Текст книги "Falling For My Best Friend's Brother"
Автор книги: J. S. Cooper
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Текущая страница: 4 (всего у книги 12 страниц)
Chapter Five
Not All Athletes Are in Shape
Have you ever experienced that emotion that feels like it could become tears or laughter in the same moment? It’s like your head can’t quite decide how you want to express your feelings. Seeing Aiden at flag football practice, the week after game night, in his black shorts and skintight white T-shirt was one of those moments for me. I was so overwhelmed by emotions that for a few seconds I felt as if the air had been punched out of me.
“Alice, what are you doing?” Liv pushed me forward as I’d just stopped moving in the middle of the field.
“Aiden,” I said weakly as my knees started to crumble. My heart was racing and my face was burning. I have to admit I felt like I was ten again and seeing my childhood crush, Tommy Walker, sitting in my English class flipping his long blond surfer-like hair.
“You’re doing Aiden?” Liv laughed at me. “Say what?” she said as she stared at me and giggled. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I took a large gulp of fresh air and started to walk again.
“Hey, Liv. Hey, Alice.” Aiden smiled and gave us both a quick wave before continuing to stretch.
“Hi,” I said breathlessly.
“Hey, nerd brain,” Liv shouted at him and then started laughing as he shook his head. I could tell from his expression that he was surprised to see us there.
“Grow up, Liv.” Aiden shook his head and he looked as if he wanted to say something else, but he didn’t. Instead he looked at me and gave me a small smile before speaking. “Hey, Alice.”
“Hey,” I responded back with a small smile, my heart racing. I wanted to say more than “Hey.” I wanted to say something witty and funny. I wanted to make him laugh and think to himself, “Wow, that Alice is funny, beautiful and smart. I need to get with her now!” Of course, me being me, all I said was “hey.”
“So you two are interested in football now?” He raised an eyebrow at us as he continued stretching. “Or are you interested in the guys?”
“Very funny, Aiden,” Liv said in a high tone. “My boyfriend had better not hear you say that.”
“Hear him say what?” Xander suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and I watched as he looked Liv over appreciatively, as if he wanted to eat her up. I wished that Aiden would look at me the same way.
“Aiden was saying we’re here to meet guys,” Liv said in a decidedly snarky voice and I wanted to groan. Because what Aiden had said was partly true, only it was just me to meet men. And the man I was interested in getting to know better was him.
“Are you?” Xander grinned at her. “Because that would be awkward if you wanted to meet a guy here. What with me being here and all.”
“Oh, really?” Liv said with her hands on her hips. “That’s it? It would be awkward? That’s all you have to say?”
“You don’t think it would be awkward?”
“So you would be cool with me trying to hook up with another guy?” She sounded pissed, and I wanted to shake her. “You’d be fine, but slightly awkward?”
“Obviously not.” Xander sighed. “Would it make you feel better if I said I would punch the guy in the face?”
“I don’t believe in violence,” Liv said with a straight face and then she giggled. “But yes, that makes me feel better.”
“Hey, Liv!” Henry shouted as he ran onto the field. Henry was Xander’s younger brother and he was divine looking. He had the same short dark hair and green eyes as Xander, and he was built like a soccer player, with long lean legs, muscular thighs and calves and a torso that looked like it had been carved by Michelangelo. “Hey, Alice.” He grinned at me and whistled. “You two are looking mighty fine for a game of flag football.”
“Thank you.” I grinned at him as Liv laughed. I could see Xander and Aiden frowning as Henry walked up to us both and gave us a quick hug.
“I didn’t know you girls were into football,” he said as he stepped back.
“Well, you know.” I shrugged, wanting to make sure Liv didn’t say something stupid. “We wanted to get our exercising on.”
“Yeah, we want washboard stomachs,” Liv continued. “And perky asses.”
“I wouldn’t be complaining if either of you were my woman.” Henry winked at us, and we both giggled.
“You know, Alice is single,” Liv said and my face went beet red as Henry looked at me with an interested eye. “You guys should go out some time.”
