Living with Regrets (No Regrets book 2)

by Aimee Noalane

  “It’s nothing,” she took her keys out of the ignition and grabbed her purse. “Can we go in now?”

  I frowned and stepped out following her. As soon as she reached the front door of the restaurant, she gave me a side glance.

  “Okay, fine. You’re right. I lied. Follow me, and please don’t be mad.”

  I trailed behind her, and walked between tables until we came to a complete stop. Kylie turned to me and scrunched her nose in the way she did when she knew she was in trouble.

  “I’m sorry.”

  I looked past her and spotted Stephan, Tyler, and Oliver sitting together at the table in front of us. “Kyylie!” I whined.

  “I told you to change,” she replied. I gave her a death stare. This had nothing to do with the clothing I had on, and she knew very well. “Would it help if I apologized?”

  “Screw your apology. You’re paying for breakfast.”

  I pulled my chair, took off my jacket, dropped my cell phone on the table and sat beside Tyler.

  “Morning, Sunshine.”

  Sunshine was the name Tyler gave me in the morning when I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I guess the habit stuck.

  “Shut up Tyler.”

  “Didn’t get enough sleep last night?”

  “I said shut up, Tyler. I need coffee. Excuse me, Ma’am,” I called out to the waitress cleaning the table behind us. “Can my friend and I please get some coffee?”

  She looked annoyed by my presence, and I didn’t even know her, or maybe I did and didn’t care to recognize.

  “Of course,” she answered with a fake smile. “Just give me a minute to finish up here, and I’ll be right with you.”

  I really wanted to call her out on the fact that she had been wiping the same clean spot for the past five minutes while ogling the three guys sitting with me, but I decided against it. I did want my coffee clear of spit, after all.

  “You know, Kylie, you suck. I thought you and I were supposed to have a girls’ day today.”

  “We will. They’re just with us for breakfast.”

  “It’s actually my fault,” Stephan responded. “I wanted my baby girl to have breakfast with her new boyfriend.”

  I’m sorry. What?

  I needed a few seconds to process the information. Kylie passed her hand in front of my face, wondering if I’d gone blind over a second.

  I gave her an irritated look. “Kylie, if I was blind, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be seeing your hand waving in my face right now.”

  “Then, please say something.”

  I addressed Stephan. “I told you not to do anything stupid.”

  He addressed Kylie. “You were supposed to tell her.”

  “And I told you that we needed to do it together.”

  “Ugh, this is a disaster waiting to happen,” I muttered. “Where’s that waitress with my coffee?”

  “You just asked her, Abby. Give her a few minutes to get it,” Tyler argued.

  “Fine.” I grabbed his coffee mug and took a sip enjoying the warmth traveling down my throat.

  “Hey!”

  “What?” I mocked taking another gulp.

  “That’s my coffee.”

  “I know. So?”

  “So don’t drink out of my cup.”

  “I can’t drink out of the same coffee mug as you do, yet you don’t have issues with your tongue being down my throat or between my legs?”

  “Seriously?” the three guys exclaimed at the same time.

  I ignored them and addressed Tyler. “I really don’t see what your problem is right now.”

  Kylie chuckled. “You’re impossible. You can’t talk about last night or my relationship with Stephan without your morning coffee, yet you’re ready to talk about sex any time of day.”

  “What happened last night that you don’t want to talk about?” Oliver asked curiously. “Is it that Chase thing? Because, if you ask me, Abby, the guy’s a jealous prick. I don’t even understand how you could possibly even think I would like a guy like him.”

  “Finally! I thought I was the only one,” Kylie added.

  Stephan and Tyler chuckled. I simply responded to them with an over-exaggerated eye roll.

  “There is a huge difference between emotions and sex, Ky. You don’t need the first to do the second. Besides, any time is the perfect time to talk about sex. Especially, when your ex is sitting right beside you picturing what you’re wearing underneath your clothing.”

