by Ali Parker
“I’m in IT. When your computer breaks, I’m the guy you call,” he said.
Mandy was smiling and holding on to the guy’s arm. I looked at Mandy. She was a beautiful woman, and from what I knew about her through Hailey, she was a good person. I was immediately protective of her. She was one of mine by proxy.
We all chatted about our jobs a little before the conversation moved to our hobbies.
Reggie looked at me. “What about you? I know the ladies are world-class shoppers and love spa days and all that girl stuff.”
Hailey pointed a finger at him. “We do a lot more than that.”
Mandy looked at Hailey, shutting her down with one look.
I took a deep breath. “I like to surf when I can.”
“Or he goes out on his yacht,” Hailey chimed in.
I immediately felt like she had just kicked me in the gut. The mention of the yacht was like her flaunting my wealth. I rarely talked about the yacht. I knew it sounded pretentious. I gauged Reggie’s response. It was exactly as I expected it would be. He was impressed and envious and already looking for a way to secure an invite.
“It’s my escape from the daily grind. I like to go out alone and unwind,” I said, squashing his hopes.
“It sounds like the perfect escape,” Mandy said with a smile.
“It is. The daily grind can be very overwhelming. Sometimes, I need to just get away from people.”
Hailey reached under the table and put her hand on my thigh, comforting me.
“I personally like to unwind with a bottle of scotch and a good cigar,” Reggie volunteered.
I nodded my head. “That is definitely a good choice.”
“We should get together some time. We’ll all go out on your boat, share some scotch and cigars. I have a hookup that gets me the best,” Reggie said, weaseling his way in anyway.
“It’s a yacht and ya, we’ll have to do that,” I said, not committing to anything.
“So, what about this wedding. I saw the announcement in the paper. I thought you two were going to get professional photos done and then make the announcement,” Mandy said.
I laughed. “I guess Hailey was a little excited and wanted the world to know as soon as possible,” I quipped.
Hailey looked at me. “What? Me? I didn’t put that in there! I thought you did. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to hurt your feelings. I thought you were just really excited.”
I looked at her and shook my head. “I didn’t do it.”
“Well, the only people that even knew were Mandy and us. I know she didn’t do it,” Hailey said, her voice slightly irritated.
I mentally groaned. Zach. It had to have been Zach. That explained the use of our public headshots. “Never mind. I know who did it. Sorry, I guess I assumed it was you.”
In the back of my mind, I was back to feeling like an asshole. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately. I kept misjudging Hailey. She hadn’t released the announcement. She wasn’t bragging about snaring me. I was an egotistical prick, assuming I was some grand prize to be won.
She laughed, the mood relaxing a bit. “Who was it?” she said, her hand moving back to my thigh.
“Zach,” I admitted.
“Who’s Zach?” Mandy asked.
“He’s my best friend. I told him on Saturday. He must have been a little excited,” I mumbled, making a mental note to call him and then kick his ass.
“I can’t wait to meet him. He’s obviously pretty excited. That’s cute,” Hailey said enthusiastically.
I nodded my head. “Ya, he’s a real treat. I’m sorry he did that. I’ll let him know he overstepped.”
Hailey shook her head. “It’s really okay. I mean I would have preferred a better picture, one that showed us together, but I don’t mind. I don’t care who knows. Mandy is the only one I wanted to tell, and I did that.”
I nodded. “Good. We’ll get those pictures. I promise. We’ll match up our schedules.”
There was a weird pause in the conversation.
“I need to use the ladies’ room,” Mandy said, leaning over to kiss Reggie on the cheek.
“I’ll go with you,” Hailey said, standing, giving me a quick kiss before walking away with her friend.
I looked up from my drink in time to see Reggie watching them walk away with a lecherous look in his eye. I couldn’t blame him. I probably got that same look when I watched Hailey walk away. I know I had it while I watched her put on her shoes not even an hour ago. I turned to glance back and noticed Mandy was already around the corner. He was watching Hailey.
I turned back to look at him, schooling my features, not letting him know I had caught him leering at my fiancée. This was a good opportunity to get to know the man a little better. I sensed there was more to the guy then what he was putting out there for all of us to see.
“How long have you and Mandy been seeing each other?” I asked.
He scoffed. “Seeing? I guess that’s what they call it these days. We hooked up a couple weeks ago. She was all over me at the club. I figured what the hell. She wasn’t the worst looking woman in the room, so I took her home. She’s a wildcat in bed. You know what I mean?”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I nodded my head. “Sure, I guess.”
“What about Hailey? How long have you been hitting that? She is a fine piece of ass,” he said shaking his head.
I nearly choked on the sip of wine.
“That’s my fiancée,” I said in a tone that made it very clear I didn’t like what he was saying.
He held up his hands. “Oh, shit, sorry, man. I didn’t realize it was a real thing with you two. I thought you were just in it for the sweet ass.”
“Reggie, I’m going to ask you again not to talk about my future wife in such a disparaging way.”
He grinned and winked. “Got it. You’re one of those alpha male types. I suppose the ladies like that kind of thing.”
I nodded. “I suppose they do.”