“I would like that.” He nodded as he looked me up and down. “I would like that a lot.”
“Shall we get started with the game?” Aiden’s voice interrupted the moment and his eyes were shooting daggers at me as I looked over at him. “This is a field for flag football, not the local meet-up site for Match.com.”
“Don’t be a jerk.” Liv shook her head at her brother and then looked at me and winked. “If Henry and Alice want to make plans to go on a hot date, then let them.”
“Liv, seriously, grow up.” Aiden’s voice was stiff and he turned around and blew a whistle. “Hey, guys, we’re about to get started.” He shouted out to all the other people in the field. “Please gather around so we can pick teams.”
“Bossy-boots as usual,” Liv whispered to me as we walked to stand in the crowd of people in front of Aiden. “I swear I don’t know why you want to date him. He’s just way too annoying and obnoxious.”
“Maybe that bossiness will be good in the bedroom,” I whispered back to her. “Maybe it won’t be as annoying.”
“You’ll have to let me know.” She giggled. “Well, not any specific details, just if the sex makes up for it all.”
“If we even get to have sex.” I sighed. “At the rate this is going, it’ll be a while.”
“What will be a while?” Xander asked me as he stood next to us.
“Her and Aiden hooking up in the bedroom,” Liv answered.
“I thought you guys have already hooked up?” He looked confused.
“Yeah, we had sex once,” I said. “But I’m wondering if we will have sex again.” For some reason, my voice grew louder and as I spoke, I realized that the field was silent and there were a few people looking at me.
“Are you ready, Alice?” Aiden said sarcastically as he stared at me. “Or would you like us to wait while you discuss your sex life?”
“Please go ahead,” I squeaked out and glared at him. Insufferable pig. I looked away from him, angry that I had somehow turned back to my teenage self around him. I was older now. More confident. More capable. I wasn’t some immature little teenager anymore. I was an adult, and I wasn’t going to allow Aiden to make me feel like some naughty little kid. At least, not outside of the bedroom.
***
“I’m glad you’re on my team.” Henry smiled at me as we stood at the end of the field, panting.
“Me too.” I smiled and took a deep breath. My heart was racing from all the running, and I just wanted to collapse onto the ground.
“The other team seems to be way too serious.” He laughed and we watched as Aiden and Xander kept throwing the ball back and forth.
“I don’t know how Aiden and Xander wound up on the same team.” I laughed. “It almost seems unfair. Though I’m glad because that means I’m not paired with either of them.”
“Poor Liv.” Henry grinned and we watched as she kept yelling at the two men to pass her the ball.
“I know.” I laughed. “Do you think we should run down there and try and grab the flags?”
“Nah, not yet.” He shook his head. “Our teammates can handle the defense for now. Seems like you still need to catch your breath.”
“Yeah.” I nodded, not feeling embarrassed that he’d noticed what bad shape I was in. “I guess that’s what I get for working in an office.”
“What do you do?” he asked curiously.
“Nothing fun.” I laughed. “I’m an assistant, secretary, receptionist for a real estate company.” I made a face. “It’s boring, but it pays the bills until I can do what I want to do.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I’d love to be an actress.” I smiled at him. “Isn’t that what everyone says that works as an assistant?”
“No, I think that’s what baristas normally say.”
“True,” I agreed and sighed. “Okay, that was a bit of a lie. I don’t really want to be an actress.”
“Oh?” He looked confused. “That’s a weird lie.”
“I know.” I shook my head. “I’m an idiot. It just sounded more glorious than what I really want to do.”
“What’s that, then?” He scratched his forehead. “Let me guess.”
“Okay, then, guess.” I smiled.
“You want to be a preservationist and preserve insects?”
“Eww, no.” I giggled.
“Okay, let me guess again.” He pursed his lips and looked thoughtful, his green eyes alive with humor as he gazed at me. “You want to model lingerie at Victoria’s Secret?”
“No!” I said emphatically, and he laughed.
“A man can hope.” He winked at me and I could feel myself blushing. Was he flirting with me?
