“Tess,” I hear Finn say.
Looking up from my iPad, I see Finn looking straight at me. His eyes are piercing, and I hold on steadying myself for his words.
“She’s not my girlfriend. It’s complicated. We were best friends growing up and then later on in our teenage years our parents pushed us together in high school and wanted to see our two families merge. It’s such a fucking appearance deal. Nothing else. Kara and I got pretty serious our senior year of high school. She left for college and I stayed, which was another shit storm. I broke it off with her, but it seems no one else has accepted it besides me.”
“I know all this. Will explained it to me,” I whisper to him.
“Then why are you so angry with me?”
“I don’t know,” I mumble, hanging my head down.
“Tess, tell me what the hell I did wrong then. The other night was the best night of my life,” Finn exclaims, slamming his hand down on the table.
“Well, you must be talking about someone else because our night was twelve nights ago. That’s my freaking problem.”
“Finn,” a squealing voice streams through the little restaurant.
Looking up we both see Kara trotting over to the table.
“Is your phone broke? I’ve tried calling you for days.
As if the gods of love could sense the tension and angst filling the restaurant, the owner hollers out my name, indicating my order is ready.
Standing to my feet, I respond to both of them, “By all means, have my seat, Kara. I’m leaving.”
Walking away, it hurts. Hurts like hell because I do believe Finn, and I’d love to have a chance with him. Just one sliver of hope bubbles up inside me. Maybe and that’s a big maybe.
***
“So, you saw him today and he basically said he likes you?” Scarlett asks.
“Yes, but it’s all screwed up. He has a dog with her and their parents want them to get married and have kids and own the whole town.”
“Wait, wait, wait. You act like he has bred with her and she’s spouted out their spawn from her pie hole. They are doggie parents. I don’t see the big deal.”
“The big deal,” I wail. “The big ass deal is he is SUPPOSED to marry Kara.”
“And he wants you,” Scarlett reminds me.
“Fuck this shit,” I declare, throwing the remote across the living room floor.
Hopping up from the couch, I spot Will and Tommie in the entryway.
“We are going out. I’m sick of this. I always feel like I’m being punished. I want to live and live is what I’m going to do. More precisely, I’m going to go dancing at the G Spot until my legs can’t move anymore.”
“You don’t have to tell
me twice,” Scarlett pipes up.
As we both rush out of the living room into my room, I hear Will, “Be home by midnight girls, no drugs and don’t talk to any strangers.”
The sound of Tommie slapping his chest and the two giggling at his comment makes me smile and almost makes me feel normal again.
“Shorts?” Scarlett asks, holding up a little white pair.
“Nope.”
Tossing them back in her suitcase she lives out of she tries again. “Mini skirt?”