The XOXO New Adult Collection: 16 Full Length New Adult Stories

by Brina Courtney

  I made my way toward the ceremony at the Botanical Garden. Flowers and hedges rounded out the area in the middle of the sunny garden. Tucked away at the far end was an arbor decorated in white lilies and sheer, flowing fabric. There must’ve been over a hundred and fifty guests seated in white chairs. Through the sea of guests, I spotted Telly standing among them in a fitted, sleeveless, midnight blue dress with her long, lush curls and huge dark sunglasses. She waived me over and I scooted in her direction, hoping to avoid seeing any chatty classmates or neighbors from San Jose.

  I settled in next to her. She leaned over and said, “The wedding is going to start any minute now.” I looked at my watch to see I had made it just in time. Telly leaned back as if to evaluate me. She stared inquisitively.

  “Where’ve you been the last few days?”

  “Working on a little project,” I said with a smirk. She lowered her sunglasses to look me in the eye.

  “Oh really?”

  Before I could say another word, the bridal music began. Telly and I turned to the aisle as David and his four groomsmen sauntered down. The bridesmaids followed one by one. Step and pause, step and pause. Holly was first. The chiffon fabric of her lavender dress flowed in the wind. Her hair was hoisted in a prom-like hairdo with tight curls that framed her face. She looked so lovely, probably the most done-up I had seen her. Ever. Denise, Jaime, and Sonia followed in matching dresses and hairdos, like a uniformed army of beautiful bridesmaids. Everyone stood as Rachel’s father escorted her down the aisle. She was truly stunning in her white A-line princess gown with beading from the sweetheart neckline to her waist, sparkling in the sunlight like a thousand diamonds.

  Even though I had just called off my wedding and discovered the unspoken lives of men, I was touched at the sight of Rachel. I had watched her grow from a tiny, curly-haired baby to an exquisite woman. She would eventually have to accept the truth about her very soon to be husband, but in that moment I wanted to believe that somehow she could be immune to it.

  The ceremony took no time at all. Rachel and David were married and dancing in a soul train fashion to a cheesy seventies song. We were directed to a large white reception tent on the other side of the gardens. Paper lanterns floated from the tent’s roof, while elegant pale purple flower arrangements sat on freshly pressed white linens. Telly and I drank our cocktails at our assigned table and waited for Holly to finish posing for pictures with the rest of the wedding party. Telly chatted on about clients and idiotic associates and consistently asked if she was hogging the conversation. She was, but I remained patient, waiting to break the news of my discovery.

  The DJ announced the wedding party, couple by couple. All were gleaming with smiles. David and Rachel immediately took the floor for their first dance as Mr. and Mrs. It was simple, lovely, and choreographed for our entertainment. Soon after, plates of chicken and fish flooded the tables. As the alcohol flowed, the guests loosened up and started moving to the dance floor. Everyone appeared to be having a fabulous time, celebrating love and new life together.

  I felt unsettled amongst all that joy. It seemed so fake in the light of the truth. Just an expensive party to keep up the appearances set down by society, while underneath was a terrible lie. I regretted not tackling Rachel on her way down the aisle and taking her far, far away. Thailand maybe, so we could be with Holly.

  “This is sad to watch,” I said under my breath.

  “I know. I hate weddings,” Telly said.

  I watched the bride and groom dancing closely, gazing into each other’s eyes. She was having the time of her life.

  “She has no idea that he’s going to break her heart one day,” I said.

  “Is that bitterness talking?” She called me out.

  “No.”

  She shook her head unconvinced and looked back at Rachel. “Well, you’re probably right. Men are only good for two things—household maintenance and sex.”

  “I completely agree,” I said with my glass raised. We toasted.

  Holly waved from across the room and made her way over.

  “What are we toasting too?” Holly asked as she sat down next to us.

  “Men,” I said.

  “Oh, that’s nice.” She picked up a lonely glass of champagne from the table and clinked it against mine.

  “You look gorgeous, by the way,” I told her.