His phone vibrated, and he quickly picked it up. The look on his face made me want to vomit. I watched as he typed out a message and sent it before putting it down.
“My other girl,” he explained.
I raised an eyebrow. “Your other girl?”
He smirked. “You didn’t think Mandy was woman enough for me. I’m a guy that needs a couple of women to meet my needs.”
“Does she know you’re not exclusive?” I asked, feeling my blood boiling.
He shrugged a shoulder. “Does it matter? You need to lighten up man. We’re banging, nothing more than that. I only agreed to meet her best friend because I knew it was Hailey Hollis. I’ve been a fan of hers for years. And those ads for that athletic gear, hot damn!”
It was about all I could take. “You’re a real piece of shit,” I growled.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. Why don’t you get lost? If you don’t like Mandy, go away. Leave her alone.”
His phone vibrated on the table. He ignored me and picked it up, grinning at whatever the message said and quickly typed a response.
“Go. Now. Before she gets back. I’ll tell her you had an emergency,” I said in a low voice.
He looked up from his phone and shook his head. “I don’t care how much money you have. I don’t take orders from you. Mind your own fucking business.”
I stood up. He stood, puffing out his chest. I had a good four inches on him. He was a bit beefier than I, but I knew I could kick his ass.
“Get the fuck out of here,” I snarled, stepping closer to him.
He pushed against my chest, my body moving backward several inches.
I shook my head. “Wrong move.”
I shoved him back. He responded with a right hook that I barely managed to dodge. I swung back, and the rest became a bit of a blur.
Chapter 41
Hailey
I added a little powder to my nose, fluffed my hair and pulled my strapless dress up a little. We were b
oth standing in front of the vanity in the bathroom, doing what women did when they visited the bathroom together—we primped.
“What do you think?” Mandy asked as she swiped on another slick of lipstick.
“Of?” I asked, playing dumb, stalling as I tried to think of something to say.
“You know what—Reggie. He’s handsome, right?”
I nodded my head. “He is very good looking. How old is he?” I asked, estimating him to be close to forty, which seemed too old for Mandy.
“Thirty-nine, which isn’t much older than your future husband, I might add, so don’t lecture me on that.”
I smiled. “I wasn’t going to lecture you. The heart wants what it wants.”
“You’re dodging the question which tells me you don’t care for him.”
I shrugged a shoulder. “I’m not saying that at all. He seems smart, nice,” I said, not wanting to dog on the guy.
My gut instinct told me he was a douchebag, but I had thought that about Gabriel, and he ended up being a decent guy. I’d give Reggie a chance. I couldn’t see him and Mandy in a long-term relationship. I wasn’t sure what she saw in him, but everyone had their own opinions.
“You don’t like him,” she pouted.
“I’m not saying that. I don’t know him. Let me get a chance to get to know him better.”
She nodded her head and turned to face me at the bathroom counter. “I know you well enough to know when you don’t like someone.”
“Mandy, I’m not saying I don’t like him. I have literally known him for like twenty minutes. I need a little more time than that to pass judgment,” I assured her.
She sighed. “Okay, but when you do, please tell me what you honestly think. I value your opinion, and I trust you to tell me the truth. That’s what best friends do.”
“I will. I promise. What do you think about Terran?” I asked her.
She smiled. “Please. I don’t think I could ever find a single flaw with that guy. You know he’s pretty damn close to perfect.”
I grinned. “He is, huh. What do you like about Reggie?” I asked, changing the subject.
She let out a long sigh. “I’ll admit, he’s not my typical guy. I don’t like the nerdy type. I’m also not the type to pick a guy up at the club and sleep with him on the first date,” she mumbled.
“You did what?” I asked with shock.
She looked embarrassed. “I don’t know what happened. He was hot, I was a little drunk, and before I knew it, he was in my bed.”
I shook my head. “Mandy, you know better than that. We’re lucky you’re alive. He could have been an ax murderer!” I lectured.
She smiled. “I’m fine, and he called the next day, so I figured he had to be a decent guy.”
“I’m glad you like him, but listen here little lady, I don’t want to hear about you picking up strangers at the club. You know better than that,” I said in my best mommy voice.
“I know, I know. Let’s get back out there.”
We walked out of the restroom in time to hear people shouting and glass breaking.
“What the hell?” Mandy asked.
“I have no idea.”
We rounded the corner in time to see Terran throw a punch and hit Reggie square in the nose. Reggie swung and hit Terran in the mouth.
“Terran!” I shouted, rushing toward him.
Mandy was on my heels as we pushed our way around the crowd of people watching the fight without trying to stop it.
“Stop it!” Mandy screamed as Terran hit Reggie again.
“Terran, that’s enough,” I shouted, grabbing his arm as he cocked it back to punch Reggie again.
Terran turned to look at me, focusing his eyes before wiping blood from his mouth. He was breathing heavy, rage filled his eyes. I had never seen him look that way. It was a little scary.
“You crazy son of a bitch!” Reggie was shouting over and over. Mandy was pulling him away to the back of the restaurant.
A couple of waiters and the hostess had rushed to the area and were ordering all of us out of the restaurant with the warning the cops were on their way. I saw a camera flash and groaned.
