by B. Cranford
“Hey, baby, you made it.” Jade stood from her stool, smoothed her work attire which consisted of another simple pencil skirt and blouse, paired with bright yellow heels. And surprised the hell out of Brighton as she wrapped her arms around her neck, pressing a lingering kiss to the corner of Brighton’s mouth before moving her lips close to Brighton’s ear. “Just go with it, please?”
Jade’s whisper tickled her ear, giving her body a shiver from head to toe. She could work with that, she thought, as she slid a hand down Jade’s back and cupped her ass. “Sorry, long day.” She raised her eyes to the guy in the suit, who was looking at them with desire clear in his eyes. “Who is this?”
Deciding on a course of action, she abruptly pulled back, letting Jade slip from her embrace. “Jay, again?” She frowned and shook her head. “You said it wouldn’t happen again.”
“Bright, I—” Jade started, before Brighton interrupted. The same bartender from their last night out approached them, before seeing what was clearly becoming a stand-off and scurrying away.
“You promised me, no more. And now I find you here with him.” She spat the last word out, throwing a hand in the direction of the suit, whose desire was slowly morphing into discomfort. “I thought you were past trying to fuck some dude from a bar. How could you?”
The guy raised a hand to his tie, shifting it side to side, loosening the knot, before raising both hands in a no harm intended gesture. “It's not what you think, lady.”
“What I think,”—Brighton was really starting to enjoy her jilted girlfriend role—“is that you need to get the hell away from my girlfriend.” It was all she could do not to blush or giggle, acting so unlike herself.
She turned to Jade, who, with her back to her former suitor, was smiling widely at the show her girlfriend was putting on. “And you. If you want dick, then leave me out of it.”
“I only want you,” was Jade’s sultry response, leaning in again to wrap herself around Brighton. “Only you, I was just telling him that.” She threw her thumb in the direction of the man, who looked ready to bolt.
“She was. Yep, she did. Was nothing.” He started taking steps backwards, bumping into another stool before turning and walking quickly from the bar, out the swinging front door.
“And stay out,” Brighton yelled after him, releasing Jade and sliding onto the vacant stool that her girlfriend had been sitting on when she'd arrived.
Jade took a gulp of her drink and signaled the bartender for another two. He approached cautiously, provided excellent service and moved away, clearly remembering Jade threatening his tip last time. Once he was out of earshot, she stared at Brighton. “That was amazing,” was all she managed to get out before breaking into uncontrolled laughter, her joy at the sudden turn of events evident.
Brighton joined the laughter, having enjoyed her out-of-character role as jealous lover. It was something she wasn't overly familiar with. At least, not in that sense.
Sebastian hadn't cheated. She didn't think he ever would.
She couldn't keep her mind from him, clearly. He invaded her every thought, something Jade must have picked up on, because once she got her laughter under control, she turned her big eyes on Brighton. “Spill.”
And Brighton did. Leaving nothing out, she talked Jade through everything that had happened since she’d seen her last.
If you'd told her five weeks ago that she'd be giggling about, and thankful for, the awkward-as-hell series of events that had led her to this point, she'd have told you that you were insane. And yet, here she was, seated next to a new friend—having just pretended to be a scorned girlfriend—giving her details she’d never before shared with anyone about her love and sex life.
She enjoyed it. Jade was becoming an important part of the new life she was creating, a life that now included Sebastian.
He was back. He was better. And he was hers.
“You look happy.” Jade’s smile was filled with genuine joy at her friend’s burgeoning happily-ever-after.
I hope it's happily ever after this time.
“I am.” Two simple words, but weighed down by truth.
She was happy. Happier than she'd been in years.
“I'm glad. Sebastian’s been . . .” Jade paused, her face sobering as she gathered her thoughts. “He was different when he came home. I didn't know him as well then, but I knew him enough from visiting Mom at work to know he'd changed. He seemed settled, but . . .” Another pause, Jade biting her lip as she searched for the right words. “Empty. And then suddenly he was on a mission. He wasn't stopping so much, you know? To straighten stuff, or to count, which he thinks no-one can hear.”
“He counts?” Brighton knew he had mechanisms for coping with his addiction, with the urges that would never fully go away, but she didn't know he counted.
“Prime numbers. When he's stressed. But since you, I think I've only heard him once or twice. He's happy. Even just trying to win you, he's happy.” She laughed. “Tomorrow he'll probably be ecstatic. I should ask for a raise.”
Brighton didn't say anything, trying to capture the changes she'd picked up in Sebastian. He was more like his old self than ever—and by old self, she knew she was thinking of the Sebastian she first met.
She hadn't realized how much he'd changed towards the end of their relationship, and how much of a relief it was to know they were back on track.
She knew what to look for this time.
She stayed with Jade for another hour, talking about work and books, pretending to be together when men approached—and with Jade beside her, colorful and laughing, men approached often. And all the while Jade studiously ignoring any mentions of Declan, making Brighton all the more curious.
When her friend drained her fourth margarita of the night—her third full one since Brighton had arrived and warded off her suitor—and said she expected that Sebastian and his father would be back at the office and on their way home by then, Brighton rose to her feet.