“That’s never going to happen. That would be my worst nightmare.”
“What would be your worst nightmare?” Liv came running towards me, her face a deep red and her eyes looking crazy and wild from all the exercise.
“Me being a lingerie model.”
“What?” She stopped dead in her tracks and started laughing. “Who’s gone and offered you that job, then?”
“No one offered me that job.” I shook my head and rolled my eyes. “Henry was just saying that—”
“Liv!” Aiden ran up to us and shouted at his sister. “Stop bloody talking.” He glared at her and blew his whistle. “Everyone stop!”
“What’s up with the whistle?” Liv looked confused as all the players came to a halt. “What’s going on?”
“That’s what I want to know.” Aiden frowned and gazed at me for a second before looking away. “Alice and Henry aren’t doing anything, and now you’re just standing there talking as well. Are you guys sure you want to be a part of these games?”
“I was playing!” Liv shouted. “I just stopped because Alice was telling me about her offer to be a lingerie model.”
“I didn’t say I was offered that job.” I groaned.
“I think there has been some confusion,” Henry spoke up. “Alice hasn’t been offered that as a job yet, it’s just her dream job to be a lingerie model at Victoria’s Secret.”
“No, it’s not!” I screeched and looked at Aiden beseechingly. “Henry asked me if I wanted to model lingerie, and I said no.”
“I don’t care what the two of you talk about.” Aiden’s eyes narrowed as he gazed at me and shook his head. “Save your personal talk for after the game is done.”
“I … ugh.” I closed my mouth in frustration. “I am playing. I was just trying to catch my breath because I was feeling a little tired from all the running back and forth.”
“Maybe you can take her to your gym and help her work out,” Liv suggested. “What do you say, Aiden?”
“I guess.” He frowned, and my heart thudded at the thought of some one-on-one time with Aiden.
“You can come to my gym if you want.” Henry grinned at me. “I make a great personal trainer.”
“Oh, thanks.” I looked at him with wide eyes. This wasn’t part of the plan. I’d thought that Henry was just being nice to me, but now I wasn’t so sure. Was he flirting with me for real?
“I think it would be fun.” He winked at me. “Plus, then we can finish this conversation without having a whistle blown at us.”
“Finish what conversation?” Aiden’s eyes narrowed and he took a step towards us.
“Alice was telling me what she wants to be when she grows up.” Henry smiled, seemingly unaware of the fact that Aiden wasn’t looking very happy.
“She wants to be a casting agent for reality show TV stars.” Aiden glanced at me as he spoke. “Though it kills me to call anyone who goes on a reality TV show a star.”
“How did you know that?” I asked him in surprise.
“How could I not know that?” He shrugged. “You’ve mentioned it a billion times.”
“I didn’t know you ever bothered listening to me,” I said softly.
“I always listen to you, Alice,” he said, his eyes boring into mine intensely. However, I couldn’t figure out what his gaze was telling me. Did he listen to me because he liked me or because I just talked too much?
“So that’s why you said actress?” Henry put his arm around my shoulder, and I wanted to groan as Aiden pursed his lips and took a step back. I could see Liv’s eyes gleaming at me with joy and excitement. She seemed to be the only one loving this little chat.
“Yeah, actress seemed a more dignified answer than casting for The Bachelor.” I smiled at him, my face reddening as he rubbed the top of my shoulders innocently. Or at least, I thought he was rubbing them innocently.
“I don’t know.” He laughed. “Both seem to be pretty naughty professions.”
“Naughty?” I looked at him with a curious expression. “Why naughty?”
“Are you two ready to play?” Xander interrupted this time, his green eyes looking at me with disapproval.
“I’ve been ready,” I said in reply. “It wasn’t me who stopped the game, it was Aiden.”
“Yeah, Xander. It was Aiden who blew his whistle, like some sort of trumped-up referee.” Liv glared at Xander. “This is just meant to be a friendly game. This isn’t the NFL.”
“They don’t play flag football in the NFL,” Xander replied to her with an amused smile.
“Exactly,” she said with an annoyed expression. “This isn’t the NFL.”
