"Then you're in the clear. You know what you don't lack, Rome? Options. I'm telling you, man. Take them."
Maybe he just hadn't met his Ron. When he did, he'd get it. On the other hand, maybe he never would and was okay with that. I didn't operate that way. It wasn't as simple as getting it wet with another girl. What I had done was throw away a relationship with the woman I loved because I was an idiot and thought I was doing the right thing by her. I was an idiot for thinking I'd be able to just move on, too.
I just didn't want the mistake to mean that I'd fucked up every last chance that we had together. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing I didn't fight for this. It still sucked, though. She was pushing me away, and it felt like shit.
"You good?" Don asked as I started on my third beer.
"Great," I said sarcastically. He said he was going to get us some more shots and stood up, walking to the bar. I looked at my bottle wishing I hadn't driven here. Then I could really get wasted. Maybe even drunk enough to take Don's advice. He came back with a tray of shots and set it on the table. I counted them, then counted again because I was sure I was seeing double. I looked up and saw him herding two girls into our booth. The blonde and Gina from earlier.
He introduced me to the women, to the blonde in particular as she sat next to me. Packed into the booth it wasn't a tight squeeze, but I was immediately uncomfortable with having her there.
What had Don told her? I hoped he hadn't promised her anything. I had enough alcohol in me where I didn't know whether I'd say fuck it and take her home or send her on her way disappointed. He doled the shots out, making a toast. I sucked it down, feeling it burn. Yep, that was it for me, I was cutting myself off.
"So, you play football," the blonde said to me. She was Kayleigh.
"I used to." She told me that she liked that, putting her hand on my thigh. I thanked her and offered to get her a drink. She took that as encouragement, running her hand up my leg, closer and closer to my crotch. I tried to distract her asking about her friend, the third girl who hadn't come over with Don. Apparently, she was married and headed home early. Why was I jealous hearing that?
"Hey, Rome? You good?" Don asked.
"What?" I asked. The hand was gone, but she had moved closer and closer the whole conversation, pressed against me.
"Gina and I are gonna head out. You'll make sure Kayleigh gets home safe. Won't you?" he asked, winking. He was about to score and thought I was, too. That had been his plan from the start bringing the girls over.
"You have nothing to worry about," I said to Gina, not him. The girls said bye and as soon as Roman and Gina were out of sight, Kayleigh’s hand was back on my thigh.
"You wanna get out of here?" she asked. It wasn't fair to compare her to Ron; I was heavily, heavily biased. She was pretty. Her skin was tanned, even though I didn't know how she got that much color this early in the summer. Her eyes were hazel, rimmed with black makeup, and her lips glossy.
"Sorry about it, Kayleigh. Not tonight," I said.
"Why not?" she urged. "Don said you were single."
"I had a good time tonight, but I have to leave. I'll call you a cab," I offered. She pouted a little.
"You sure I can't change your mind?" she asked. I should have been attracted to her. I could appreciate that she looked good and was probably a nice girl,but then the block went up. I wasn't interested in seeing her again, not at my place, not at hers, not ever, really.
"Not tonight," I said apologetically. It wasn't her fault that I didn't want her, it was mine. I had tunnel vision for Veronica and felt bad that Don had led her to believe something more than just a couple drinks would come of this. I stayed with her till she finished her drink and got her a cab ride home before heading home myself.
Chapter Fourteen
Veronica
Fucking statistics. Just when I thought I wouldn't have to do math because I was studying a soft science. I could have waited to take it another semester, but it made sense that I took the class now since classes were so much smaller and help would be easier to find if I needed it. I was sitting at the dining table I had, which doubled as a work space. It was big enough to seat six, but I had gotten it at a flea market for close to nothing. The wood was beat up, but nothing so bad that sanding and staining it didn't fix.
I was perusing my textbooks, getting a start on my reading for class. I had a GPA to maintain. The little extra free time was going to make or break me this semester. It was much easier to maintain than raise a score, so I wasn't interested in failing. I had nothing else planned this Sunday, anyway. It was late afternoon and I was staying in tonight. That was why the sudden knock at the door was so unexpected.
I answered it, my entire body sagging when Sean walked in. How had he gotten to twenty-two years of age without knowing that it was common courtesy to call people before you came to their homes? I stiffened and turned my head slightly when he tried to kiss me. It didn’t stop him.
"I haven't really heard from you this week," he said. I walked back to the table, sitting in front of my books, hoping he got the picture that he was interrupting.
"I asked if I could come over on Friday. You said you were busy." I didn't bother offering him anything, not even a seat. He had a habit of taking things without permission, anyway, but I didn’t want to encourage him.
"You never told me what happened on that date last week," he said.
"Nothing happened," I said shrugging. "We ate dinner, and I left the restaurant alone."
"Do you like him?" he asked.
"I don't ask about the other people you see, Sean."