  She blushed and looked away, giving me a dismissive wave. “Thank you. I’m so glad you came, I wasn’t sure if you felt up to it.”

  “Actually, I’ve been doing great.”

  She blinked a few times and focused in on me.

  “You know, Marin, you look great. Even your skin is glowing. What’s going on?” She stared at me wide-eyed, waiting for my answer, and Telly leaned in.

  “Well, I’ve been doing some reading.” I tried to control my excitement. Before I could continue, Holly interrupted.

  “Oh, the Daily Meditations book I got you!” She seemed so pleased, but my smile quickly frowned.

  “No.”

  “Then what?” she asked.

  I retrieved my special book from my bag and handed it to her.

  “This.” My excited grin returned.

  Telly leaned over to get a glimpse. “What is that?”

  Holly examined the cover of the book with a puzzled look. “Unspoken: The Secret Lives of Men. Marin, what is this?” She rustled through the pages perplexed.

  “I was at the book store a few days ago and stumbled on this book. Something told me to take it home. So I did. I spent the night reading, and let me tell you, this is the best ten dollars I’ve ever spent in my life.”

  “I still don’t understand.” Holly’s concerned expression worsened.

  “This book saved me. It explains what happened with Chad and me. It reveals the truth about men, all men.”

  “And what’s that exactly?” Holly asked.

  “They’re all liars and cheaters, every last one of them. They can’t be faithful. It’s not in their nature. But since it’s against the nature of society they have to lie about it. Believe me, they will do and say anything so that you don’t find out. It’s like they’re leading double lives and we’re clueless. Men don’t want women to know and women don’t want to believe it. It’s the world’s most unspoken arrangement.”

  Telly leaned back. “I believe it.”

  “I don’t, and I can’t believe you brought this to my sister’s wedding!” Holly said in an angry whisper as she pressed the book against her chest, trying to shield it from the wedding.

  “Actually, I brought that for Rachel. Can you see that she gets it?”

  “Absolutely not! What are you thinking?”

  “After I found out about Chad, I spent days in bed wondering what happened, what I did wrong, how I could’ve prevented it. You saw me. I was a mess.” They nodded. “Our relationship seemed like a text book example of a healthy one. I’m a couple’s therapist for God’s sake! So what happened?”

  I paused and watched their faces as they thought up possible conclusions for Chad’s affair.

  “Nothing.” I said. “That's what I learned from this book. Men are made this way. They can't help it.”

  “You can’t be serious? Not every guy fits into one category of pricks,” Holly said. I knew she’d have trouble digesting the information. “Not all men are cheaters. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

  “No, I think Marin’s right,” Telly interjected. “I mean why do you think I haven't had a serious relationship since I was twenty-five? It’s inevitable that they’ll break your heart into a thousand pieces. One way or another.”

  Telly’s positive reaction reinforced my enthusiasm. She understood what I was talking about long before I did. I nodded vigorously, “See, we should’ve listened to Telly to begin with. She’s had it right this whole time. Meet a guy, have some fun, and then send him home.”

  Telly lifted her glass and gave a modest smile. “Here, here, sister.”

>   “I can’t believe what I’m hearing from you, Marin, of all people. You two may have converted to this belief of perpetual infidelity, but I’m not falling for it.” I should have known Holly would not subscribe so easily to an idea that was so damning. She was blessed with eternal optimism, or in this case, cursed. It wasn’t exactly my intention to burst her bubble, but it was time she heard the truth.

  “Listen to this,” I started, “I was on Craigslist the other day in the men seeking women ads. There were thirty-seven ads from married men looking for an affair. They all said the same thing, I don't want to end my marriage, just looking for that something."

  “Just looking for my next blowjob,” Telly said.

  Holly rolled her eyes at this detail prompting me to continue. “But, in the women seeking men ads there was one married woman and she said, ‘I'm married and I want out.’ How much more proof do you need?”

  Telly and I stared at her, hoping she would budge at least a little. Instead, she crossed her arms and gave me a stern look. “It's gonna take a lot more than a craigslist census to convince me.”

