“Guys don’t think like women.”
“Ugh. I hate him so much, Tristan. He is just trying to make my life miserable. He had the nerve to call and ask me if I’ve been dating. If not, maybe I’d like to . . . to . . .”
“To what? What did he want you to do?”
Shaking her head and smiling like she couldn’t believe what she was saying, she whispered, “He wanted me to come over and puff his peter.”
Pulling my head back in shock, my mouth dropped open. “What?”
Lifting her eyebrows. “Puff his peter, you know.”
Slowly shaking my head, I looked at her. “What?”
Dropping her shoulders and letting out a frustrated moan she said, “Suck his dick, Tristan. He wanted me to come over and suck his dick. Peter puffing. You know, give him a blow job, deep throat his ass.”
Holding up my hands, I started laughing as I looked around. The gentleman next to us got up and walked away. “Jesus, Sierra. Why do you talk so damn loud?” I asked as I continued to laugh.
“I’m glad to see this is giving you a good laugh.”
I was almost doubled over from laughing so hard. “Sorry . . . can’t . . . stop . . . laughing!”
Sierra rolled her eyes as she lifted her coffee and took another drink.
When I finally got my laughter under control, I asked, “What did you say when he asked you this?”
“I told him to go get his lover to do it. Then I hung up on him.”
Nodding my head, I said, “Good. You shouldn’t even be talking to him. Next time he calls, just send him to voice mail.”
“Okay, dad.”
Chuckling, I took in the light chatter of everyone sitting around us. There was something about a coffee shop that just seemed to put me at ease.
Taking a drink of my coffee, I casually looked around at everyone. Looking back over Sierra’s shoulder, I saw Ryn and Dodge walking up. Motherfucker.
Looking down quickly I acted like I hadn’t seen them. “So what are your plans for the holidays?”
“Oh gosh, I don’t even want to think about the holidays.”
“Why?” I asked, genuinely wanting to know.
Drooping her shoulders, she said, “I used to love the holidays. We would always go to my ex’s family’s. It was fun and I loved my mother-in-law. This will be my first Christmas in a long time I won’t see them.”
Tears formed in her eyes and I almost reached across the table to take her hand, but saw Ryn and Dodge walking up to our table.
“Fancy seeing y’all here,” Ryn said. Glancing up at her, I could tell she was pissed. She had no right to be pissed. She was standing next to her boy toy.
Sierra jumped up. “Ohmygosh! Ryn! Tristan told me you sprained your ankle. How are you feeling?”
Ryn gave Sierra a weak smile and then looked at me. “Appears y’all share a lot with each other.”
Sierra looked at Ryn with a surprised expression. “What does that mean?”
Ryn’s eyes showed she immediately regretted what she had said. I couldn’t help but notice Dodge staring at Sierra.
Ryn smiled. “Nothing. Sorry, pain meds are still making me loopy and kind of grumpy.”
Sierra smiled and looked at Dodge. It wasn’t lost on me the way her eyes moved up and down Dodge’s body before she quickly looked back up at his face. Flashing that smile of hers, Sierra stuck out her hand. “I don’t think we’ve really been introduced. I’m Sierra Jackson.”
Dodge took Sierra’s hand. “Dodge Walker.”
Lifting her eyebrow and tilting her head, Sierra said, “You don’t look like a Dodge. Nickname?”
Letting out a laugh, Dodge said, “Yeah. My first name is Aaron.”
Biting on her lip, Sierra looked him up and down as I rolled my eyes and looked away. Catching a glimpse of Ryn, I noticed she was staring at me.
“I like that. Suits you well.”
Turning back to the two fuck buddies, one a real one and the other a terrible fake, I cleared my throat. Sierra was pulled from her temporary trance and turned back to Ryn. “Would you like to catch a movie sometime? If I thought this one would hit up a chick flick with me I’d ask him, but I highly doubt that will happen.”
Ryn’s eyes bounced from me to Sierra. I knew she was trying to gage the relationship and having a hard time doing it.
Standing, I reached for my coffee. Hoping to let Ryn know there was nothing going on between me and Sierra, I looked at Sierra and said, “I need to leave and what you need, Sierra, is to get laid and soon.”
Spinning around, Sierra reached over and slapped the hell out of my arm. “Shut up, Tristan.” Turning back to Ryn and Dodge, Sierra said, “I’ve got to run to. Have to be to work in a few minutes and I’m going to be late. I hope we can get together soon, Ryn.”
Smiling weakly, Ryn nodded and said, “Yeah. Sure.” Then she looked at me. I lifted my hand and said, “Have a good day, Ryn . . . Dodge.”
Dodge gave me a head pop and said, “Um . . . yeah, you too.”
Walking away, I felt the jealousy and anger building. Didn’t take Ryn long to hook back up with Dodge. I was beginning to think there was a hell of a lot more going on than just fuck sessions between the two of them.
Getting in my BMW, I slammed the door shut and dropped my head back against the seat and whispered, “Fuck.”
I jumped when someone knocked on my window. Opening my eyes and lifting my head, I looked to see Ryn standing outside my car. My heart started beating loudly and for one second I was scared to death to roll down the window. My hand felt like it was covered in lead as I reached over and hit the button to roll the window down.
“Hey, what’s up?” I causally asked.
“You left and didn’t give me a chance to thank you for everything.”
Giving my best smile, I tried to talk but nothing came out. Clearing my throat, I said, “Nah, you thanked me enough over the week, Ryn. It was my pleasure.”
Her eyes looked sad. “You didn’t give me a chance to explain why I answered my cell.”
Swallowing hard, my eyes darted over to where Dodge was standing, waiting for Ryn. Slowly looking back at Ryn, I asked, “Does it matter anymore?”
“I think it might,” Ryn said barely above a whisper.
Shaking my head, I looked away. “I saw the conflict in your eyes, Ryn. In that moment it was as if you had to pick—kiss me, or talk to your precious Dodge.”
Glancing back, my eyes caught hers. “I still see the conflict in your eyes, but the problem is, you picked him, Ryn.”
Starting the car, I put it in drive and pulled away.
STARING AT TRISTAN’S BMW AS he drove away, I fought to hold back my tears. Closing my eyes, I wrapped my arms around myself. It wasn’t cold outside, but my body shook.
“Ryn? Are you okay?”
Dodges voice was filled with concern. I had asked him to coffee this morning to tell him I didn’t see our relationship going any further.
Shaking my head, I whispered, “No, Dodge. I’m not okay.”
“Let’s head inside and order some coffee, Ryn.”
Dodge placed his hand on the small of my back as he led me toward the door to Starbucks. My mind was racing as I took Tristan’s words in.
He thought I had picked Dodge. I knew those days we spent together we were getting closer. I could see it in Tristan’s eyes how many times he wanted to kiss me. Why we were both pulling away from each other, I didn’t know.
Dodge ordered both of our coffees as I mindlessly moved to a table.
I sat and stared out the window. I did know why I was pulling away from Tristan. I was scared to death to open myself back up to him. Was he interested in me because he didn’t have Liberty or Sierra around? Was I second best?
Closing my eyes, I thought to that moment when Tristan was going to kiss me and I answered my cell. The hurt in his eyes about dropped me to the floor. Then not even five minutes ago, I saw the same hurt in his eyes.
You
picked him, Ryn.