  Tyler groaned. “Shut up, Abby.”

  “You can ask me if you want,” I teased.

  “I don’t want to know.”

  “Of course you do. It’s thin and lacy and magenta.” Just to spite him, I dragged on every word describing the lingerie I wore last time we were together.

  Funnily enough a coffee mug magically appeared in front of me.

  “Here, take mine.” Oliver stood. “It’s black. Add whatever you want in it.” He looked amused by the conversation, but there was something else there, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. “I need some air, come and get me when it’s time to order.”

  Tyler glared at me and walked away trailing behind Oliver.

  “What the hell is their problem?”

  “Did you have to be so graphic?” Stephan reprimanded.

  “What are you talking about? We’re always like this. Just because Oliver is here for the weekend, I’m supposed to be acting differently?”

  “I’m not asking you to be different, just less explicit.”

  “Why?”

  “Because.”

  “Because what?”

  “Just because, Abby.”

  Clearly this conversation is going nowhere.

  “Fine, Stephan. I’ll behave.”

  “Good. And you need to apologize.”

  “I’m not apologizing for being me.”

  “I’m not asking you to. I’m actually referring to what you implied regarding my relationship with Kylie.

  “Yeah, Abby. What gives?”

  “What gives?” I stirred milk and sugar into Oliver’s coffee and brought the cup to my lips.

  I wonder if Oliver drank out of his cup. Wait. Why do I even care?

  “Kylie, you live five hours away. You guys broke up because the long distance thing wasn’t working over three years ago. Every time you two see each other, you get at it, and then go back to your regular lives, completely demolished. How is this time any different?”

  “Well, first of all, the fact that I have a job in Ottawa now,” she replied. “I got hired as a law firm assistant about a month ago. I’m going to work there while I finish school.”

  I raised my eyebrow. “So, what, you’re going to be traveling all the time? That barely makes any sense, Kylie.”

  “Actually, I transferred schools too. I decided to switch my major to government law, so I’ll be attending school in Ottawa.”

  I watched Kylie suspiciously. She was still one of my best friends, but after her relationship with Stephan ended, things shifted a little bit between us. We weren’t as close as we had once been: I’d been really mad at her for hurting Stephan. He took their break up pretty hard, and I stood by him like he stood by me when Oliver disappeared on us. Obviously, my friendship with Kylie got better over time, but she wasn’t as present in our lives as she used to be. I was really happy her career was picking up. But that was the thing about Kylie, her career was always more important than anything else, so she had to understand why I was wary of them getting back together.

  “I hope you two know what you’re doing.”

  Kylie smiled. “Abby I know what you’re thinking and I want you to know it won’t happen again. I promise. Stephan and I have been back together for the past three months. I’ve cleared my apartment in York and moved the remainder of my things to his place last Wednesday.”

  My eyes shifted to Stephan’s. He was grinning, which made me sort of smile. I could tell right there that he was the happiest guy on earth, but it didn�
��t change my opinion on the matter. In fact, her admission made me even more cautious because my best friend had chosen to not tell me about it.

  “You lied to me,” I accused.

  “There is a difference between lying and avoiding the subject.”

  “You mean like you did with the whole Oliver thing,” I pointed out. “Can I be honest with you both without you being pissed at me?”

  “Depends.”

  “Then, never mind. I won’t say it.”

  “Stephan, don’t,” Kylie replied. “She’s your best friend, and she’s entitled to her opinion. Just say what you have to say, Abby. I promise that I won’t be mad.”

  “I know you won’t be mad. It’s more about him than anything else.” I directed my eyes over to Stephan who crossed his arms.

  “Whatever,” he sulked.

  Stephan and I looked after one another. It was the base line of how we became best friends. Whether he agreed with me or not wasn’t really important as long as my message got heard.

