“Go away,” I called to Roman. I didn’t feel like going anywhere tonight. “It’s fucking Wednesday.”
I heard him laugh, and then he pounded on the door again. “You wanna tell me what the hell that has to do with anything?”
“Yeah, it means I’m not going out.”
“Fine, we don’t have to go out. Just let me the fuck in.”
I turned on the TV and cranked it up. I was fine with being alone and watching TV. I didn’t need Roman’s dumbass here.
“You know, you should really lock your back door. You never know who’s going to walk in.”
Fuck. I looked over my shoulder and watched Dante move to the fridge.
“Hey, fucker. Let me the hell in,” Roman called.
I got up from the couch and opened the front door. “So, you were supposed to distract me, and then Dante was supposed to come in the back?” I kicked the door shut behind Roman and collapsed on the couch.
“That was the plan, but the dumbass was supposed to let me in after he got in, not raid the damn fridge,” Roman shouted at Dante.
Dante flipped him off and continued rummaging in the fridge. “We’re gonna have to order pizza,” he determined with his head still in the fridge. “Bastard doesn’t have anything to eat besides ketchup and pickles.”
“Bring the pickles,” Roman drawled. He collapsed on the couch and kicked his feet up onto the coffee table. “I really need to get one of these,” he muttered looking around.
“You mean furniture?” I asked.
Dante handed the jar of pickles to Roman and sat down on the other end of the couch. “I think the only way for Roman to get furniture is from someone to domesticate and potty train him.”
“Y’all are a bunch of fuckers. Think you’re fucking funny, but from where I’m sitting, I’m not the one moping around after some chick who didn’t want to tell anyone about me.” Roman pulled a pickle out of the jar and pointed it at me. “Told you what you were doing was fucked up, but you didn’t listen to me.”
“You never told me that.”
Roman quirked his eyebrow and pursed his lips. “Huh, maybe I thought it but never told you.” He took a bite out of the pickle and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Either way, I was fucking right.”
I rolled my eyes and flipped through all the channels looking for something to watch. I paid a shit ton for cable every month, and I could never find anything good.
“Hey, go back to Chuck Norris,” Dante called. “Fucking badass,” he mumbled.
“Is this really what we’re going to do tonight?” Roman asked. “It’s fucking Wednesday night, we’re three good looking single guys, and we’re just gonna watch Chuck Norris and eat a jar of pickles?”
“You’re the only one eating pickles,” Dante pointed out. “I’m about to order a couple of pizzas and some chicken wings.”
“Well, I guess we’ll have some good food while we're lame.”
Dante leaned forward and rested his elbows on his legs. “I know what we can do.” He pointed a finger at me and smirked. “You can fucking tell us who you were dating. If it’s over, does it really matter if you tell us who it was?”
“It doesn’t matter anymore, Dante. She doesn’t want anything to do with me.”
“You won’t tell him, I will,” Roman threatened.
Dante’s head twisted to look at Roman. “You know who he was dating?”
“Yeah. I fucking caught the two making out.”
“Shut the fuck up, Ro,” I growled. I was surprised he had kept his mouth shut for this long.
“Nah, I think if you had just told everyone, it never would have been an issue, and you wouldn’t be the sad sack of shit you are right now.”
I grabbed the beer I had sitting next to me and took a swig. “With friends like you, who needs enemies?” I drawled.
Roman rolled his eyes and set the jar of pickles on the coffee table. “He was dating Ryker’s aunt.”
“The old lady?” Dante asked. “She’s like ninety.”
Roman shook his head. “No, you fuckstick. Ryker’s aunt isn’t an old lady. She’s a waitress at the strip club.”
Dante looked confused as shit. “But how…why did…when were you…”
I took mercy on him and decided to just tell him. “Roman and I went to the strip club awhile back, and I saw her. Then when we went back to the club, with the girls, we started talking. Neither of us knew who the other was. By the time we figured it out, Hadley didn’t want to tell anyone because she didn’t want to hurt Ryker.”