  Holly needed hard evidence. She had a tendency to be easily swayed due to her open-minded and gullible nature, but she also had very strong morals and convictions about seeing the good in all people. If I wanted her to get on board with the truth, I couldn’t express statistics. I’d have to show her irrefutable proof. Most of the information that I had gathered was strong, but it could be vulnerable to skepticism.

  Then, in the midst of my quandary, it hit me like a bolt of lightning. It was pure genius. The next words to come out of my mouth would change my life forever.

  “Okay, then I’ll prove it to you,” I said.

  “How?” Holly asked.

  I hoped the idea sounded as good aloud as it did in my head.

  “Easy, I’ll start a fictitious relationship with the next guy who asks me out, and I will show you that he is going to lie, he is going to cheat, and he is going to break my fictitious heart. Then you will know that it’s true.”

  Before she could respond, the music stopped and was replaced by the sound of a fork clinking against a champagne glass. We turned to the cake table where the best man, James, joined the bride and groom.

  “If I could get everyone's attention please. It's the duty of the best man to say a few words. So here it goes.” He paused and gave a humbling smile. The room silenced.

  I had never met James before, but Rachel and Holly mentioned him several times. He was good looking, tall with sandy blonde hair, and one of those bright smiles seen on toothpaste commercials.

  “David was my roommate in college,” he began. “For those of you who knew David back then he was a little . . . extreme.” The guests laughed, and James turned to David with an apologetic look. He continued, “especially to a small town boy from Montana. He was a great friend to have, and he taught me a lot. In those days he was a notorious bachelor, and I never thought that would change. But something did change when he met Rachel. I’ll never forget the first time he took her out. He told me he was actually nervous. This was big, because we all know David doesn’t get nervous.” The guests ahhed at this admission, except for Telly who motioned a gag. I stifled a chuckle.

  “After that, he stopped the hunt. He found that one special thing that we all hope to find. You two are incredibly lucky, and I’m confident you will have a long, happy marriage. To the bride and groom!”

  Everyone raised their glasses and repeated, “To the bride and groom.”

  The reception proceeded with Rachel and David stuffing each other’s face with cake. Holly was pulled away for pictures, and the crowd dispersed around the dance floor and mingled among the tables. Telly downed her champagne and adjusted her dress to reveal the perfect amount of her perfect cleavage. She refreshed her lip gloss. “Time to prowl.”

  She strutted out to the dance floor, swaying her hips seductively, and letting off pheromones like a cat in heat. I sat quietly, observing the guests at the reception, while I finished my champagne and wondered if I would meet my new fictitious boyfriend soon.

  CHAPTER SIX

  The Hunt

  I couldn’t wait to start my fictitious dating experiment, so I started looking right away. Holly was leaving in a week, and I didn’t want to waste any time. Realistically, I knew I couldn’t complete the task before she left, but I was sure I would have every ounce of proof I needed by the time she returned. She would have no choice but to believe me.

  My first opportunity to find someone came when Telly and I joined Holly for her yoga class. Usually, I’d show up with no makeup and my hair thrown together in a messy bun. In light of my new mission, I waltzed into class with natural looking makeup, a fresh pout of lip-gloss, and my hair secured in a sleek ponytail. The yoga studio was one large suite, sectioned off by an Asian-style screen. Light colored bamboo floors led to a Buddha statue at the far end of the room, and rows of yogis conversed on their mats waiting for class to start. The girls were already doing some pre-yoga stretching when I laid my purple mat on the floor. I surveyed the men in the class for any potential candidates.

  “You look pretty today,” Holly said.

  “Thank you.” I smiled, then realized Telly was looking rather pretty herself. She was by far the most stunning woman, or person for that matter, in the room.

  “Psst, Telly,” I whispered. “Can you put on a hoodie and mess up your hair or something?”

  “Why?” She looked confused and possibly offended. I leaned in over Holly to get closer. “I’m cruising this place for potential boyfriends.” I winked a couple of times, hoping she’d remember what I was referring to.

  “Here?” she said, louder than I would have preferred. Those surrounding us turned in our direction.