She'd had fun. Pretending to be Jade's girl, then just enjoying the company of someone who listened without judgment and made her laugh. “I’m glad we made this a regular thing.”
“Yeah, me too. It was a great idea by me.” Jade's enthusiastically arrogant response, coupled with an exaggerated nod, was just another layer of charm her bubblegum-tinted friend exuded.
They walked out of the bar together and Brighton offered Jade a ride, having stopped drinking after her first, only to be waved off when Jade’s ordered Uber arrived.
“I didn’t know you’d even ordered one,” Brighton commented. She’d probably been thinking about what was hopefully waiting for her when she got back to her apartment.
“I was stealthy. I didn’t want you to have to wait to get back to Sebastian.” Jade’s voice took on a teasing tone as she said the name of the man Brighton was head over heels for.
“You are actually the best friend ever,” Brighton teased, while thinking that Jade was, in fact, the best female friend she’d ever had. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” her friend called as she disappeared into the back of the waiting Camry.
Brighton watched the car holding Jade drive away, then climbed into her own car, excitement building in her stomach at the thought of soon seeing her man.
You’re a goner, Bright, she told herself, smiling happily at her own obsession with Seb.
The drive back to her place was short and she expected to see Sebastian waiting out front—she’d been at the bar far longer than she’d intended—but she didn’t see him, or his car.
Thinking maybe his dad had dropped him off, she headed to her apartment planning several different ways she wanted to play with him when he arrived. Turned out, a two-year dry spell—after losing the love of her life, no less—had made Brighton terribly creative when it came to her fantasies.
Probably the daily use of Tumblr helped with that. It was porn-GIF-apolooza on that website, and she loved it.
&nbs
p; Sebastian wasn’t at her door, either, so she let herself into her apartment and started her electric kettle. She wanted a warm drink to soothe the growing pit in her stomach, her excitement turning into nerves, then fear, and finally anger when three hours later, Sebastian still wasn’t there.
Where is he?
She sent him text after text, variations of that same question running rampant in her mind, but no response came.
Sending one final text, she stood, poured her now-cool tea down the sink and placed the cup neatly in the dishwasher. She went through the bedtime motions, washing her face, brushing her teeth, changing into her pajamas, all the while listening for a knock at the front door.
A knock that never came.
Chapter Twenty
Sebastian cursed when his new phone switched on, having died sometime between when he’d talked to his father and when he’d finally made it home early the following morning, dusty, dirty, clear-minded but, somehow, still in a daze. He hadn’t thought to bring a charger with him as he’d set out to follow through on his final plan, and the end result was a blank black screen and the feeling that he’d made a mistake.
Message after message from Brighton lit up his screen, and one glance told him he’d fucked up.
Majorly.
Bright Star: What time will you be at my place? Just leaving the bar with Jade now!
Bright Star: You’re not here yet :(
Bright Star: Do you know what time you’re getting here? I’m ready for you.
Bright Star: Seb, where are you?
Bright Star: Hey, I’m starting to worry, so . . . call me, okay?
There were several more, each getting increasingly more anxious as the timestamp got later and later.
How had he forgotten to let her know he wouldn’t be there? And what must she think he was doing?
One final text, sent just before midnight, sent his heart into a tailspin.
Bright Star: I don’t know where you are, or what you’re doing, but I’m here. If you need me, I’ll be here. Just . . . stay strong, okay? I love you xx
He swiped at his eyes at the same time he swiped at his phone, bringing up her contact details so he could call and explain. Her final message—a message of love and support—told him she thought, fairly, that he was off gambling somewhere, but that she was willing to stand by him.
How did he get so lucky? His mind raced as he wondered how he would explain last night to her. Explain his doubts and how he’d overcome them. Explain how he’d sat still, thinking of all the ways he’d let her down and what he planned to do differently now that she’d agreed to give him a second chance. Explain the plans he’d made, then executed because he wanted to give her everything she wanted.
Now and forever.
He hovered his finger over the call button for several moments before ultimately tapping out a text which would hopefully put her mind at ease—something to let her know that he was safe and sorry. Switching his phone off, he prayed he’d made the right decision, because what he had to say, what he had to show her, couldn’t be done in a phone call, or text message.
He had to show her. But first, he had to finish his talk with his dad.
Sebastian’s radio silence continued throughout the day, making Brighton’s heart plummet and her trust waver. He hadn’t texted her that morning, to let her know she was beautiful and he was thinking of her, and though she didn’t need the text, it was the best way to start the day.
And it would have been a sign that, wherever he’d ended up, after doing whatever he’d done, he was thinking of her.
By lunchtime, her panic had overtaken every part of her body, from her shaking fingers, to her tapping toes, to her over-bitten bottom lip. A lip that was now bleeding from how hard and often she’d worked it over.
Her phone rang, breaking her out of her spiraling thoughts, and she threw herself at it, not looking at the screen before she answered, not wanting to see anyone else’s name but Sebastian’s.
If it wasn’t him, she didn’t know what she’d do next.
“Seb, where are you?” She sounded as desperate as she felt, not that she could help it. She was desperate.
