by T. E. Black
"No," I snap at him, slamming the door behind me the same way Mac did.
"Wake up, beautiful."
I hear his voice echoing within the depth of my dreams, but my body has a mind of its own. It craves sleep, but it also craves the man whispering in my ear.
"Callie, sweetheart. Today's a big day. How are we supposed to celebrate if you sleep it away?"
His soft lips find my ear and a delicate nibble graces the lobe. His warm breath tickles me and small round pebbles coat my skin.
"I'm up," I groan out.
My arms stretch over my head and my eyes flutter open revealing the love of my life lying next to me in our king size bed.
"Good morning babe," he beams at me with straight white teeth. The smile he showcases is contagious.
"Morning.”
“What time did you get home?”
He stares at me with sorrowful eyes, a lump in his throat visible.
“Around three in the morning. I’m sorry, Cal. I shouldn’t have left like that last night.”
It’s too early for this. I can’t deal with it right now. It’s our anniversary and I refuse to spend the day fighting over the fact he left again. It’s nothing new.
“Let’s just enjoy the day together. We’ll discuss it later.”
His brow furrows and his bottom lip pouts out at my change of subject.
“Okay baby. We’ll enjoy our day, but just know I really am sorry.”
He places a lingering kiss on my lips before jumping out of bed and heading toward the bedroom door.
“Come downstairs when you’re ready. I made breakfast!”
Ten minutes later, I lean in the doorway of our conventional kitchen and see Derrick working over the hot stove, preparing breakfast. What I wouldn’t do for this to be our routine every morning. One without having to see Derrick crawling out of bed at noon, barely functioning.
I sweep my eyes over the room, landing on the roses which sit proudly in a vase on the kitchen table along with a cup of already steaming coffee.
“Well, this is an unusual sight,” I quip, a small laugh escaping me.
He turns to face me, spatula still in hand.
“It is our anniversary, babe. You know I had to make it up to you by spoiling the hell out of you. There’s a card over next to your flowers. Take a look.”
I go along with him, sauntering toward the card and taking a seat to open it.
“Do you like it?”
In the envelope is a paid spa day for the local salon in town. There’s two tickets, and I can’t help but laugh.
“Are you going to the spa with me?”
My eyebrow raises as he lets out a loud laugh.
“No, babe. But Sierra is. I already talked to her and she gave me all the information I needed so you and her could get pampered for the day. She also made me buy her pass as well, but it was worth it to see a smile on your face this early in the morning.”
I just realize now that my smile is huge. The gesture of him doing this is more than I could ever dream of. Derrick has never really taken my needs and wants into consideration when it came to his. I’m not saying he’s a bad man. I’m just saying sometimes he can be selfish when it comes to us.
I cross the kitchen to where he stands and wrap my arms around his midsection. He leans down and places a kiss on my lips which make my toes curl with emotion. I love when he’s like this. When Derrick is caring and considerate, it makes me remember why I fell in love with him in the first place.
“I love it, Derrick. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, baby. You better get ready because Sierra will be here in a half an hour to collect you and she’s already warned me I better not make you late for your day together. I love her and all, but she’s is a little scary. I’m afraid if I don’t hold up my end of the bargain, she’ll dispose of me in the river.”
I slap his chest playfully, turning away to get ready.
“She just might do that.”
“I love you, Derrick. Thank you.”
“I love you too, babe.”
I wake up to the smell of bacon cooking and hop out of bed to follow the smell down the steps and into the kitchen. I love bacon. I actually love all breakfast related foods, but bacon is at the top of my list. Followed by French toast and Belgian waffles. I could eat breakfast all day.
Sierra is in front of the stove flipping what looks to be pancakes as Evan sits at the kitchen table sipping on coffee and reading the paper. I take a seat at the table, making a scraping sound with the chair. Sierra turns to me as she continues to cook breakfast.
"Morning," she beams happily.
I'm not a morning person, being I don't sleep much at night. Therefore, I'm not in any way chipper or talkative before noon. Sierra, on the other hand, is physically sickening in the morning. I've never met someone who loves the morning as much as she does. She wakes up at six in the morning, every single day. It doesn't matter if it's a weekday or the weekend. If you need somebody to talk to before the sun comes up, she's your girl.
"Morning," I grumble.
Evan lowers the paper, grinning at me like a kid in a candy shop. It's the same stupid grin he had on his face last night and all I want to do is smack it off him. It's too early for this shit. Ignoring Evan's smug look, I turn to see the coffee pot freshly filled. Thank God for that. Coffee is exactly what I need to brighten my mood.
I hop out of my chair grabbing a mug from the drying rack, and pour myself a cup. I lean against the counter taking my first sip. Sweet heaven. This is good java.
Sierra is still cooking as a heavy silence lingers through the air. The only sounds are the sizzling of the bacon. I take a couple more sips before I speak.
"What time is it?"
Sierra glances at the stove clock, answering me quickly.
"It's nine. And, I'm going to point out the fact you can sleep the morning away is mind blowing. How did you sleep last night though?" she asks.
Evan clears his throat at the table and I look up to stare holes into the side of his face.