“We have to get out of here, now,” I told Terran.
“Hailey, what the hell!” Mandy shouted across the restaurant.
I shook my head. “I don’t know.”
“He’s crazy! That’s what happened. Your boyfriend is a psychopath!” Reggie shouted.
“What happened?” I turned to look at Terran, looking back at Reggie’s bloody nose and swollen eye.
“He’s crazy! That’s what happened. He hit me!” Reggie shouted again.
I rolled my eyes. “Shut up! I’m asking Terran.”
Terran scoffed. “He pushed me first. I pushed him back, and then he punched me. Well, he tried to punch me, he missed,” he sneered at the other guy.
“Whatever you crazy fucking maniac. I’m pressing charges. Someone call the cops!” Reggie shouted.
“Stop, settle down,” I snapped at Reggie, glaring at him, my hand on Terran’s chest to keep him from going after Reggie again.
Mandy looked at me, shaking her head, hurt in her eyes. “Get him out of here,” she whispered.
I nodded. “I’ll call you later.”
She ignored me and focused her attention on Reggie who was still shouting obscenities.
“Let’s go,” I said, grabbing my purse in one hand and Terran’s arm with the other, wanting to get him out of the restaurant before the police arrived.
We walked out of the restaurant and quickly hailed a cab to take us back to his place. We didn’t talk the entire ride home. I was stunned and pissed at the same time. I had never known him to be violent. I wasn’t sure what happened, but it had to be something big. I had a feeling Reggie would be pressing charges in order to get a payout from Terran. It was the oldest trick in the book, one I would have thought Terran would know by now.
When we got back to his place, I ordered him to sit down while I grabbed a sandwich bag and filled it with ice. I walked back to the living room to see him sitting on the couch looking at the back of his hand.
“Here,” I said handing him the ice.
“Is it for my hand or my face?” he smirked.
I looked at his face and shook my head. “It doesn’t look like you’re going to suffer from a black eye. You have a split lip, but you’ll recover.”
“My hand then. That may not recover.”
“Tell me what happened,” I said softly.
He dragged in a deep breath, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the couch. “He’s not a good guy.”
“You’ll have to do better than that,” I snapped.
He groaned with frustration. “I hate getting into the middle of stuff like this.”
“Well, mister, you put yourself smack in the middle when you beat the hell out of my best friend’s boyfriend in the three minutes we left you alone at the table,” I retorted.
“He’s not her boyfriend.”
“Um, actually, he is.”
He shook his head. “No, she might think that, but he doesn’t think that. Not only was he drooling all over you, but he was texting another woman. He was extremely disrespectful when he talked about her. It was disgusting. He’s lucky I didn’t hit him sooner. That guy was a world-class dick. I wish I could hit him again.”
I narrowed my eyes. “He was texting another woman? How do you know that?”
“I watched him do it, and he told me. He thought it was a big joke. Your friend doesn’t deserve that. No woman deserves that.”
I found myself smiling at him. “You’re amazing.”
He grinned. “You’ve mentioned that before.”
“No, I mean it. You are absolutely amazing.”
He shrugged a shoulder. “I was only doing what was right. I really didn’t start the fight. I would have never hit him. I’m not that kind of guy. I don’t make it a habit of punching guys in the middle of a crowded restaurant.�
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“Could’ve fooled me. You seemed to know exactly what you were doing.”
“I’m sorry. I hope Mandy isn’t mad at you. I’ll apologize to her.”
I shook my head. “I’ll talk to her. It isn’t exactly what I had in mind for the evening. I hate that Reggie is a jerk. She really liked him.”
“He’s bad news. Really bad news.”
“I agree. I got a bad feeling when I met him. I didn’t like the way he was looking at me,” I said, twisting my face in disgust.
He nodded his head. “You have no idea.”
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t want to know.”
I grinned. “Were you defending my honor?”
He chuckled. “I guess you could say that.”
“I’m sorry I left you at the table with him.”
“It’s okay. You couldn’t have known. I tried to mind my own business, but he wouldn’t let it go. I can’t stand men that treat women like that. I don’t know your friend, but I know you, and I can’t imagine you would appreciate her getting used like that. The guy was really horrible,” he said, shaking his head in disgust.
“Thank you for sticking up for her.”
“Of course.”
I sat back against the couch next to him, thinking about how the night had ended. I needed to call Mandy. I had a feeling she was going to be pretty mad at me. Reggie wasn’t going to admit to his crimes. He’d blame Terran.
I let out a long sigh, feeling horrible for Mandy. The poor woman couldn’t catch a break. Here I had found a great guy and couldn’t stop talking about it. I’d been a shitty friend.
“Would you ever do that to me?” I asked him.
“Do what?”
“Text another woman or worse?”
He sat forward and turned to look at me on the couch. “Absolutely not. You are the only woman in my life, and that’s the way I want it to stay.”
I leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips. “Good.”
“Ow,” he groaned.
“You big baby. I’ll go get you another ice pack for your mouth. I need that mouth in good working order,” I said with a wink as I left the room.
I returned a second later and pressed the ice pack to his cheek and lip. “Thank you,” he murmured.