“How the hell was it going to hurt, Ryker? The kid is sixteen, not six.”
I shook my head and popped open the footrest on the recliner. “I don’t know the full story, but he mentioned his mom when he saw Hadley and me together, and it tore Hadley apart.”
“You call her at all?” Roman asked.
“Yeah, I’ve tried a few times, but she doesn’t answer. The last I heard from her was she wanted me to leave.”
“That would explain why Ryker hasn’t been into the studio much. Kellan had mentioned that Ryker had called and said he wouldn’t be in for a bit.” Dante pulled out his phone. “You guys want anything special to eat?”
Roman grabbed a throw pillow and tossed it at Dante. “Do you ever think of anything besides food?”
Dante snatched the pillow out of the air and threw it on the floor. “Fuck you, I’m hungry. Besides, Tate said he fucked it up. What else is there to do?” Dante put the phone to his ear and wandered into the kitchen while he ordered wings and pizza.
“So, what are you going to do?” Roman asked.
“Eat pizza and watch TV.”
“I mean about Hadley, you jackass.”
I knew he meant Hadley, but I didn’t want to think about it. I had been racking my mind for weeks trying to figure out the way to talk to her without pissing her off even more, and I always came up blank. “Dante was right, there isn’t anything I can do.”
“Have you talked to Ryker?”
“And say what? I’m sorry I was messing around with your aunt behind your back, but can you put in a good word for me to help me get her back?” I had thought of talking to Ryker too, but I didn’t think that was going to help anything.
“He’s a cool kid, Tate. I’m sure if you just talk to him and let him know why you didn’t tell him about you and Hadley, he’ll get it.”
“And then what happens when Hadley finds out I talked to Ryker?” She would more than likely freak the hell out and for sure never talk to me again.
Roman shook his head and sat back. “You fuckers in love drive me God damn crazy. Kellan was the same damn way when he and Molly broke up, or whatever the fuck it was they did. Suck it up, talk to her, and get the damn girl back. You didn’t cheat on her, you didn’t kill anyone, and you didn’t tell her she was fat.”
“Uh…what…why…” I sputtered.
“Calling her fat is probably worse than cheating on her,” Roman reasoned.
I couldn’t really argue with that, although I’m sure they ranked right up there together.
Roman stood up and pulled his phone out of his pocket. “If you’re not going to do anything about it, I will.”
I watched as he swiped on his phone and put it to his ear. “Kel, it’s Roman. Get off your ol’ lady and talk to me for two seconds.”
How the hell was calling Kellan going to fix Hadley and me?
“Round up Molly and her friends. We need to head to the strip club tomorrow and get Tate’s chick back.”
I couldn’t hear what Kellan said, but I’m sure he was confused as hell.
“Don’t ask questions. Just do what I said, and tomorrow night, everything will be figured out.” Roman shoved his phone in his pocket and sat back down.
“You wanna tell me how a girls’ night is going to help me get Hadley back?” I couldn’t believe that I was about to go along with whatever fucking plan Roman was cooking up.
“Don’t question m
y shit. I’m the one with a clear head who isn’t all fucked up by some chick. Be ready tomorrow night at nine, and I’ll fix your shit for you.”
**********
Hadley
“Ryker, Vanessa is going to be here in half an hour. Do you want me to make you anything for dinner?” I opened the freezer and pulled out a frozen pizza.
“Why doesn’t Tate take you to work anymore?”
With some hesitancy, I backed away from the freezer and looked at Ryker who was sitting in the living room. “Uh, it’s just easier for Vanessa to give me a ride.” This was the first time in weeks that he had said an actual sentence to me.
“Are you still dating him?”
I turned on the oven and unwrapped the pizza. “Um, no.”
“Why not?”
With the pizza in the oven, I slammed the door. I almost preferred Ryker not talk to me over the fifty questions I was getting. “It just didn’t work out.”
“It looked like it was working when I walked in on you two.”
