Then There Was You(6)

“Dude,” Tommy chimed in, “Ask her if she has any hot friends.” He elbowed me in the ribs, knowingly.

Jeremy chuckled. “Hell yeah, she does.” He turned the phone toward Tommy to show him the picture Sonya had sent of herself with her friends.

“Fuck yeah. This is on.” Tommy murmured, taking another pull from the bottle.

I leaned back against the sofa, not in the mood for any of it. “I’m just gonna hang here tonight, boys.”

Both of them froze and stared at me as if I’d suddenly grown two heads. I’d never turned down an after-party before. This was new territory for all of us.

Disgusted, Tommy blurted, “You’ll do no such thing. With all the cherries out there just waiting to be popped by the famous Chris King? Fuck, dude. You’re coming.”

I shook my head. “Nah, man. I don’t feel like popping anything tonight but the tops off these beers.” Tilting it up, I chugged the last of the bottle.

Jeremy looked at me like I’d just told him my dog died. “You feeling okay, bro?”

No, I wasn’t. My head was all over the fucking place, and I couldn’t tie one thought down. “Yeah, just tired,” I lied. There was always something about a show that pumped me up with the energy of ten men afterwards, but tonight… I just don’t know…

Jeremy, clapped a hand on my shoulder, hesitating as he asked, “You didn’t see Kaitlyn in the crowd, did you?”

Would I sound too crazy if I told him that they all looked like Kaitlyn to me? When I looked out into that crowd, show after show, all their faces blurred together to remind me of the same face I missed day after day, year after year. “Nah, I didn’t see her.”

Jeremy slid his hands into his back pockets and asked, “Well, what is it then?”

“It’s nothin’, honestly,” I shrugged, not wanting either of them to probe me further.

Jeremy stared at me, unconvinced. “Look, man, I get it. You don’t wanna talk about it. It’s all good. I’m gonna go get with Sonya.” He slapped me patronizingly on the back. “You stay here and sulk.”

“Whatever, man,” I rolled my eyes, grabbed the remote, and clicked the power button for the television.

As I flipped through the channels I could hear Jeremy and Tommy taking shots and talking shit from across the hotel suite.

“Dude,” Jeremy hissed, “I don’t know what the hell’s up with him.”

Tommy threw back another shot. “I know, man. Ever since he saw Kaitlyn at the grocery store, he’s been drowning his shit, but it’s not like him to want to pass up some easy ass. What the fuck?”

“I don’t know,” Jeremy said, throwing me a sidelong glance.

“Guys,” I snapped. “I’m sitting right here. I can fucking hear you.”

“Sorry, dude. Just trying to figure out what the hell happened.”

“I told you. It’s nothing. Nothing happened,” I barked. Just as the last word exited my mouth, a certain sexy, brown haired, green-eyed, former counselor infiltrated my mind again. What the hell?

“All right, man. Peace.” Tommy flipped me off, smiling as he stepped out the doorway.

I chucked an unopened condom packet toward Jeremy. “Don’t forget your raincoat,” I warned him as he headed out the door behind Tommy.

He caught the tiny plastic square in midair. “I never do.” He winked, and then he was gone.

I threw my hands behind my head and watched television absently, not giving a shit what was actually on.

I had almost dozed off when a familiar chime from my phone indicated a text. I swiped my finger across the screen, smiling at the words that popped up from an unknown number.

Yes, to dinner. Let me know when and where. –Salem

Without hesitation I typed my response. Tomorrow. Acropolis Grill. 8pm. I look forward to it.

She immediately replied. Can’t wait!

A goofy grin plastered my face. I read her final text over and over as I walked toward the shower. Flipping on the bathroom light, I kicked off my shoes and tossed my jeans and T-shirt at the chair in the corner. I plugged my phone into its charger on the counter and started the water in the shower.

Standing under the hot stream, I let the water run over my body and hoped it would rinse my troubles down the drain with it. I couldn’t seem to focus on what to do next because my mind was a wreck, but I finally managed to lather up and rinse. I hopped out, dug through my suitcase for a fresh pair of boxers, and settled down into the bed, throwing the sheet over my body. In my newfound solace I lay there, quietly staring at the ceiling in the darkness.

My mind drifted, but not to its usual place. Instead, a set of pale green eyes crept into my thoughts. I closed my eyes, attempting to fall asleep while my imagination lingered on a woman whose hand I’d touched in the crowd tonight—a woman who changed my world so many years ago.