“Brighton? It’s Declan.” Normally the sound of his voice on the other end of the line would make her smile, but not today. Today, all his voice did was make her think he was calling to tell her the worst. “Why’d you think I was Sebastian?”
“I haven’t heard from him since yesterday. He was supposed to come over last night, but . . .” She nearly choked on the next words, not wanting to voice her suspicions, but knowing she had to. “He never came, and I’m worried about where he is. What he’s been doing.”
Declan inhaled deeply, concern lacing his tone. “I’ll head to his office and see what’s up. Did you call his dad or anything?”
Brighton brought a hand to her forehead, using her index finger to rub back and forth, trying to jolt her brain into remembering. “No, I—no, I didn’t. I started to but got distracted, and I never did. Shit. Why didn’t I?” She shot to her feet, the desk chair that had molded to her butt through her morning of worry nearly toppling over from the force.
A quick glance down her body at the pajamas she still wore, having been too busy going over scenario after scenario of how and why Sebastian couldn’t come to her, told her she couldn’t make the trip to the office herself. Not without a shower and a change of clothes first.
“Hey, hey, it’s fine. It’s okay. He’s probably at work with no idea you’re worried. He probably forgot. You know how he is when he starts working on something.” Declan was clearly trying to reassure her, but the uncertainty in his voice made Brighton sure that his thoughts had gone to the same place hers had.
To the casino that was three hours north, and had apparently been one of Sebastian’s favorite haunts at the height of his addiction.
She heard movement at the other end of the line, Declan opening and closing his car door, his voice starting to echo as the Bluetooth kicked on. Over the soft sounds of his engine, she heard him tell her he was headed to Sebastian’s office and would let her know as soon as he knew anything.
All she could do was wait. And get ready, in case she was needed.
Sebastian tucked the paperwork his father had just given him back into the envelope it had come from, the grin on his face a sign that things were moving along as planned. “Thanks, Dad. For everything.” He moved around the desk that stood between them, his father’s office laid out in a similar manner to his own, albeit larger and with a better view.
Father and son hugged tightly, a moment that Sebastian wouldn’t forget for a long time to come. Last night, his father had literally given him the key to everything he wanted for himself and Brighton. Now all that was left to do was get the girl.
No, not get her.
Love her. Cherish her. Give her her dreams and never let her down.
“Fuck, Sebastian. Where the hell have you been?” Declan burst into the office, Sebastian pulling away from the hug he’d shared with his dad to stare at his out-of-breath and obviously irate best friend.
“Ah, right here?” He knew it came out like a question, but Sebastian couldn’t get over the consternation on Declan’s face. What the hell is his problem?
“Right here? All fucking night?” Declan took two steps forward, Sebastian mirroring his movement until the two were face to face. Behind Declan, Sebastian could now see Jade, her arms folded, her freckled face frowning. Cherry-red heels adorned her feet, and were impatiently tapping away. “You promised Brighton you’d be there. That you would talk to her. That she could fucking trust you and what? You just decided it didn’t matter?”
Sebastian shook his head automatically at the accusation. “Of course it matters. I—”
Declan held a hand up, apparently not interested in what Sebastian was about to say. “Then I’ll ask again . . . Where. The. Hell. Have. You. Been?” He spat each word out, his anger seeming to grow bigger with each word, until Jade placed
one small hand on his back and his big body visibly relaxed.
Interesting.
Sebastian would have to store that reaction in his memory bank to think over later—and maybe discuss with Brighton—but first he needed to get to the bottom of what the hell was going on. “Right here.” He couldn’t help being a little facetious, given the accusation that hadn’t been voiced but was obvious in the way Declan spoke to him, looked at him, and held his body. “Oh shit, did she call you?”
“Fuck you, Sebastian.” Declan took a step forward, causing Jade’s hand to drop away, and used both hands to push Sebastian back. “Why didn’t you let her know you weren’t coming? That you were okay?”
“I did, this morning.” He pulled his phone from his pants pocket and powered it up. “It died last night and, honestly, I was fucking beat after doing some . . .” He stopped mid-sentence to look over at his father, still standing beside his desk, taking in the scene playing out in the middle of his office. “Just some work. I forgot, so I texted her this morning to apologize. See?” He flicked open his messages to show Declan the message he’d typed out that morning, only to see a little red exclamation point beside it and the tiny words beneath the blue box Not delivered.
“Oh, fuck me.” He stared at the red mark, sure it was the sign of his life imploding, mere hours after finally getting it back on the right track. “Shit, shit. FUCK.”
He turned the phone around to show his friend, who had shifted slightly, aware that something had happened, but unsure what. “Here, look.”
Declan grabbed the phone, Jade moving up to stand at his side so she, too, could read Sebastian’s apologetic message.
Sebastian: Bright, I am so sorry. I talked with my dad last night and, well, things were pretty intense. I forgot to let you know I wouldn’t be there, but I promise, it’s not what you’re thinking. I love you, and I’ll explain everything tonight when I pick you up.
At the time he’d sent it, he assumed she’d get it and stew in her anger at him all day. But by turning off his phone immediately, he’d stopped the message from sending, undoubtedly causing her even more distress.