  “Shh! Yes, here,” I said in an exaggerated whisper. Telly shrugged and nodded. She covered herself with my hoodie and fixed her hair in a messy half up, half down ponytail. It wasn’t her best look, but even with those efforts she still looked amazing. For a second I thought about asking her to leave, but figured that would cause more of an issue than was needed.

  “Are you really going through with that ridiculous fake boyfriend idea of yours?” Holly asked, frowning.

  “Of course, how else can I prove it? And it’s not ridiculous. I think it’s a brilliant idea. Don’t you think so Tell?” Telly continued to stretch, but nodded.

  “Please don’t, Marin—” Holly started when the instructor demanded everyone’s attention. My attention landed on the cute guy directly behind me. He had a boyish face, dimpled cheeks, and a really cute cleft chin. We exchanged smiles, and I spent the rest of class trying to look graceful and sexy in my yoga poses.

  “Great class, huh?” I asked as we rolled up our mats.

  “Yeah, definitely. You must be new, I don’t think I’ve seen you before,” he said.

  “I come every now and then. I’m Marin, by the way.” I offered my hand and he took it. “Nice to meet you. I’m Alex. You should come more often. I noticed you have great form.” Great form, huh? I was pretty sure that was code for you have a nice ass. So far so good with cute-dimples guy, Alex.

  “Maybe I will.” I flirted with a smile, then bit my lower lip. Alex looked up ahead of me.

  “Hi, Derek,” Alex greeted the instructor. With a kiss. On the mouth! They turned to me.

  “Derek, this is Marin. She’s new to the class,” Alex said.

  “Great! Hope you come back next time,” Derek said, holding Alex by the waist.

  “Absolutely, I will.” I said with an over exaggerated smile that strained my mouth. “Nice to meet you both.” I waved good-bye and walked away.

  Well, that figures. Who would’ve thought the guy I was checking out in a San Francisco yoga class would be gay? I usually had a knack for knowing who was gay and who was straight, but my impatience was clearly clouding my judgment. Telly and Holly stood near the entrance. I hung my head and dragged my yoga mat behind me.

  “Tough b
reak, Marin,” Telly said.

  “I think it’s a sign,” Holly said.

  “A sign of what?” I asked.

  “A sign that this thing you’re doing is a bad idea. You can’t go into something like that with bad intentions. It’ll blow up in your face just like that.” Holly was really on her high horse about my quest. I couldn’t tell if her resistance was because she wanted to protect me or if she wanted to protect herself from the risk that I might be right.

  “Let me take you out tomorrow night to find some real prospects,” Telly said.

  “Okay, yeah.” I grinned. The search was still on.

  Telly’s offer to take me out to meet some prospective lab rats gave me a sense of excitement that helped the workday fly by. I slipped into a tight black dress with a plunging neckline and gave my eyes a smoky look. A spritz of my favorite perfume on my wrist and neck and I was ready to go.

  Telly took me to Bleeker, a bar I’d never heard of. Men in suits and women in minis conversed on leather seating, served by bartenders in crisp white shirts and black ties. Music echoed off the vacant dance floor. I immediately scoped out the room. Telly bounced with excitement.

  “Do you see anyone?” she asked.

  As I looked at all the eligible bachelors, I became overwhelmed.

  “Yeah, I see a few,” I said, noticing a guy sitting alone at the bar. He was dressed like a stockbroker, but with a face of a bad boy. Sexy and dangerous. After a long sip of my martini, I mustered the courage to go talk to him, but Telly gripped my arm.

  “Don’t look now,” she said.

  “What?” I froze.

  “There’s a guy over there checking you out.” She glanced in the direction behind me. I wanted to look so badly, but I decided to play it cool. Besides, he was probably looking at Telly anyway.

  “Oh, oh, he’s coming over here.” She tried to contain her enthusiasm and looked down.

  “Seriously?” I asked in a panic. Was this it? Was I about to be hit on? Asked out? Was this my guy?

  He came around as sly as a fox, foxy all right with his light brown skin and piercing green eyes.