rested on my shoulder.
"Where's my dinner? I'm hungry," Madison said.
I was still pissed about the water. While I typically hated being handled while I was wearing certain shirts, for some very peculiar and unknown reason, I didn't mind Madison's violation of my personal space. I looked down at my watch. It wasn't seven yet, and she knew it.
"Hello, Chris," she said. She slowly slid her hands off of me and then walked to his side of the table. "And who is this?"
Madison was great. She knew who the fuck he was. She was quickly earning the position of my favorite person. I might forgive her damned plastic bottled water.
"Liam Lucas. It's nice to meet you." He extended his hand. "And you are?"
Fuck, the asshole has manners, too. I was never going to live this one down.
"May I call you Liam?" she asked coyly as he nodded. "Madison Stuart, but you can call me Maddy."
She was trying to fucking piss me off. No one called her Maddy but me, and that motherfucker sure as hell wasn't going to call her that.
"So, Liam, I've never seen you around here."
"Just having a drink with my buddy, um…friends here." He smiled and then took a swig of his beer.
I didn't care for beer. It wasn't my drink, but right now, I wanted it. That motherfucker had Daniela's pussy, Madison's fucking attention, and a beer. As I crushed my empty plastic bottle, Madison's eyes flashed over to mine.
Then, she shifted her attention back to her prey. "If there's anything you need, please let me know. I want to make sure you're well taken care of." She looked over at me again. "I'll be in my office. When dinner gets here, just bring it over."
We were definitely having a talk.
Liam sat down next to Chris. Both of them were drinking beers. I sat across from them, still gripping my crushed plastic bottle. I supposed Liam could be considered an attractive man, that is, if a person was into men. Who the hell dresses the guy? He looked like he shopped at the Gap or something generic like that. Although I'd never actually been in one of those stores, I'd seen the commercials.
I had no idea what the fuck Chris and Liam were talking about. They weren't talking quietly or ignoring me. I was just fucking pissed off at Madison. The more I thought about it, the more pissed off I got. This was a golden opportunity for me to find out information. Instead, I had a fucking empty plastic bottle of water and her little fucking mind game in my head.
When our dinner arrived, I excused myself. I weaved through the crowd and then headed down the corridor to Madison's office. As I stood outside the door, I cleared my head. My single purpose right now was to do whatever it took to win Daniela back. If that meant jumping through Madison's hoops, I would do it. Now remembering my goal, I knocked.
"Come in."
When I opened the door, she looked up at me from behind her desk. Rubbing her chin with her fingers, she motioned me to her desk.
"You can set the food here and pull up a chair."
Never taking my eyes off of hers, I did as I was told. This was a fucking standoff to see which of us would win. Then, I saw the flowers sitting on the corner of her desk. Jorge did a great job. It wasn't an overstated arrangement. It was perfect with a blend of roses and other flowers in muted fall colors. It reminded me of how much she had done for me so far, so I decided, I'd let her have this one—this time.
I sat down in the chair across from her.
"The food smells great. What did you bring me?" she said, sitting up. She curiously rummaged through the bags and then sat back.
"Pasta for you and steak for me," I said, looking at the bags.
Does she expect me to unpack the bags and serve her? She looked at me, amused. She did expect that. I hesitated for a moment. Giving in, I got up and set out the containers. When she pulled out two wine glasses and a bottle of Merlot, I smiled.
"You need to trust me," she said as she poured the wine. "How unexpected that the unsuspecting enemy would show up here tonight." She placed the bottle on the desk and sat down in her chair. "I'd fuck him in a heartbeat."
I held my response, trying to ignore the strangling feeling in my gut. As I set the food before us, I said, "Bon appétit."
She eyed my plate, licking her lips. As she played with her pasta, she glanced over at my plate again. "That smells really great."
"Yours looks good, too."
I cut into my steak and brought it to my mouth as she stared at the piece of meat. Looking at her, I toyed with the piece of filet on my fork. This is almost too easy. "Maddy," I said in a husky voice, "do you want to taste my meat?"
Her mouth opened, and then she grinned, biting her lower lip. My pants got tight as I watched her eyes go from a crystal blue to a smoldering gray.
"Yes." She licked her lower lip, not taking her eyes off of the meat on the end of my fork.
"Come and get it." Keeping the fork in front of me, I eyed the steak and then looked at her.