“Liv, if you and Alice don’t want to play flag football, then you can both just leave.” Aiden spoke up this time and my heart stopped. “When we’re playing the game, we should be playing the game. We aren’t here to hear about your sex lives or the sexy lingerie you’re buying. Or how much you need to work out because you can’t keep up with the rest of us.”
I gasped at his words and my mouth fell open. My face was hot with humiliation, and I glared at his smug and superior expression. Was he calling me a fat ass?
“Aiden, you’re such a pompous jerk.” Liv just shook her head and then looked at Xander. “And you’re an asshole.”
“I’m an asshole?” He put his hands up in the air. “I didn’t even say anything.”
“Exactly. How could you let Aiden speak to us like that?”
“What?” Xander sounded frustrated. I was about to cut in and say something when Henry cleared his throat loudly.
“Look, guys, this is my fault,” he said smoothly. “I was the one talking to Alice and monopolizing her time. I won’t do it on the field anymore. I’ll just wait until we go out for drinks later.”
“Whatever,” Aiden said and then blew his whistle again. “If everyone is ready to begin playing again, maybe we can get back to the game.”
“We were playing the game before you stopped us, Aiden,” Liv said loudly. “I think we’re all ready to get back to something other than you trying to boss us around.”
“Grow up, Liv.” Aiden rolled his eyes. “I thought you’d start acting your age now that you have a boyfriend.”
“Excuse me?” Liv walked over to him, and I watched as Xander grabbed her around the waist and pulled her towards him and whispered something in her ear. She turned to me then and gave me an exasperated look as if to say, “Why do you want to date my brother again? He’s a big old jerk.”
And then, because the day was going so perfectly already, my luck got even better. “I’m here, folks!” A loud boyish voice echoed across the field, and we all turned to watch as Scott came running towards us, a huge grin on his handsome face. My stomach flipped anxiously as he ran directly towards me. This was the last thing that I needed. I was supposed to be making Aiden jealous and antsy with random guys, not his sister’s boyfriend’s rich brother or his own brother. I could still remember the night that Aiden had spotted Scott kissing me, and I wanted to scream out in frustration. Why was this happening to me? Why was it that the guys I didn’t want paying attention to me were circling around me like vultures?
“Hey, Alice.” Scott stopped right next to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Fancy seeing you here.”
“Hey,” I said weakly, and I gazed at Aiden quickly. He was staring at me with a closed expression on his face, and I offered him a small smile, which he didn’t return.
“I heard you were going to be playing so I—”
“Eeeep!” Aiden blew his whistle loudly and interrupted Scott. “Scott, you can be on Alice’s team. And you guys can talk later. At the bar.” He looked at me then and smirked slightly. “Just remember to take a number, though, as Henry’s already got his ticket ready to talk to her first.” And with that he blew his whistle again and turned around. I could tell that everyone on the field, except for Liv, Xander and I, was confused about what was going on. All I could think about was getting back at Aiden for being such a prickhead. I was going to pay once I got him into my bed, of course. I thought back to what Xander had said about Aiden being a Dom, and I knew then exactly what I was going to try and do. I was going to make Aiden think I wanted to submit to him, but instead of letting him dominate me, I was going to tease him until he begged me to stop. Only then would I be able to wipe that smug little smirk from his way-too-handsome face.
“Next game, we need to kick their asses,” Liv whispered in my ear as she glared at her brother.
“Yup,” I said back to her. “Next game, we need to show them that we girls can kick ass at football as well.”
Chapter Six
The Way to a Man’s Lap Is Through a Horror Movie
“Argh, my muscles are still sore from football.” I groaned as my calf muscles tingled. “Why am I in such bad shape?”
“So am I.” Liv made a face. “We need to start working out.”
“That doesn’t sound like fun.” I made a face at her.
“We’ll go to the gym and walk on the treadmill,” she said and nodded to herself. “And maybe we can practice throwing the football at the park.”
“Why?”
