“I’m not riled up.”
“You are. I’ve never seen you so bubbly before. Normally, you’d be whining about all this.”
“I can whine.” I smiled. “I’m hungry. Can we eat yet?”
“I just had to open my big mouth. Tell me who the guy is and we’ll run through that drive through over there.”
“I’m not telling you anything for McDonalds.”
“Does your daddy know?”
“There’s nothing for him to know.”
“Where did you meet him?”
“Stop, Matt. It’s none of your business.”
“I’m not that hungry anyway.”
“Screw you. I’m walking across to the street to the gas station. They probably have hotdogs.”
I wasn’t taking Matt’s shit anymore. I wasn’t twelve and I didn’t have to. I walked to the gas station and stood outside the building, consuming two hotdogs, a chilli cheese fry, and a large grape slushy. I was so full, I didn’t think I’d ever eat again. I sat on the curb to the side of the building and called Justine. Sometimes she could answer and sometimes she couldn’t.
“You and I are no longer friends. You can’t do that. EVER!” Justine answered on half a ring.
“I’m sorry. I forgot I even had a phone.”
“Oh my god, Cass. Don’t you ever do that again. I almost called your dad.”
“Oh, lord. Don’t ever do that.”
“Did you do it?”
“Sort of, but not really. We did it over the phone Saturday after he dropped me off.”
“Did what? You had phone sex?”
“Yes,” I giggled not believing I did that.
“When are you seeing him again? What was he like? Does he look like he did on Picked?”
“I was supposed to see him tonight, but I’m with Matt in freaking Davenport, trying to catch a guy cheating on his wife. I had to cancel. He is way better looking in person, and his brother Mason, oh my god, Justine, he’s so funny. And the hot guy on the game doesn’t do him justice. He’s so freaking hot.”
“When do I get to meet him? Is Mason single?”
“I don’t know. I’ll ask Becker.”
“Becker?”
Shit!
Silence…
More Silence…
“Cassandra?”
“Yeah, hey. I better get back to Matt. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Don’t you dare hang up on me. Isn’t Becker the guy you were going on and on about a couple weeks ago? The one with three wives?”
“I’m not getting serious with him. Don’t worry. I’m just curious. That’s all.”
“You sound like you’re floating on air. Your voice is lighter. You’re more than curious. Are you fucking nuts?!” Justine loud whispered. “Your dad will kill him and you. Since when are you into suicide?”
“I’ll talk to you about it later,” I said. I needed time to think about what to say. I shouldn’t have told her about it. I really didn’t think she was paying attention when I did. We were in line at Gino’s Pizza Bar. She never even questioned it.
“Did you meet his other wives?”
“No. He doesn’t know I know about that.”
“This is going to end badly, Cass. Mark my words. Nothing good will come from this.”
“Justine, I’m not doing anything. I’m fine. I’ll call you later if I can. Matt’s with me. I don’t want him to hear any of this.”
“Matt’s heard enough.”
“Fuck,” I audibly said the word that I rarely used.
“She’ll call you back, Justine,” Matt spoke, taking my phone from my frozen state. I was dead. I would never live to tell Becker I died. Justine was right. This was going to end in a nightmare.
“You’re joking? You’re fucking joking me right now,” Matt yelled, irate.
I didn’t respond. The only thing I could do was stand and spin to look at him.
“Becker Cole? The polygamist? You into sharing now, Small Fry?”
“Shut up. You don’t know anything about me or what I do. And furthermore, it’s none of your business. Stay out of my life,” I demanded.
Matt spun me by my arm. “This is my business. You put a stop to it right this second or I’m going right to your dad. You hear me? You stop it right this second. I’ll pound the fuck out of this guy if he thinks he’s pulling his sick sadistic shit on you. It’s not going to happen. Stop it before I do.”
Damn. Shit. Hell. Damn. Shit. Hell.
Matt was pissed. Matt was beyond pissed, and I knew he meant business. Now what the hell was I supposed to do? Great. Just great.