8 Weeks (Time for Love 1)

“I get it … and thanks,” Scott responded. “But next time … tell me the truth before I ruin my fucking life.”

I chuckled and slapped Scott on the back, “Will do, brother.”

“Are we gonna play cards now, or continue to sit around like a bunch of girls and talk about our feelings?” TJ asked with a grin, and I knew he was just as relieved as I was that Scott had come to his senses before it was too late.

Chapter 32 – Shelly

I checked the clock on my phone as I rushed through the grocery store. I was running late. It had been a horrendous day from the get-go, and I’d been called in to work to deal with some issues they’d had with my subordinate’s loan paperwork. Now I was rushing to pick up the items on my shopping list so I could get home before Cal came to pick me up for our date. I could’ve just gone straight home and came back to the grocery store in the morning, but coffee was one of the items on my list, and there was no way I could start my day without it. When we were living together, Cal had always made sure I had a cupboard stocked with coffee, filters, and the French vanilla creamer that I liked.

I found that I missed the little things like that that Cal used to do for me, like keeping my coffee stocked, and filling up my tank. Things I never really noticed … until they were gone.

As I half walked/half jogged toward the dairy aisle, I was taken off-guard when Melody Cannon stepped out in front of me, almost causing me to barrel her down in the middle of the store.

“Hey, Shelly,” Melody said slowly, her voice laced with something that sounded like a cross between derision and pity.

It put my defenses up immediately.

“Hey, Melody,” I replied. “I’m kind of in a hurry.” I tried to walk past her, but she stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

“Oh? Got a hot date?” Melody asked. “Someone from

the office perhaps?”

I narrowed my eyes at her and thought back to Carlos asking me out. But, there was no way she could know about that, and it made me wonder why she was asking.

“What’s it to you?” I asked her somewhat snarkily. I’d never liked Melody, and I certainly didn’t want her in my business.

“Nothing,” she responded with a saccharine smile. She twirled a lock of hair around her finger and looked at me innocently. “Just wanted to check in and make sure you were doing okay. What with Cal cheating on you, and your pending divorce … I’m just worried about you is all. I wanted to make sure that you’re coping okay, and … you know, getting back on the horse so to speak.”

I wanted to slap the gum out of her mouth.

“Don’t worry about me, Melody,” I said with a grimace. “And don’t believe everything you hear either. In fact, I’m meeting Cal in a few minutes, that’s why I’m in such a hurry. See ya.”

I stayed long enough to see the sweet look she’d held dissolve into the more apt look of jealousy. She’d always been jealous where Sasha, Gaby, and I’d been concerned.

Forgetting her as soon as I walked away, I hurried off to finish my shopping.

I pulled up next to Cal’s Mustang in the driveway and grabbed my bags out of the car.

“Sorry I’m late,” I said quickly as I rushed around the car when he got out of his. “I’ll only be a minute.”

“No problem,” Cal answered. “I just got here myself.”

I left the door open and ran to the kitchen, putting things away quickly. Cal walked in as I was putting the coffee in the cupboard and I said, “Make yourself comfortable, I’ll just be a minute.”

I ran back to my room and into the bathroom to freshen up. As I put on deodorant and got out my toothbrush, I hoped that things between Cal and I wouldn’t be awkward tonight. I knew I hurt him last Saturday when I wouldn’t let him stay … Again.

And I knew he felt like I had used him for sex … twice, and I guess I had. But I also knew that if I chose to walk away at the end of all of this, Cal would be hurt that much more if I let him get too close, and as much as he’d hurt me by sleeping with that stupid bimbo in Vegas, I didn’t have it in me to hurt him anymore.

We’d already been through enough.

Tonight I was going to go on this date, and I WAS NOT going to have sex with Cal. No matter how badly I wanted to. I had a lot to think about over the next week, and I didn’t want to confuse things any more than they were.

I wanted to have a nice time tonight, relax, and not think about what lay ahead.

I gave myself one last look over in the mirror, then headed out to where Cal was waiting. He was leaning up against the counter, looking at his phone, when I walked in.

“Ready?” I asked.