by E. L. Todd
“So, did you finish moving all your stuff?” The living room was empty but the bedrooms had boxes littered everywhere. For one woman in a tiny apartment, she came with a lot of shit.
“Not quite. I still have a few more things to organize and pack up.”
“Really drawing it out, huh?”
“I have two months left on my lease anyway, so I’m not in a hurry to clean up shop.”
“You should be in a hurry to live with a sexy stud like me.” I squeezed her thigh.
She eyed me carefully, like she saw something I didn’t mean to show. “Why are you in such a good mood lately?”
“What?” I blurted. “I’m not.”
“Yeah. You’ve been skipping around like the first day of spring has just arrived.”
Was I making it that obvious? What if she figured out my plan? What if I ruined everything? “I’m just trying to be more positive. The whole thing with Clay really got me down, but I’m trying to be more uplifting.”
She accepted the claim without hesitation. “Well, I’m glad to hear that.”
Phew. Crisis averted. “So…are you done grading?”
“Why?”
I nodded toward the bedroom. “I’m craving an innocent schoolteacher at the moment.” If she looked at my slacks, she would’ve seen my hard-on. It was easily distinguishable.
“Who said anything about innocent?”
“Ooh…a naughty schoolteacher. Even better.”
She left the couch and pulled me behind her. “I’m craving an executive—medium well.”
I watched her ass sway as I walked behind her. “I like my meat well done.”
***
I wore a gray V-neck under my black blazer along with my dark jeans. Taylor didn’t tell me what to wear, but I knew what she liked and didn’t like. She preferred my laid-back clothes, not the stiff suits I wore to work every day. But she liked my blazer because it outlined my sculpted shoulders.
I knew what my lady liked.
She wore a tight black dress that hugged her petite waist and framed her boobalicious chest.
Sometimes, I didn’t know what I liked more. Her ass in my face when I took her from behind, or those off-the-hook tits. Maybe I would never know. Maybe it was a tie. “You look smokin’.”
She set her phone in her clutch and closed it. “Thanks. You look handsome too.”
“Handsome enough for a quickie?”
“Nope. We’re already running late.” She pulled a black jacket over her body, hiding her gorgeous figure. She pulled her hair out from underneath the coat and adjusted it around her face.
“If we’re already running late, why not?”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re out of control.”
“Out of control for you.” I waggled my eyebrows.
She didn’t bother responding and headed to the door. “We’ll have sex behind a dumpster on the way home.”
“Or how about in the bathroom stall? Even better.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Or how about—”
“I’ll let you tit-fuck me when we get home if you behave.”
That was an excellent bargaining chip, and she had me. Tit-fucking her was the best. She had the nicest tits ever. “You got it, baby.”
***
Taylor looked at her phone before we entered the restaurant. “She said she’s already here. She has a table in the back.”
I opened the door for her then walked in behind her. “Good. That means there will be a basket of bread. And if this girl knows what she’s doing, there will be a bottle of wine too.”
Taylor took my hand and walked with me. “Just be yourself.”
“I can’t completely be myself. Otherwise, all I would do is tell her how nice your tits are. The night could get uncomfortable.”
“What did I say about good behavior?”
I rolled my eyes then zipped my lips shut.
“Good boy.”
We headed to the table near the back, and I spotted the woman who must be her friend. Her head was down as she looked at her phone. She had long, blonde hair set in open curls, and she wore a gray sweater with gold bracelets around her wrist.
As we edged closer, I noticed the purse on the chair beside her. It was deep purple and Coach, reminding me of a purse I’d seen before but couldn’t remember where. There was a low burning candle on the table, and a full basket of bread—thankfully.
“Hey!” Taylor got to the table first and greeted her friend.
She looked up and set her eyes on Taylor. They were bright green and icy—frozen just like her heart. Her hair was behind her shoulders, like it usually was. Her eye shadow was heavy, showing dark shades that made them appear smoky. Her voice was exactly the same as I remembered. “About time, girl.”
“Sorry,” Taylor said. “We’re always late to everything.”
I froze in place because my mind couldn’t understand what I was looking at. I was two years in the past, looking at the woman I thought I would spend my life with. Not once had I run into her because this city was a big place. But now I was face-to-face with her, feeling the anger bubble and froth out of my ears. Even after all that time, I still hated her. I loathed everything about her, from her hair to the sound of her annoying voice. She still wore expensive things, from designer purses to exclusive jewelry.
I walked into that restaurant expecting a nice meal, but instead, I walked into my worst nightmare. When Taylor told me about her best friend, not once did I think this was a possibility. Sara was a common name. I’d already dated three of them.
I didn’t know what to do. My first instinct told me to turn around and walk away before she looked at me. My life had been so much better since the night I walked away from her. I dumped her in the coldest way possible. I never told her the truth, that I caught her red-handed, sticking her tongue down some other guy’s throat.
The anger came back, making my hands curl into fists.