  “Here’s the thing. I am really happy for you both, and I’m sorry I called your relationship a disaster, but I know the both of you. I also know you’re hiding something from me about what happened last time you broke up. And if you’re still hiding it, then, I can’t help thinking that it has to be something major. I’m just wondering if it won’t end up tearing you apart again.” I stared at my best friend to make sure he paid attention to what I was trying to say. “For the record, I know you love each other. I just wonder if in the long run it’s going to be enough.”

  Both smiled while I gave my opinion which didn’t make sense at all, since I clearly disagreed with their relationship.

  “What? Stop being weird.”

  “You’re different.” Kylie answered.

  “I’m not different.”

  “It’s the whole Oliver thing,” Stephan replied with a smirk.

  I flipped him off just as the waitress showed up to take our order. She was still coffee-less, and I was starting to wonder if she had something against me.

  “Okay, I’m ready to take your order.”

  “Oh shoot,” Kylie stood. “I’ll go get the guys outside. Do you mind coming back in two minutes?”

  “Whatever,” she rolled her eyes at us.

  Maybe she’s just in a bad mood, and it has nothing to do with us?

  “Are you still mad about the Oliver thing, really?” Stephan asked as his new girlfriend walked away.

  “Maybe?” I frowned. “Well, no. I’m not. But even though I understand why you didn’t, part of me wishes you would’ve told me. Are you mad at me because I gave you my opinion about your relationship with Kylie?”

  “No, I get what you’re saying.”

  “So you’re going to tell me what you’re hiding.”

  “We’re not hiding anything.”

  “You’re lying, Stephan. It was written all over both your faces as soon as I mentioned it. Something is haunting you, and it has for a while. You don’t want to talk about it? Then fine, I’ll respect it just as I have been doing the past three years. Just remember that if it fails, which I truly hope it won’t, it will be because of your secret.”

  Oliver

  The scene between Abby and Tyler was hilarious, but part of me was jealous of what went on between them. The only thing that helped appease my bitterness towards Tyler at that moment was when I remembered how I’d overheard Abby and Stephan talking at the bar. I realized that it was probably a pretty common issue between them. Clearly their friendship had evasive boundaries. Anyway, the whole thing worked until Abby started to talk about her own lingerie. When that happened, it made me want things I shouldn’t and couldn’t have, so I had to walk out.

  “I’m sorry Ol,” Tyler said as he joined me outside.

  “Why? I thought the whole thing was pretty funny. Are you two always like this?”

  “We used to tease each other plenty, but when we did, it used to be for fun. Now, it’s like she knows how to get to me. Lately she has a tendency to pick a fight whenever she’s in a bad mood.”

  Abby hadn’t changed a bit in six years. The only difference was that back then, she was like that with me, not everyone else...

  “We either argue or she holds back from talking to me at all, like she did last Wednesday at the bar. It’s why we don’t see each other as often. She refuses to talk about what happened. Anyway, I’m sorry, and I’m also sorry I didn’t tell you about dating her.”

  “You know, when I found out the other night, all I wanted to do was pound your head against the wall.”

  “Then, why didn’t you?”

  “Because I’m the one who left. Besides, better you than Chase. What’s she doing with that guy anyway?”

  “Honestly, right now, I think she keeps him around to piss me off. She knows I despise the guy. He’s a drag, and if you get to know him well enough, you’ll see he’s a hypocritical son-of-a-bitch.”

  I chuckled remembering their staring competition. “I have no intention of crossing Chase in the nearby future, and I trust your judgement. How long were they together?”

  “Pfff, I’m not even sure she’s even considered him as a boyfriend since high school. If he was around, it was because it was convenient for her—nothing more. Something in Abby shifted after you left. She craved the loss of control, and when that wasn’t enough anymore, she found a way to numb her pain in a different way. Abby is no saint Oliver, she sought companionship. Trust me when I tell you: Chase was only one of many.”

  “So were you…” I mocked.

  He glared at me. He clearly didn’t appreciate my comment. Right then I knew how much he still cared for her.

