“Fine.” She crossed her thin arms over her chest. “Well, I guess we won’t see each other for a while. I have to go out of town for a business trip. I won’t be back for a couple weeks.”
He didn’t know if this was another one of her tricks. He’d never known her to go out of town for anything but pleasure. Dana opened her driver’s side door. “I understand. Where are you going, anyway?”
She sucked her teeth, cocking her hip to the side. “You’re really making me leave? Unbelievable.”
“Jess, come on, don’t over dramatize. I’m only—”
“Don’t tell me how to act, Dana. I come over to try to take care of my man after he’s had a full day of work and all he can think about is going out to see someone else.” She slid easily onto the butter-soft leather seat. The immaculate tan interior still had that new car smell even though she’d bought it seven months ago.
“Travel safely and call me when you can. We have some things to discuss.” He briefly made eye contact with her before she yanked the door away from him.
“Yes, we certainly do. I won’t be treated like this, Dana. I’m your woman. I deserve respect and to come before anyone else. Anyone,” she stressed.
Dana didn’t respond. Instead, he stepped back and let her drive off. There was nothing he could say right now. Clearly, she was going to be outraged that someone as common as him would have the audacity to break up with someone as classy as her, but he’d let her know it was him… not her. Shaking his head at that weak line, he unlocked his door and hurried inside. Excited to see his friend and get some of this craziness off his chest.
Ford
Ford: Come over and we’ll watch the game. Ford texted to Brian. He took out a pizza from his freezer and set it on the stove. He set his oven to four hundred, not needing to look at the instructions on the box. He and Brian loved this brand. He thought of inviting him over and possibly trying to work in a conversation about Dana to see what his brother thought. He knew he wouldn’t be pissed about him taking interest in a man, but he had to get his opinion, regardless.
Brian: I got plans bro.
Ford: Doing what? Ford could almost hear his little brother’s scoff of irritation.
Brian: Grown man shit. You should try it sometime.
Ford read the text and hostilely punched in his reply. Why did it seem every time he tried to spend time with Brian, he got attitude?
Ford: Then come over after, asshole.
Brian: I think I’d rather bask in the after-sex ambiance alone. See you tomorrow.
Ford dropped his phone back on the counter. He’d been dismissed. He aggressively shoved the pizza back into the box, not interested in throwing half of it away. No way could he eat it all, and he didn’t do leftover pizza. Maybe he shouldn’t have gotten rid of Dana so fast; at least he acted like he wanted to be around Ford. He put the pizza back in his freezer and instead grabbed a XXL Hungry Man meal. Looks like it’s a rib and chicken night for one.
While his oven was still on preheat, he opened a water and thought about checking out one of those hookup apps himself. He must be crazy to even think it. It was way outside of his comfort zone. He wasn’t a trusting enough person to let a stranger have at his body. God, what would he say? Where would he take them? Do they just fuck and walk away with a cheeky grin and an “It was fun, lover” thrown over their shoulder? It sounded so absurd to him. If his brother didn’t mind faceless fucks, then good for him, but Ford wasn’t built that way. In the Navy he’d stayed clear of relationships for the most part, happy to have a career with goals and ambitions. To finally be able to pave his own way. And he’d done that. But living as a civilian now – even with a job as demanding as Duke’s – he found himself with time that often left him alone with his own thoughts.
Both his bosses had significant others, lovers they enjoyed when they left the strenuousness of the job. Duke was cuddled up with his business partner’s son and Quick was in love with the doctor that saved his business partner’s life. Duke and Quick did the double-date thing a lot, which made it so they all could have some sort of social life. It was a nice sentiment for the bosses, but it didn’t help a man like Ford, who would’ve preferred to be consumed with the job instead of being home alone.