Taylor didn’t notice anything because her back was turned to me. “Sara, this is the man I’ve been telling you about for over a year now.” She stepped away and turned to me, a smile on her face.
Sara laid her eyes on me, and she immediately went pale. All the blood drained from her face, and it was clear this was a nightmare for her just as it was for me. Her lips parted slightly like she wanted to gasp but didn’t have the breath to achieve it. She didn’t blink once as she stared at me, reliving the same relationship that I recalled.
I stared back, hating every expression on her face. I found her hideous now, absolutely appalling. What did I see in her all those years ago? What did I find so infatuating? She was a stupid girl who cared about stupid things. She was always looking for the next opportunity, side kicking anything that became obsolete—and that included me.
I hated her.
Hate was a strong word, but it was appropriate.
Taylor stared back and forth between us, expecting one of us to say hi or at least move. “Uh…do you two know each other?”
I refused to speak. My lips were tightly shut and my shoulders were tense. If I let my mouth open, I would say some horrifying things. It was better if I stayed quiet, not allowing my insults to escape.
“Muriel?” Sara whispered.
I hated it when she said my name. Not only did I hate her voice, but that name was just stupid. Why the fuck did my parents give it to me? My brother got a normal name, and I got my grandfather’s name.
“What?” Taylor asked.
Sara examined my features, confirming who I was even when I didn’t answer her question. It took a moment for the shock to dissipate, for her to understand this wasn’t a sick dream. “He’s Muriel…my ex.”
Taylor still didn’t get it. She stared at her friend as she processed what she said. “No…his name is Volt. Are you drunk?”
“Volt?” Sara asked. “That’s not his name.”
We continued to stand together in the restaurant, and we were drawing more a
ttention to ourselves from the nearby tables. I wanted to walk out and never see this cunt again. But I didn’t want to leave unless Taylor was with me.
Taylor turned to me, connecting the dots. “Volt isn’t your real name…it’s your middle name.” She remembered what I told her so long ago. It seemed like a different lifetime.
I still hadn’t said anything because I was too angry. I never wanted to see Sara again but now I was face-to-face with her. All the hatred and humiliation came back. Why did I love someone so unworthy of a single care?
“So…” Taylor didn’t finish the sentence because she didn’t know how.
“He was the one who broke up with me a few years ago.” Sara dropped her gaze, clearly still hurting over the way I left her.
Now Taylor understood, understanding exactly what she was dealing with.
I didn’t want to stand there a moment longer. I didn’t want to look at that stupid whore as she played the victim. I was the one who got hurt. I was the one with a ring in my pocket while she fucked her ex.
I was done with this.
I turned around and walked out, unable to stare at her face a second longer than I had to. Why was Taylor friends with such a lying bitch? Why was this happening to me? Why was I about to marry a woman who was best friends with my ex?
I would never escape her.
Chapter Twelve
Taylor
Sara watched Volt leave the restaurant before she fell into the chair. A dazed look stretched across her face, unable to believe whom she just saw. Her eyes were still wide apart, trying to process endless information in nanoseconds.
I continued to stand near the table, just as confused. I walked in with Volt, expecting a fun dinner with my best friend, but instead, I walked into a soap opera. Sara told me about her ex and how much she loved him. He just walked out without an explanation.
And it was Volt.
There was a bottle of wine on the table so I sat across from her and immediately helped myself to a glass, knowing I would need it to get through this circus.
Sara didn’t speak, her eyes trained on the door like Volt may return.
I downed one glass in a few seconds before I poured another.
Sara didn’t reach for the bottle. She was stunned into silence.
“What are the odds?” This city was enormous, and we were best friends. How did we date the same guy but never figure it out? How did we both love the same guy but never realize it?
“I don’t know.” She finally spoke, her voice coming out weak. “He never liked his name. I’m not surprised he changed it.”
Muriel didn’t fit Volt at all. I couldn’t even get myself to call him that. That was the name of someone I didn’t know.
“This is insane.” I didn’t know what to say. I kept expecting myself to wake up. I wanted to pinch myself to speed up the process, but I knew it wouldn’t work. This was real. And it was going to stay real.
“I know…” She finally moved and poured herself a glass of wine. She swirled it before she took a sip.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Why are you sorry?” I asked. “You didn’t do anything wrong?” No one did anything wrong. It was just a really strange coincidence.
“You were going to move in with him, and I know you love him…”
I was going to move in with him? Why was this past tense?
“And now everything is ruined.”
“Why is everything ruined?” I admit it was weird, but we could get through it.
She sipped her wine before she gave me a cold look. “Because I was with him for over a year. Because I was in love with him. Because he broke my heart. Or do you not remember any of this?”
“No, I do. But that was two years ago, Sara.”
“What does that matter?” she snapped. “You aren’t supposed to date your friend’s ex.”
“I didn’t know he was your ex.”
“And I get that, but now you do know. And we’re best friends. How is this supposed to work? He and I can never be in the same room together. We can never do stuff together. I can never come to your wedding. Don’t you see how big of a problem this is?”