"I didn't get much sleep. I sat outside and drank a couple beers before I went to bed.”
Evan pipes up from his seat at the table, lowering his paper to look toward me.
"She kept Mac company for a while. He came over to see if I was up or something, but obviously I was with you, babe."
I glare at him over my cup again, taking a couple more sips. He has to let the cat out of the bag. Ass. He has to open his big fat pie hole. God forbid he keeps it shut for more than five minutes.
Evan gives me a slick smirk, turning back to read the paper. Sierra on the other hand, looks over at me with wide, excited eyes. Here it comes.
"That's really weird. He never comes over that late. I hope everything was okay. I didn't hear your phone ring Evan. Unless he called Callie's phone…"
Dammit.
I keep drinking my coffee trying to contemplate how I can stop Sierra from being suspicious. The last thing I want to divulge is he came to see me, I pissed him off with my nonexistent filter, and then he stormed out of the house. So, instead I stay silent.
Evan swoops in to save the day with his next sentence.
"Yeah. I didn't hear it either, but I had two missed calls. Everything seemed fine. He was probably just bored, or drunk or something. You know how he is."
I look toward Evan giving him a half scowl for slightly saving me from a thousand questions later on. Why did he even bring it up to her if he was just going to blow if off like it was nothing? I’m going to guess he’s just pushing my buttons. Well, I don’t like my buttons pushed roomie.
Sierra seems to be skeptical of his answer, but then nods her head, agreeing with him.
“Yeah, it’s just strange. I guess he is a strange guy after all.” She resumes her cooking.
I feel the sweat drip from my brow as I sag against the counter in relief. Hopefully, it will keep my crazy best friend at bay until I can come up with a logical answer to what
last night was myself. My head is still swimming with how comfortable we both got with each other. As innocent as it was cuddling up with Mac, I felt something more than a friend would feel for a friend. I mean he kissed the top of my head like we have known each other for a long time and we barely know each other. That’s a problem. His strong arms wrapped around me and made me melt into a puddle. That’s a problem too. Not to mention all of the other problems which come with being friends with him. I’m starting a mental checklist and hopefully I can remember each reason next time he's near me.
After breakfast, Sierra decides we need to do some shopping as a kind of initiation to the city. I happily accepted her offer needing to get some fresh air. I’m dying to see the city and some shopping thrown into the mix sounds like a perfect solution. Sierra drives up to a small clothing store in the middle of the city. She claims they have amazing prices to go along with their incredible inventory. It’s a small boutique I would never have noticed if it wasn’t pointed out.
Once inside the store, we make our way through the racks of clothing which are lined up strategically. As I look around, I have to agree with Sierra about the prices being amazing. We’re talking serious shopping here. I could charge an entire new wardrobe on my credit card and still not max it out.
“Try that on!” Sierra practically screams at me. I hold up a black dress which reveals a little more skin than I’m used to showing. I look at the dress on the hanger and back to her with a skeptical look.
“I don’t know. Don’t you think it’s a little too much? Where would I even wear this? It’s not like I can wear it around campus,” I chuckle.
Sierra makes her way to me, pushing me toward the fitting room with both hands. She continues to encourage me to try it on, shutting the fitting room door behind me.
“We go to a lot of bars, Cal. You’ll wear it eventually. Tonight we’re going out, but I’m thinking we dress comfy. I’m still exhausted from the ride back here. Well, and Evan kept me up all night.” A small giggle escapes her. I continue to contort my body to fit in the skin tight dress I’m being forced to try on.
I really don’t understand how women can wear dresses this tight and not suffocate in the process. I can’t breathe already and the dress is only half way on. I know some women love dresses, but I'm not one of them. I'll stick to my t-shirts and jean shorts.
“Where are we going tonight?” I yell over to her through the dressing room wall.
“Max’s! It’s our usual spot. It’s a small bar just outside the campus, but it’s always packed. The guys practically live there.”
I situate my dress, finally getting the thing on. I look at my reflection, stunned by what looks back at me. This dress is beautiful and it fits me perfectly. The black fabric clings to every one of my curves, putting my body on display. I look sexy and I feel it, too.
I step out of the dressing room just as Sierra does. She is in a blue dress which almost mirrors mine. She looks amazing as always. Even without shoes on, her legs look a million times better in the dress than mine ever would.
“You need to buy that! You look hot as hell, but you need some killer heels to go with that too!” she yells loudly, letting out a whistle.
I laugh at her loud banter. She’s been this way as long as I can remember. Always loud and speaking whatever is on her mind. I love that about her, even if sometimes it drives me nuts.
I look over her outfit again and jealousy rears its ugly head. Her slim figure just doesn’t compare to mine. I’m curvy with wide hips and a big ass which show my love for junk food. Her, on the other hand…she’s skinny like a model. I would kill to look like that.
“I guess I’ll get it,” I relent, still unsure.
“Yes! Let’s go!” She tugs on me excitedly.
Two hours later, after trying on every pair of heels in the store, I ended up buying a pair of pink peep toes which are a little higher than my usual taste. Sierra gushed I absolutely had to get them.