A sigh escaped my lips, and I shook my head. “Please don’t talk like that, Ryker.”
“I’m sixteen years old, Hadley. I know about sex.”
A weak smile crossed my lips. “I think I could have lived another fifty years without hearing that.”
He moved into the kitchen and sat down at the table. He looked up at me and flexed his fist in front of him. “Why didn’t you tell me you were seeing him?”
“Ryker, do we really have to go over this? I’m not with him anymore and—”
His hand slammed down on the table, and he shook his head. “Hadley, just tell me why you think you needed to hide it from me?”
With my arms crossed over my chest, I leaned against the counter and bowed my head. “I didn’t know how you would react. I didn’t want you to think that me dating Tate changed anything.”
“What was it going to change? It’s not like I’m some kid looking for a guy to be my dad. I haven’t had a dad all my life, Hadley, so you think you dating a guy would mess things up? What messed everything up was you deciding you knew what was best for me and lying to me.”
“I didn’t mean to lie to you, Ryker. I was just trying to protect you.”
He laughed softly and shook his head. “You know that’s the same thing Mom told me when I asked her how long she had known she had cancer?”
I shook my head. “I didn’t know that, Ryker. I found out she had cancer when you did.”
He stood up and paced the length of the kitchen. “She knew for a year, Hadley. She knew for a whole freakin’ year that she was going to die, and she didn’t tell me ‘til I only had a few weeks left with her.”
“I’m sorry, Ryker. You have to know that Jeri was just trying to protect you.”
“Protect me from what?” he yelled. “Protect me from helping her, from me being there for her? I was such a fucking punk to her, and I didn’t even know that she was dying. She was dying, and I was worried about school and how we were going to pay for the next karate tournament. I was a selfish prick WHO DIDN’T KNOW HIS MOM WAS DYING!” Ryker’s legs gave out, and he collapsed on the floor. “I could have helped her, but she wouldn’t let me.” He buried his head in his hands and sobbed. He cried for his dead mother. Tears streamed down my face for the mother he lost and for my sister I would never see again.
I gathered him in my arms, his body shaking. “It’s okay, Ryker. It’s okay. I feel the same way, but there isn’t anything we can do about it now. She loved you with everything she had, and she didn’t want you to have to worry about her.”
Ryker wrapped his arms around me and hugged me close. “I would have been better. I would have been home every night if she just would have told me.”
His words ripped my heart out. I had thought the same thing when she told me. I would have visited more. I would have made time to call her every day. I would have just tried to be a better sister. “You can’t change it, Ryker. She knew you loved her.”
“It just hurts,” he gasped.
“God, Ryker,” I sobbed. “It’s okay.” He held onto me like I was the only person left on Earth.
I held him because we were all we had left.
“Shit.”
My head jerked up, and Vanessa was standing in the living room. “Um, the door was open.”
Ryker wiped his nose with the back of his hand and fell back on his butt.
“I’ll just go wait in the truck. Take your time.” She backed out of the door and shut it behind her.
“Well, I bet we looked like an after school special.”
I laughed and wiped my cheeks off. “Yeah, I’m sure that’s not what she figured she was going to walk in on.”
“I’m sorry, Haddie.”
I rubbed his shoulder. “You don’t have to be sorry, Ry. I didn’t know that you felt that way.”
He shook his head and rubbed his hands on his jeans. “No, I mean I’m sorry you broke up with Tate because of me.”
“Oh, honey. Don’t blame yourself for that.”
He smirked and shook his head. “It’s kind of hard not to when you guys were all hot and heavy, and then I walk in on you and then it’s over.”
“I just don’t think it’s a good time for me to start seeing someone. I need to just focus on you and trying to find a better job.”
He sniffled and sat back on his butt. “You’re looking for another job?”
“Yeah, I need something better for us, Ry, and a good job is going to help with that. I just need to get us out of the hole and pray no other bad shit happens.”
“I have money saved up, Hadley. I can pay for the car to get fixed.”