  “Are you fucking kidding me? You think I would share Abbygail Evens? Fuck no. When we started dating, I made sure she understood she was mine, and that no one else was to touch her.”

  “How long were you two together?”

  “Almost two years. We broke up last July.”

  “What happened?”

  “She saw me kiss a girl at a party she wasn’t supposed to attend.”

  I frowned and my desire to protect her made me want to beat the shit out of him.

  “I know. Believe me, not my finest hour.”

  “What the hell were you thinking?”

  “I wasn’t.” He closed his eyes and exhaled. “We got into another argument, I was angry, and left for the party. Abby walked in on us when she came to apologize.”

  “Again. What the hell were you thinking?”

  “I don’t know. I guess it felt nice to have someone that actually enjoyed my company touching me. When the girl kissed me, at first I was stunned. But it felt so good, so I went back for more,” he said with regret. “Abby saw it all, Oliver. She stood there watching me until I pulled back.”

  “Wow…”

  No wonder she hates you so much…

  “I know.”

  “So you guys fought a lot?”

  “Up until Zoey’s wedding, never. But after that, all the fucking time.” He paused and reflected. “So much so that she spent most of her time living in her house instead of our apartment.”

  “You guys lived together? I didn’t know you were that serious.”

  He nodded. It was almost as if he regretted telling me his story.

  “What was the fight about?”

  He snickered. “You.”

  “Me? What for? I haven’t been a part of your lives for years now. How the hell was this about me?”

  “Is, not was, and it’s simple. She doesn’t love me.”

  “Tyler, you guys dated for nearly two years. You lived together. She ran after you at a party to apologize. Abby never apologizes for anything. Even when she realizes she’s wrong, she continues to fight just to prove her point. If she came to see you, it’s because she loves you.”

  “She did come back, and we were together for a long time. She never let another guy touch her body while she was with me, and our relationship was amazing. But her
heart was unfaithful, Oliver. She wasn’t truly mine.” His eyes went up to the sky, then back down to mine. “If I saw a way past it, I’d fight for her, but there isn’t. I just gave up on being the guy I knew I could never be.”

  “Hey guys?” Kylie called, interrupting our conversation. “The waitress is ready to take our order.”

  We both started to walk towards the restaurant door.

  “Tyler?” I asked as he put his hand on the handle. “I don’t get it.”

  He exhaled and faced me. “She doesn’t love me because I’m not you, Oliver. I never was and never will be.”

  Not the answer I was expecting…

  I walked back inside, and grabbed my cell phone. Asking her out wasn’t something I planned, but… no regrets, right?

  Abbygail

  DarkHaze: I am taking you out on a date tomorrow night.

  Wow, talk about an arrogant ass. Who asks a girl out like that?

  I ignored the text and went back to my conversation with Kylie. Seconds later it whistled again.

  DarkHaze: Don’t ignore my messages, Abbygail.

  BlackOrchid: Who is this?

  DarkHaze: Say you agree and I’ll tell you.

  BlackOrchid: I’m not going on a blind date with a stranger. Who are you?

  DarkHaze: Turn around.

  I spun my head and saw Oliver waving his phone at me.

  Should have known…

  BlackOrchid: No.

  He reached the table and texted me again. I laughed to myself and he looked up at me with a smile.

  DarkHaze: I’m not asking you, Abby. I’m telling you. I’m picking you up at six.

  “And you. What will you have?” the waitress asked, interrupting our texting.

  “I’ll take a number twelve. Your chocolate chip pancakes with strawberries and whip cream.”

  She wrote down my order and walked over to the other side of the table to take Oliver’s order. Her face seemed so familiar, I just couldn’t shake off the feeling I knew her from somewhere.

  “Hey, excuse me, Miss? I’m sorry I have to ask, but… do I know you?”

  “Me? No. But you slept with my boyfriend Wyatt once a few years ago.”

  Oh you have got to be shitting me… really?