Why Did It Have To Be You?

Dean cuts off my rambling. “Caroline. Me and Brian are good.”

He grabs my hand and leads me over to the couch. “We talked last night at Charlie’s.”

I let out a relieved breath. “He said you and his mom being married isn’t what it looks like.”

Dean nods. “No. It’s not. That’s what I wanted to tell you yesterday before everything turned to shit.”

He pauses and lets out a breath.

“Jenny and I got legally married when I turned eighteen. My dad was being a dick about what I was allowed to buy for Brian. I was just starting school, and I didn’t have any money of my own. There was a loophole in the trust he had set up for me where my wife could use a certain bank account of mine for whatever she wanted. I wanted the best for Brian, so we went to the courthouse and got married. We had to stay married for five years or technically my dad could sue them for any funds they used out of the account. After the five years, we just never got around to officially getting divorced. Neither one of us were ever serious enough with anyone to justify the cost and time it takes to legally get divorced, so we just never got around to it.”

Dean looks over to me concerned that I might not like his answer.

My mouth drops open. All last night I kept trying to think of the reason Dean didn’t tell me about being married. I kept thinking it had something to do with trying to be together for Brian’s sake.

It’s like he knows what I am thinking and continues on. “We were never together. There was no clause stipulating we had to live together or anything. The last time I was ever with Jenny was right before we found out she was pregnant.”

He shakes his head. “I’m not sure why she introduced herself as my wife. It’s not like we usually tell people that. I think she was just trying to be funny or something and when she found out you were actually with Brian and not me, she didn’t correct herself. She probably thought you already knew the situation.”

It feels like a weight has lifted off of me. It’s not like me and Dean are trying to get married anytime soon. I mean we’ve only had one real date, but if things did ever turn serious between us, Dean has plenty of time to get a divorse from Jenny.

I’m not totally convinced yet on the Brian front though.

“Okay.” I say to Dean, so he knows I understand the part about him being married is fine with me. “What exactly do you mean you and Brian talked and everything is good now? I mean last time I saw you two together you were both yelling and he punched you in the face.”

Deans gives a small laugh. “Us guys like to work things out with our fists.”

I lean my head to the side like c’mon what really happened.

Dean sighs. “Alright, so that’s not exactly what happened.”

He rubs his hands over his thighs trying to think of what to say. “I think whatever you said to him made him calm down. I left right after you to go to Charlie’s to give Brian some space plus I needed to talk to someone about everything and Derek is my best friend.”

I remember Derek is the one who walked in on us at the bar. “So how did Brian end up at Charlie’s with you?”

“He just showed up. He sat and I bought him a drink. He was still angry venting to Derek that I slept with his girlfriend. They both ganged up on me like I was the shitteist dad out there trying to steal his son’s girlfriend.”

I laugh. “That’s not exactly what happened.”

He smiles. “No.” He hesitates like he’s not sure he wants to tell me this next part. “I told them it was you.”

I look at him confused. “It was me? What does that mean?”

“That you were the girl from the bar that Derek caught me with.” He cringes a second. “Don’t be surprised if Brian calls you pinball girl.”

My mouth drops open. “Brian knows about what happened on the pinball machine?”

Dean laughs. “Yeah and probably anyone else who was in the bar with us that next day. Derek was razzin’ on me the next day about bringing a girl to the back room, but I didn’t care. I told them you were my dream girl. Once Brian realized it was you, he understood it was more serious than just a revenge fuck with his dad.”

Dean laughs about what he’s about to say and I am still focused on how he called me his dream girl.

“Don’t tell them I told you because they’ll think I’m crazy for admitting it, but the next day I kept trying to convince Derek to look up your credit card receipt, so I could get your name and try to track you down. After he told me a million times no for privacy reasons, he added you would think I was a stalker.”

His admission shocks me. Somehow I always thought Dean just thought of that night as a hot night in the back of the bar with a stranger. I never knew he felt the same connection I did. Like no one else would ever again quite understand me the way he did.

I feel like there’s a lot more to talk about, but I suddenly can’t help myself. I get up from the couch and place myself on Dean’s lap and press my lips to his. It only takes a moment for Dean’s hands to grab my waist and kiss me back.

I shove my hands into his hair and pull him closer and he groans into my mouth. He pulls away slightly and tries to talk some more but I just shove my tongue in his mouth and mumble against his lips. “Talk later. I need you.”