I shook my head. “As of right now, I shouldn’t need it, but if tonight doesn’t go how I expect it to, then we’ll need it.”
“What’s going on tonight?”
“I’m praying for big ass tips and to hit the lotto.” I wasn’t going to mention those tips I was hoping for weren’t going to come from waiting on tables. “Are you okay to stay by yourself? I can call Rick and ask for the night off.” I’m sure Vanessa could testify that with the night I had, I deserved to have time off.
“I’m good. I…just think…” He looked up at me and smiled. “It just feels good to finally say that.” He stood up and held a hand out to me. “Go to work, Haddie. My messed up self will still be here when you get home.”
I grabbed his hand, and he hoisted me off the floor. “Okay. Just call if you need anything. And I’m sorry too. I should have told you about Tate when it first started.”
Ryker shrugged. “I didn’t care you were dating him, I just hated that you didn’t think I deserved to know.”
“Well, you know now, and I promise to never make that mistake again.” I grabbed my purse off of the counter and hugged Ryker.
“Aunt Haddie,” he called as I opened the door. “Um, if you want to date Tate, you know, I think it’s pretty cool.”
I hung my head and smiled. “You’re gonna drive me to drink, Ry.” I shook my head. “Don’t stay up too late, and I’ll call you on my break. Love you.”
I strode to Vanessa's truck and felt a little bit lighter.
Ryker and I were talking, but now I was about to go to work and take off my clothes for money.
Life was cruel.
**********
Tate
“Get in the car.”
I tried to close the front door, but Dante stuck his foot out. “I’m not going.”
“If I have to go on another fucking girls’ night, then so do you,” Dante demanded. “Roman said we all had to go, so get your ass in the car so we can get this over with.”
I wasn’t in the mood to go out. I know I had Wednesday to go, but the more I thought about it, the more I knew that it wasn’t going to work. Whatever plan Roman had cooked up was going to crash and burn because Hadley hadn’t answered the phone when I called last night. It went straight to voicemail.
“Look, Dante. Roman can’t fix what happen
ed between Hadley and me. It’s done.”
He hooked me around the neck and dragged me out the door. “Fine, then just come have a fucking drink with me, so I don’t go insane having to listen to Molly and Sage talk about the strippers like they’re runway models talking about the damn underwear they have on.”
I patted my back pocket, making sure I had my wallet and strolled to Kellan’s car that was idling at the curb. “You can let go of my arm, ass.”
Dante twisted it behind my back, making me bend over into the car. “But what would be the fun in that?” he smirked.
I collapsed in the backseat next to Sage, and Dante slid in next to me. Kellan was driving, and Molly was in the passenger seat next to him.
“You’ve got twenty minutes to explain to us why the hell Roman demanded my girl go to the strip club tonight,” Kellan ordered. He pulled away from the curb and headed in the direction of the club.
“Jesus Christ,” I mumbled.
Sage elbowed me in the side, and her smile beamed up at me. “Spill, ninja.”
“What is with you chicks calling us ninjas?” Dante mumbled.
Molly turned in her seat. “Um, isn’t that what you are?”
“No. We just do karate,” I pointed out.
“But I bet you could be a kick ass ninja, though. Like, Angelina Jolie could break into your room one night, telling you the fate of the world is in your ninja hands. You would have no choice but to be a ninja.” Sage karate chopped the back of Kellan’s seat and gave a hi-ya.
I leaned forward, my head in the front of the car. “How many drinks did she have before you got in the car?”
“Five,” Sage sang out.
“They were small though,” Molly pointed out.
“Molly,” Kellan laughed. “They were damn shots.”
She shrugged and pushed me back into the backseat. “Spill about why we’re going to the strip club.”
She wasn’t going to let this go. “I met a girl, we dated, we broke up. Roman thinks he can fix it.”
“But why are you fixing it at a strip club.,” Molly asked.
“Because she works there,” Dante mumbled.
Love on the Mat (Powerhouse M.A.) Page 17