Pushing her chair back, she moved her plate to the side and then leaned over her desk. Her eyes glanced at the meat and then met mine. She lowered her mouth, inhaled the smell, and pulled the steak off of my fork with her teeth. As she slid back into her chair, she wiped her mouth
with her napkin.
Yeah, I had a full-fledge hard-on.
"So, tell me, did you learn anything from Chris?" she asked as she brought the pasta to her mouth.
Madison's focus was amazing. I watched as she opened her mouth slowly and wrapped her lips around the pasta. My dick throbbed in my pants. She was such a tease, a motherfucking focused tease.
"Daniela is fucking Liam, but get this…" I took a sip of the wine. "Mmm, very nice." I tipped my glass to her. "I was Daniela's last."
"So, either being with you left her high and dry or you were fucking amazing in bed."
"It's probably a combination of the two, but I'd venture to say that it has more to do with the latter."
"Of course you would. This is good information we can work with."
"And, for the record, no one calls you Maddy but me."
The parking lot was empty as it normally was this early on a Saturday morning. Sitting in my car, I thumbed the key. I brought it closer to my eyes, looking at it more carefully.
After a meticulous inspection, there was nothing different or unusual about it. A key was just a key, except this key was Liam's key. I'd had his key on my keychain for almost a week, and I'd only used it once when I'd locked the door as I'd left Monday morning. I still wasn't sure how I felt about having it. I knew how much I'd loved falling asleep with him and waking up in his bed that morning. Just because I was unsure of the key didn't mean I had any intentions of giving it back. It was mine. I was just trying to figure out if it was a blessing or a curse. More than likely, it wasn't anything exciting or dramatic. It was probably something boring, like a key. That thought, surprisingly, disappointed me.
I checked my reflection in my rearview mirror and applied some lip gloss. Pulling out my phone, I bit my lower lip as I sent Liam a good-morning text.
Dani: Good morning. I'm on fire for you.
Liam: I wanna put out that fire. Now, that's the way I like to start my day.
Dani: You just make my fire hotter. You might have to use your hose.
Oh my god, I didn't just go there.
Liam: My hose is on alert and ready to handle any level of heat.
Dani: I'll be the judge of that.
Liam: We'll put it to the test, and you let me know.
Dani: God, I want you right now.
Liam: Me too. I love you.
Dani: Love you lots!
Dani: I can't wait to get my hands on that hose.
Liam: You're driving me insane! I want your hands on my hose NOW.
Dani: XOXO.
Liam: XOXO.
I got my purse and exited my car. As I started walking toward Lincoln Road, I hooked my finger through my key ring, holding his key between my forefinger and thumb. I thought back to Monday morning.
Liam's weight lifted from the bed as he got up. I shifted in my sleep. I was too tired to do more than that. As I felt a kiss on my forehead, I smiled.
When the alarm on my phone buzzed, I hit snooze. Lying back on my pillow, I snuggled under the covers. His scent was on me and all around me. I was content and in love. Reaching over, I grabbed his pillow and brought it into my chest, holding it tightly. Then, I stretched and got out of bed. When my phone chirped, I picked it up to see that I had a text from Liam.
Liam: Good morning. Loved waking up next to you.
Dani: Morning. I love you.
I wanted to stay in his bed all morning long. The sound of my alarm chimed again, and I knew I had to get ready to go. Tomorrow night would be the soonest I could see him, and I missed him already. Before I left, I watched the video of his serenade. Geez, now, I was the sappy hearts-and-flowers dork. I loved it.
When I arrived on Lincoln Road, I noticed the freaks and models around me. Today, there was a couple walking their poodles. There was nothing unusual about that, except that one of the poodles was pink and the other one was blue. It was a mild show if I didn't take into consideration that the owners' hair matched their dogs.
I sauntered down to Van Dyke's. I found my usual table, but there was a new server. Ugh. I'd have to train him.
Françoise came over and brought me a menu. "Mademoiselle, can I get you anything?"
On second thought, Françoise was actually kind of cute, and he had an accent. I sighed.
"I'll have a diet soda for now. I'll order when my friends arrive."
I looked over the menu that I had memorized long ago. Setting it down, I reached for my Kindle, but then I picked up my keychain instead. Again, I thumbed the key. I cocked my head to the side and examined it. I was hoping to talk to Candace about this. I knew she would help me clear my thoughts, but we were definitely not going to discuss this during brunch. I was done with Macy's loose lips. Then, my trance was broken.