“So we can practice,” she said. “I want us to show up and just totally dominate the game. We need to show Aiden and Xander that we aren’t just weak, unsporty girls. I totally didn’t appreciate how they basically excluded me from every play.”
“I know,” I agreed. “That was so uncool.”
“Yeah, we need to show those boys that girls can kick ass in sports as well.”
“I guess so.” I sighed and stretched my legs out. “Though I don’t know I will ever kick ass in football.”
“Yes, you will, Alice. You need to have a positive mental attitude.”
“I’m trying,” I said and sighed. “I mean, I’m still trying to have a positive attitude about Aiden and me getting together.”
“About that …” Liv said and grinned. “Let’s go over the plan.” She looked down at her notepad and then back up at me. “I’m going to invite Aiden over to watch a movie as a way for us to make up for the argument that went down.” She made a face. “He thinks that we were inappropriate on the football field yesterday and that we shouldn’t argue like that in front of others.”
“Since when has he cared about being an ass in front of others?” I was surprised, but pleased to hear that he was going to be coming over.
“Since he realized I’m not a little kid anymore.” She laughed. “Anyway, I’m going to tell him to bring a movie and a bottle of wine and that is how he can make it up to me.”
“But you’re not going to be here, right?” I said, trying to confirm that the plan was the same as this morning.
“Yeah, well, I’ll be here when he arrives, but just before the movie starts, I’m going to leave abruptly because Xander is going to need me.”
“He knows he’s going to need you, right?” I asked skeptically; I wasn’t sure we could count on Xander following through in helping us with our plan.
“Trust me, he knows he’s going to need me.” She grinned. “I told him to call me at eight p.m. on the dot. I’ll talk to him and then leave and then you and Aiden can watch the movie. I told Aiden to get a horror movie—”
“Oh no, you know I hate horror movies.” I groaned.
“That’s why I told him to bring one. You’ll scream and jump into his arms, and he’ll protect you.”
“Protect me from the TV?”
“Well, he’ll put his arm around you to comfort you from the scariness on the screen or whatever, and you can snuggle into his arms.” Liv sounded impatient. “Come on, Alice, you know how it goes. You’re the one who taught me the horror-movie trick.”
“I know.” I sighed. “I just don’t think it will work on Aiden.”
“It works on all men.” Liv grinned. “Even guys who are totally into themselves and have significant others; though it’s unlikely to lead to kissing and messing around with them.”
“It’s unlikely to lead to kissing for me and Aiden, either.”
“Alice,” Liv sighed. “Just go with it, please.”
“Fine.” I shrugged. “I’ll watch a horror movie with him, but I just hope he doesn’t feel like he was tricked and leave. He didn’t exactly seem like he was into me at the football game.”
“We were running up and down a field, he didn’t have time to flirt.”
“I guess so.” I laughed. “Let’s be real, Liv. What he was doing was the opposite of flirting.”
“He was just being a typical macho jealous guy.” Liv rolled her eyes. “Trust me, he’s into you. Even Xander thinks he’s into you. Though he still hasn’t told me that he told you that Aiden was a Dom.” She looked annoyed. “And I hinted around it as well.”
“Oh, Alice.” I shook my head. “You’re not meant to know, remember?” I played with my hair for a few seconds and then continued talking. “And Xander really does think Aiden’s into me?” I asked hopefully.
“Yes.” She grinned. “Though he also thinks Scott and Henry are into you, too. Oh and that other guy as well, what’s-his-face.”
“Who is what’s-his-face?”
“Jackson. The one guy who kept trying to tackle you.”
“Oh, the tall guy with the crooked nose and bleach-blond hair?” I made a face. “I swear he was trying to grab my tits.”
“Yup, him.” Liv laughed. “He tried to do that to me, too, and Xander elbowed him.”
“Oh, Xander!” I laughed.
“Yeah.” She giggled. “I love it when he acts all jealous. Anyway, back to what I was going to say. This is the perfect opportunity for you to mention that you’ve always been interested in experimenting.”
“Experimenting?” I frowned. “With what? Drugs?”
“No, silly.” Liv laughed and shook her head. “Experimenting in the bedroom.”
