“You didn’t have to, you made it clear what you wanted, and more importantly what you didn’t want.” I shrugged it off, because yeah, it did hurt to know that he couldn’t even consider something other than a good time with me, but that was Cal. “Besides, I’m sure you’ve heard by now that Kara’s marriage is on the rocks and I’m sure she’s looking for a handsome doctor. You fit the bill to a tee, so, I don’t know, maybe go rekindle that flame.” My stomach ached as those cruel words slipped past my lips, revealing a hurt I hadn’t even acknowledged to myself.
Cal glared at me for a long time, chest heaving with deep angry breaths until he could no longer contain his emotions. “We’re not done here,” he growled and smacked the counter hard, before he stormed out of my house, slamming the door in one final show of anger.
It was just a tantrum because he didn’t get his way, but I knew the truth. We were done.
Done because we’d never gotten started in the first place. He hadn’t given us a chance for that, hadn’t allowed for the possibility of that, so there was nothing to finish.
This fling had flung itself out.
Cal
“I would kick your ass myself if you didn’t already look like a wounded puppy.”
Antonio’s amused expression was the only reason I could manage a smile when I felt so angry.
“Thanks for that,” I offered up half-heartedly with a glare for my best friend. “If you’re going to mock me, at least tell me what to do.” I hadn’t been able to forget the accusations Teddy flung at me in her kitchen, which meant I hadn’t had a moment of peace since stomping out of her house. “Anything?”
Antonio wore a pensive expression as he thinly sliced a hunk of beef, weighing his words carefully. “Under normal circumstances I would recommend a grand gesture, but this is Teddy we’re talking about.”
“And you don’t want me making a grand gesture towards your sister?” It was a risk, coming to my best friend for help when he was also Teddy’s brother, but I was desperate. That, and Hannah had told me to get lost.
“No, it’s not that. If you two could get your heads screwed on straight, you might actually be good together. I just don’t think Teddy will take a grand gesture from you as genuine.”
“Ouch.”
He shrugged. “Sorry, but it’s true. You’ve done a lot of damage, my friend.” Antonio raised his beef covered hand and sighed. “I don’t think it was on purpose, but the damage has been done. You need to accept that fact and move forward.”
He was right, I had done a lot of damage, and it all started with that stupid Autumn Harvest dance back when we were kids. “A grand gesture,” I whispered more to myself than Antonio. “What if I ask her to attend the fundraiser ball with me? That could make up for what happened with the dance.”
Antonio’s loud booming laughter echoed in the kitchen and he shook his head, pointing a very sharp knife in my direction. “Not only will Teddy see right through that, she might castrate you for your efforts.”
“It’s not that funny.” She would see through it though, and that might ruin my chances with her.
“Let me ask you something, Cal. What is the goal here?”
I blinked. “The goal?” I couldn’t tell him the goal was to get his sister naked again because it might get me a broken nose, and it wasn’t the truth. Not completely, anyway.
“Yeah. You’re looking for a way to get Teddy to talk to you again, but to what end? To get her in bed again? To forge a friendship? What’s the point?”
I groaned and leaned back in the high-backed stool. “Now you sound like Hannah.”
“That’s because Hannah and I already know the answer. I’m just trying to figure out if you know it yet.”
Antonio’s question caught me off guard. “I guess I haven’t given that part much thought.” Shit, did that make me the cruel man she accused me of being?
“If this is just about the chase, walk away Cal. If it’s not, I guess honesty might get the job done. Tell her why you’re so against relationships, if you know, and what makes her different.”
Antonio spoke like a man unafraid of his emotions, gaze fully focused on the task of slicing meat while dispensing romantic advice. A regular Renaissance man.
I let out a long, tortured sigh. “Why do I feel like this is a final exam where there are right and wrong answers?”
“Because you approach women like a game?”
“Not a game, but not seriously,” I clarified. “I don’t know why I have no interest in relationships or why I want Teddy the way I do.” I waited for the judgment to come, the anger and recrimination, but this was Antonio, and he was calm and cool about everything except Rosie’s health.