We pull up to the apartment and unload the bags from the trunk of Sierra’s car. Evan isn’t home. So, Sierra and I take advantage of the girl time and dig through our bags, examining our purchases. I made it out of the store only buying the black dress, pink high heels, a cute casual blazer, and some accessories. Sierra, on the other hand, spent about an entire month's rent with her shopping spree. That woman can freaking shop.
She sits on the floor, surrounded by her shopping bags. She pulls out a beige cotton sweater and holds it up in front of her, gushing.
"I just love shopping. I’m so happy you're here to shop with me now. Ry is a good friend, but not a good shopping partner by any means. When you live in a black t-shirt which has “Max’s” stamped across the front of it, you don’t feel compelled to buy anything if it isn’t able to be worn to work.”
I haven’t heard anyone talk about Ry, but I assume he’s friends with Evan or something. Why would a guy willingly go shopping with her? I barely want to go and I love a good shopping trip as much as the next girl.
“Ry?” I ask curiously.
“Yeah, she’s a bartender at Max’s. All the guys love her, but she likes girls. So, no worries about the guys. You’ll get to meet her tonight. She tends bar there all the time.”
“Oh. Isn’t that weird? Hanging out with her when she obviously likes girls?” I ask.
Sierra lets out a huge laugh, rolling around on the floor in the pile of bags around her. She wipes at her eyes, trying to rid them of tears.
“No, Callie. She’s freaking awesome. She hates men and that’s great for me. Whenever I’m fighting with Evan, she’s always rooting for me. It’s the best! Just wait and see! When you and loverboy have your first fight, Ryleigh will be there with open arms. She dated some guy a while back who made her swear off the male sex entirely.”
I cross my arms over my chest, scowling at her from the bed.
“Can you stop calling him that? He’s not my lover boy, and we will not be having any fights where I’ll need advice about. We are friends. How many times do I have to tell you that?”
Sierra scoffs at what she knows is a huge lie. When you know someone as long as she and I have known each other, you know when one is lying.
“Cal, do you think I’m stupid? I know you two have a thing for each other. He came over at two o’clock in the morning for Christ's sake. He has never, in the entire time I’ve known him, come to this house at that hour unless there was a party included in the equation. He obviously came to see you, and I’m not going to give you hell for it because I’m happy for you. I keep telling Evan he should knock some sense into Mac already. You two are perfect for one another,” she gushes.
I let out a long sigh, taking my long hair and twisting it to the side into a braid.
“I don’t know Sierra. Nothing will ever happen between us. So, what’s the difference? I can’t date him. He doesn’t date. So, if for some reason we got together, it would be a disaster waiting to happen.”
She gives me a sad look.
“Well, let’s just go out tonight and have fun. If something stems from your and Mac’s friendship, then just let it happen, Cal. You deserve to be happy. I love you and Evan pretty much loves you, in a sister type of way. So, we’re here for you.”
“Thank you. Who’s all going to be there tonight?” I ask, hoping she confirms Mac will be there.
He hasn’t texted me since last night and I still feel pretty bad that I pissed him off. I thought he would have texted me or something, but instead I got nothing. No calls, no texts, and it’s already four in the afternoon. I wonder what he could possibly be doing, although it's none of my business. I just don’t want anything to be awkward between us because of last night. All I keep thinking about is how he held me and how he kissed the top of my head. I don't want to lose that before I even really had it.
Sierra hangs up her new purchases and answers me from inside her closet.
“Uh, probably the usual. Me, Evan, you, and Mac. Evan and Mac’s friend Tren
t usually shows up at some point, but I don’t think Evan got in touch with him or Mac today, so I’m not sure if they will be there, and like I said, Ry will be bartending.”
That’s odd. I wonder why Mac wouldn’t answer Evan. Maybe he doesn’t wanna see me and that’s the reason for his ignoring Evan. I kind of hope he will be there so I can apologize to him for last night. We were having a good time until I opened my big mouth. My brain has been replaying it all morning.
“Cool, what time are we going?” I ask.
“I think we’re going around six. Evan should be home from the gym soon. So we’ll all get ready then head out, if that’s cool?” she asks as she shuts the closet door in her room.
“All right. Well then, I guess I better hop in the shower. It takes a thousand years for my hair to dry,” I admit while I walk out of her room.
Crawling out from underneath the shitty 2001 Dodge Neon I’ve been working on all day, I hear my phone ring. I pick it up off of the work bench, seeing Evan’s name flashing across it for the fifth time today. Fuck. I hit the ignore button, sending it to voicemail. I’m sure he’s wondering what the hell happened last night when I stormed out of his house like a lunatic. Scratch that, I’m sure he’s calling to bust my chops about it because he knows exactly what happened. He knows I like Callie and he’s going to give me non-stop hell about it. I don’t just cuddle with women at odd hours of the night. I don’t do that shit. Ever. Unless they’re naked.
I got so damn pissed off at Callie last night when she blatantly lied to Evan about why I came there. She was obviously embarrassed to be caught with me and it pissed me the fuck off. Am I that bad of a guy where a girl like her wants me only as a secret? Women would pay for me to be in public with them and here’s the girl I want keeping me locked away in a fucking closet like some wicked stepchild.