“Yes, but the conversation isn’t over—not yet.” Wendy took my hand and then reached for Micah’s. “We haven’t talked about what could be possible here.”
“Wait a second…” Micah’s eyes flashed with concern. “What are you suggesting?”
“Everything.” Wendy’s lips slowly formed a smile and her eyes cut back and forth between us. “Brody, all of the complications you talked about—all of the reasons we could never be together. Micah could be the answer.”
“Hold up, I’m not sure I want that.” Micah’s eyebrows raised. “I’m looking for something real, not just another fantasy that burns out when the sun comes up.”
“Yeah, I don’t know that this solves all of the complications—it might just make them even worse.” I blinked a few times as I proc
essed what she said.
“I want something real too, but I want it with both of you. There was a time when I was ashamed to admit how much what I saw turned me on—and how often I dreamed about it.” Wendy squeezed our hands. “I’m not ashamed or afraid anymore. I know what I want.”
Wendy began to share vivid details about her dreams—how much she desired me, and how those dreams always seemed to end with the mysterious stranger showing up. She knew his name, but that was about it. She never imagined something like that actually coming true, but it was a fantasy, even if her feelings for me were stronger than lust. She definitely wasn’t a teenager with a crush anymore. She was a woman who had wanted something she couldn’t have, but was willing to fight for it when she had an opportunity. The date with Micah opened her eyes. She saw him as more than just the mysterious stranger—she saw the man I always knew he was underneath that hurt. What she was suggesting, though—it would turn what we did to get our rocks off into a permanent arrangement. I just wasn’t sure that was possible.
“I need time to think about this.” Micah pulled away from Wendy. “This is too much for me to process without thinking it through.”
“There would still be so many complications…” I shook my head back and forth as my words trailed off.
“What relationship doesn’t have complications?” Wendy shrugged and leaned back in her chair.
“I need some time to think about it too.” I exhaled sharply.
“I’ll respect the decision you make—whatever it is.” Wendy nodded. “I just want a fighting chance.”
Micah and I said goodbye to Wendy and walked towards the door. We exchanged a glance on the front porch before heading to our vehicles. Wendy had certainly thrown my brain for a loop. There was truth to her words, even if I was struggling with what she offered us. If she was dating Micah, then I wouldn’t have to worry about Beth finding out about our relationship. We would still have to tell her at some point, but we could figure out what we had first. I just wasn’t sure Micah would be very open to it. He was trying to have a real relationship for the first time since I met him. I didn’t want to screw that up if he finally had a chance at happiness. I wasn’t sure I would have much of a say in the matter. If we rejected Wendy’s offer, then it very well could be the end of any relationship.
If Micah is open to it, I’m not sure I can say no, but that’s a very big if.
Micah
One minute I thought I was falling for the most amazing woman I had ever met, and the next minute, she was twisting my stomach into a knot. I was in shock knowing that she saw Brody and I with the woman we brought back to his house. I remembered that weekend fairly vividly. There was a fire at the strip club, and we were the first ones on the scene. Brody and I had shared several women by that point, and it was becoming somewhat of a game—I picked them up, and he enjoyed the spoils. The women we usually picked up were girls looking for a one night stand, and most of them weren’t pretty enough to dance on a stage. I turned on the charm once I saw her making eyes at Brody, and before I knew it, we were back at his house with her naked on his bed. In retrospect, it wasn’t one of our finer moments—we were just chasing what was in front of us.
What Wendy suggested is impossible, right?
Sharing a woman with Brody was always about avoiding the emotional attachments, not about forming them. I had never even considered that possibility. Wendy’s words replayed in my head as I got back to my apartment. I did like Wendy. I liked her a lot. I thought the relationship would be slow, especially since I was trying to turn it into something real before we were intimate. When I kissed her, it just felt right. If she was still tangled up with feelings for Brody, then it might not be the right time for us. I definitely had to talk to Brody—I needed to know where his heart was at. He never mentioned any feelings for Wendy when I told him I was going to ask her out. It seemed to be more about protecting her. Perhaps I misread that, and got in over my head before I realized what was going on.
The next day
“Thanks for meeting me. I already ordered you a coffee.” I looked up from the table as Brody approached.
“Thanks—and thank you for calling me. My mind has been a mess since last night.” Brody sat down across from me and I saw a distant look in his eyes.
“Yeah, mine too.” I nodded and sighed. “What a way to end a first date!”
“No kidding. I probably should have told you there were unresolved feelings, but I did my best to push her away. I held out hope that the two of you would find something that would help her finally move past those feelings.” Brody shook his head back and forth. “I guess I was wrong.”
“I’m not upset about it.” I waved off his concerns. “I understand why you didn’t want to tell me. She told me when the time was right—before things could escalate.”
“Well, they’ve escalated, I guess. You must have made a really good impression on her with just one date.” Brody’s lips twisted into a half-smile.
“She’s amazing. I mean, I knew she was gorgeous—obviously that drew me to her in the first place. There’s just so much more…” I let my words trail off as our coffee arrived.
“Yeah, she’s an incredibly special woman.” Brody nodded. “That’s for damn sure. If I was younger, and she wasn’t my daughter’s best friend, I would have wanted to ask her out.”
“I get the whole issue with your daughter, but what else is holding you back? Beth might be a little confused at first, but I’m pretty sure she would understand if the love was real.” I tilted my head to the side and reached for my coffee.
“It’s not just about Beth. There are other issues too. I mean, I’m not exactly planning to have any more kids. I’m not even sure I want to get married again. Beth’s probably going to want that at some point. She deserves someone that can give her everything she wants. What if we did get together and then she realized she wanted more? It wouldn’t be fair to be the guy holding her back.” Brody shook his head and lifted his coffee to his lips.