“Oh.” My face went red. “You think I should tell him I want to know what it’s like to be a sub?” I bit my lower lip. “Isn’t it too soon for me to be bringing that up?”
“Yes, it’s too soon. No way should you mention anything about wanting to be a sub.” She shuddered and made a face. “That’s way too obvious and honestly, I don’t want to think of you and my brother in a Dom and sub relationship.” Her voice grew as melodramatic as it had the morning after game night when I’d told her what Xander had told me.
“So what should I say?”
“Just say something like, you’ve always been intrigued by couples in alternative lifestyles and you wish you could meet a man who could possess and dominate you.”
“I’m not saying that.” I gave her a look and laughed. “In fact, there is no way in hell I’m saying anything close to that. That’s just as bad as me talking about being a sub and him being a Dom.”
“I think it sounds good,” Liv said with a sigh. “But fine, maybe say, I wish I could meet a man that likes to take charge.”
“Eh.” I groaned. “That just sounds like I’m asking him to take me to the bedroom.”
“Don’t you want him to do that?” She winked at me.
“No, I do not want him to take me to the bed after I’ve made a comment like that. That would just be because he thinks I’m begging for him to jump my bones.”
“Aren’t you?”
“Well, yes.” I laughed. “But I don’t want him to jump my bones because he thinks I’m some sort of sex fiend, begging to be taken and dominated by him.”
“He’s not going to think that,” Liv said. “Trust me.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not saying that. I’ll think of something.”
“Wear something sexy as well.”
“Liv, how am I going to wear something sexy? It’s not like I can wear some sexy teddy, since you’re going to be there as well.” I shook my head. “Liv, come on now.”
“I know, I know. I just want you guys to get together so badly.” She rubbed her hands together excitedly. “Could you imagine? We can go on double dates and on trips together.”
“That would be cool,” I agreed. “What does Xander think of all of this?”
“I don’t know.” She made a face. “I’m still upset that he told you not to tell me that Aiden is a Dom.”
“He’s just trying to protect you.”
“I guess, but I mean, come on, why can’t I know that my brother is a Dom?”
“Please don’t tell Xander I told you.” I was worried that Liv would tell Xander, and then Xander would be mad at me and then he wouldn’t provide me with any new information about Aiden. And I needed new information on Aiden as much as a coke addict needed coke, maybe even more than that. And I knew that Liv wasn’t going to be the provider of any real and useful information about her brother.
“I won’t.” She made a face. “Now back to your outfit—what are you going to wear?”
“I don’t know.” I shook my head. “I don’t want to be too obvious. Especially because he has a girlfriend.”
“He doesn’t have a girlfriend. He just went on a few dates with that girl.”
“He went on a few dates?” I said quickly. “How do you know?”
“Well, I only know about the one,” Liv responded. “But I assume they went out more than once, right?”
“I guess.” I groaned. “Why does that ho have to be after my man?” I looked at Liv’s giggling face and groaned again. “I’m horrible, aren’t I? I bet she’s a great girl and here I am calling her a ho. She’s nothing like a ho.”
“Oh?”
“She went to Dartmouth for undergrad,” I said quickly. “And she has a pet dog and a hamster and she enjoys playing racquetball.”
“Huh?” Liv’s eyes widened. “How do you know all that?”
“Google is my friend.” I laughed. “Plus, she has a blog where she talks about her life.” I rolled my eyes. “And she has photos of Frodo, her hamster, and Blackie, her dog.”
“Please don’t tell me her dog is black.”
“He is.” I nodded and giggled. “Who calls their black dog Blackie?”
“So unoriginal,” Liv agreed. “She has to go. You’re much better for Aiden.”
“Yeah, right. I doubt he thinks so.”
“He’s an idiot,” she said and pulled out her phone as it beeped. “Okay, that was Aiden, he’ll be here at seven-ish.”
“Oh my God. What am I going to wear?” I squealed. “And does he know I’ll be here?”
“Of course he knows,” Liv said. “Where else would you be?”