"So, we meet again."
I let out a deep sigh and threw my head back, shaking it. "Rick." I sat up and continued to shake my head. "What are you doing here?" I glared at him with a raised eyebrow.
As he stood in front of me, my eye trained on the sweat beading down his arms and a trail rolling down the side of his face. He reached for a napkin on my table to wipe his face. The man made sweat look sexy. I closed my eyes to push that thought away.
"First of all, good morning."
He pulled out the chair across from me and sat down. Françoise rushed over and brought him a menu.
"Thank you, and please bring me a bottle of Evian," he said to the server. "I can ask you the same thing," he said smugly.
"Really? This should be very interesting." I crossed my arms in front of me.
"If you think about it, the first time we ran into each other could be blamed on serendipity. The second time was maybe a coincidence. But now…Daniela, come on, I told you I run this way every Saturday, and here you are again." He smiled, showing off his dimples.
Françoise brought his water.
"Thank you. Now, this is water."
I was in the twilight zone. I sat, staring at him, and then I laughed. "What? You've got to be kidding me." My elbows were on the table as I still held my keys in my hands.
"Are you dangling the keys to my heart in your hands?" he asked in a deep voice.
As his lip curled into a smile, our eyes connected, and my heart beat faster. I looked away and set the keys down.
"No, they're not the keys to your heart," I said with a hint of sarcasm. I rested my chin on my hands, regaining most of my composure. "Now, tell me, what are you doing here?"
His eyes met mine as he matched my posture. "So, whose heart do those keys open?"
I looked away. I felt awkward and very uncomfortable. That was personal and hit too close to home. I sat up and shifted in my seat.
"You haven't answered my question. What are you doing here?" I asked again.
Sitting back, he picked up the menu. "I'm having breakfast. That's what I'm doing here. What do you recommend?"
"I recommend you get your ass up out of that chair and get the hell out of here. You cannot have breakfast!"
As he started laughing, I glared at him.
"Cariño, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I've been running, and I need to replenish. I think I'll have the seasonal berries and yogurt." He signaled for Françoise who rushed over to our table. "I'll have—"
I interrupted him. "He's not ready yet." I smiled at Françoise and then returned my grimace to Rick. "Macy and Candace will be here soon. This isn't a good idea. Eat your most important meal of the day but not here."
"Okay," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Where do you want to go?" He put the menu down and pulled out some money.
"No, I'm staying. You're going." I smiled flatly and then buried my face in my hands.
"You know I don't like to eat alone. If you won't go with me, then I'll just eat quickly before your friends come. Will that make you more comfortable?"
"I can definitely see that my comfort is of your utmost concern," I said sarcastically.
"Ugh," he said, clutching his heart, "that hurt
my feelings, Daniela. What's the big deal? So what if your friends see me at the table?" His eyes were pleading.
"You're not exactly their favorite person," I deadpanned.
"No, but I've changed. I'm man enough to face them and own up to how I treated you."
"You're not going to let this go, are you?"
He shook his head.
I relented. "Fine, but I need to be back in half an hour, and I can't lose the table."
His eyes danced with excitement as though he'd won the lottery. Rick had the ability to wear anyone down. He never took no for an answer. He was great at sales as evidenced by the fact that I was about to do something that I didn't even want to do.
"No problem." He winked and then went over to speak to Françoise. The next thing I knew, he was back and pulling my chair out for me. "After you."
I reached for my purse, grabbed my keys, and got up. "Are you sure my table is going to be here?" I was nervous. Somehow, I'd convinced myself that this was the lesser of the two evils.
"Relax. I took care of everything." He winked again.
As we started walking down Lincoln Road, he said, "By the way, you look beautiful. You know how much I've always liked it when you wear your hair like that."
"Thanks, I think. And what are you talking about?"
I quickly became self-conscious. It was true. My effortless look generally meant that I had my hair pulled up. Nah. I shook off any thoughts that he was right. I wasn't expecting him. I'd just worn my hair down. It meant nothing.
He glanced over at me as we continued walking. "Accept the compliment and stop looking for ulterior motives. It looks good. You should always wear it down."
What the hell am I doing? I shouldn't be walking down Lincoln Road with Rick of all people.
"Thank you. Listen, I don't want you to get the wrong idea."
"What idea would that be?" He stopped.
I glanced away. "That…I don't know, Rick. I have a boyfriend," I stammered.
"Look at me."