“Well…yeah.” But I never expected it to come to this. “But don’t you think the two of you could work this out? Volt and I have already been together for a year. We’re moving in together. We want to get married someday. I can’t just erase all these feelings we’ve developed for each other.”
“Taylor, I had the exact same feelings.” She poked herself hard in the chest, tears moving into her eyes. “I was devastated when he left. I thought he was going to propose and we were going to live happily ever after. How do you think it makes me feel to know he’s moved on with someone else? Especially you.”
My mouth fell slack because I was speechless. I didn’t think about any of that.
She leaned back into the chair and crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes blinking quickly to dispel the moisture. “I know you’re happy with him, and I don’t want to ruin your happiness, but…this isn’t something we can just ignore. This isn’t going to work. We’re best friends forever, so we always come first.”
“So…you want me to break up with him?”
“It’s not about want,” she said. “There’s no other option here.”
“But I’m asking what you want me to do, Sara. Is that what you want?”
She looked away and avoided the question. After several breaths, she spoke. “If it were me, I’d break up with him.”
“What?” I asked incredulously. “I’m sorry, but I can’t picture that.”
“I would,” she argued. “I know I can be selfish sometimes, but we’re best friends. This is forever. Guys will come and go, but we’ll always be here. Muriel isn’t some guy I just had a fling with. We had a relationship together. We loved each other. How could I possibly be okay with this? I’d be lying if I said I was.”
I knew she was right. Deep in my heart, I knew.
“You of all people know how devastated I was. When you moved here, I was still getting over it.”
I did know.
“Realistically, how is this going to work? Because I can’t be around him. I can’t handle seeing you two together. I can’t handle the idea of the two of you being together… It’s my worst nightmare.”
I heard everything she said and it all made sense. “But…I love him.” Our relationship was a slow burn. It took us a long time to figure out exactly how we felt. We started off as best friends and slowly fell in love, not even realizing it. And when we did finally come together, it was the most beautiful thing. When we broke up, I was absolutely devastated. I couldn’t live without him, not after he made me so happy. “Sara, I love you. But…I can’t imagine my life without him. I want to marry him. He’s my best friend.”
“I know. I know that better than anyone.” She gave me a sympathetic look. “But…tell me how else it could work.”
I didn’t have a single answer.
“The only way it will work is if we stop being friends. Is that what you want?”
“Why do we have to stop being friends?” Why was she making me choose?
“Because we can’t be ourselves. I could never ask you about him. If you had kids, I could never look at them. There would be a huge hole in our relationship and it would be awkward and strange. You really don’t see where I’m coming from?”
“No, I do. I just…you’re asking me to give up the love of my life.”
“He was the love of my life too, Taylor.” She gave me a cold look. “Believe me, I understand everything you’re feeling. I felt all of that before he walked out on me. Even now, I’m still not over it. Knowing he asked you to move in when he never asked me that…is excruciating.”
I looked out the window just to avoid eye contact. This evening was supposed to be different. It was supposed to be fun. My best friend and my boyfriend were supposed to get along. We weren’t supposed to talk about me leaving him. “I can’
t see myself with anyone else, Sara.”
“And neither can I. I haven’t been in a relationship since.”
“Are you telling me you’re still in love with him?” It’d been two years. She couldn’t be.
She shrugged. “When you love someone once, you never stop loving them. If I feel this way for him, he must feel this way for me. Don’t you think that will be a problem, having the two of us together? I’m not saying I would ever betray you like that, but he and I could develop feelings for each other again and something might happen. So many things could go wrong in this scenario. The three of us are never going to be able to make this work.”
That evidence was even more painful.
“I’m sorry, Taylor,” she whispered. “But I don’t see how this works…unless we stop being friends. You don’t want that, right? Our parents are friends, and we’ve known each other since we were in diapers. Isn’t our relationship more important than what you have with him? With any guy?”
“Yes…but he’s my best friend too. We’ve loved each other for a long time. It’s not like it’s easy for me to just cut him out. You guys are both equally important to me.”
Her eyes fell. “I’m sorry. But that’s the way it is.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, feeling the depression creep in.
“You know I’m right.”
I didn’t want to listen to it—not right now. “Just give me some time, okay? This is a lot of information to get in thirty minutes. I woke up this morning thinking my life was a certain way, and now it’s been turned on its head.”
“I get it,” she whispered.
How could I ever let Volt go? He was such an important person in my life now. Arguably, I was closer to him than I was to her. When she settled down and got married, she would understand. But I couldn’t lose her either. We’d known each other forever. She was family.
What was I supposed to do?
***
When I came home, all the lights were off in the apartment. I knew Volt was home, drinking whiskey in a dark corner somewhere. His wallet and keys were on the table in the entryway.
I didn’t call out for him because he wouldn’t respond.
I walked into this office because I knew that’s where he would be. Floor-to-ceiling windows took up the back wall, and he sat in the office chair as he faced the city lights. A bottle of whiskey sat on the counter along with a bowl of fresh ice cubes.