“Yeah,” I said weakly. “Where else would I be?”
***
I waited at the coffee shop two blocks away from our apartment for Liv to text me to let me know that Aiden had arrived. We’d decided that I wouldn’t be at the apartment when he arrived. Instead, I’d arrive back home about thirty minutes after he arrived and talk about my hot date.
I have to admit I felt like a bit of a tart, sitting in the coffee shop in my short black mini-skirt and short white top, with my red push-up bra and high heels. I could see an old man in the corner of the store staring at me, his eyes moving up and down my body as if I were a fine piece of art that was to be looked over microscopically so that he didn’t miss any tiny details.
I sipped on my now-cold latte and stared at the screen on my phone, hoping that Liv would just hurry up and text me. Already I was regretting the lies I was going to be telling Aiden when I arrived back home. I wasn’t even sure he’d believe me. I mean, who goes for a date in a black mini skirt and arrives back home at 7:30 p.m.? I knew that when I arrived back home, he was either going to think I was a whore or a liar, and I wasn’t exactly pleased with either of those options.
“Good evening, ma’am.” A deep voice sounded next to me, and I looked up to see the old man standing beside me. I tried not to cringe as I smelled him and looked into his wrinkly face. He looked even older than I’d thought before. He was in his late sixties and had scraggly grey hair and a missing tooth.
“Hello,” I said lightly, my voice coming out as a squeak.
“How much, then?” He sat down in the chair across from me and winked.
“Sorry?” I frowned and turned my face slightly to the right. He really did smell bad, like rotten eggs.
“How much?” he said again and pulled out a twenty dollar bill. “What does twenty get me?”
“What does twenty get you?” I repeated dumbly. Yes, I just might be the dumbest and most immature twenty-two-year-old in the world.
“A blowjob or some titty action as well?” His voice lowered and I gasped.
“What?” I stood up, feeling enraged. “Who the hell do you think you’re talking to?”
“Uhm?” He looked around with a somewhat frightened face, which I thought was ironic. Wasn’t I the one who should look frightened? He was the one coming up to me and acting as if I were a prostitute.
“Get out of here, you dirty old man!” I said more loudly, and I could see a young couple in the corner looking at us with big eyes and awkward smiles. Ugh! I was so annoyed that I grabbed my coffee and left the store. I was mad at myself for having gone along with Liv’s idea. It was stupid and I didn’t even think that Aiden would care if he thought I’d been on a date. On what sort of date would I be going out looking like a hooker, but making it home before 8 p.m.? Only a lame date, and what was there to be jealous of if the date sucked?
I got into my car and drove home feeling bummed. I turned on the radio and smiled as I heard “I’m Not the Only One” playing. I sang along with Sam Smith and tried to keep my mind off of how much my life was sucking. I wasn’t sure why I was so bad in relationships. I wasn’t sure why I couldn’t approach Aiden and just be normal. I wasn’t sure why I couldn’t just flirt and be honest. I think it had to do with my childhood, which seemed to be everyone’s story.
My father had left my mother and me when I was two. I couldn’t really even remember him, if I was honest. My mother had remarried when I was four and my stepfather had adopted me. He even treated me as if I were his kid, and I loved him and called him dad. However, I always wondered about my real dad. I hadn’t seen him since I was two. When he’d left, he’d never looked back. It hadn’t really hit me until I was fifteen. When I was fifteen, I decided I wanted to find him, so I looked him up online and was able to locate him. I’d called him and found out that he had a new family and two more children. He’d said he was going to call me back and we would go to dinner. He never called, but I didn’t give up. I called him back and he said he’d have me over for Sunday lunch to meet the family. He’d said to call him back in a few days to get the address. I’d called and the number had been disconnected and I’d never heard from him again. I hadn’t tried to make contact with him again either. I knew that deep inside of me there was pain that emanated from my father’s rejection, but I tried not to dwell on it. Instead, I tried to look at the bright side of life, the fun side of life. I tried to be goofy and to laugh and to just ignore the things that made me feel bad. However, now it wasn’t so easy.
