“So why the need for a third?”
At the question, everyone either looked down or away, and I just took a drink of my coffee.
“Oh,” Steve said, quietly, before setting back in his chair again.
We all sat there for a few minutes in silence, wondering what was going to happen next.
“So, how much did you drink, Elle?” Steve asked, suddenly, sitting back up, voice filled with concern, wonder, and curiosity all in one.
Hearing the nickname, I turned and looked at him and he flinched.
“Let’s just say it was enough,” Lillian responded, knowing it could get very bad if it continued.
“How much is enough?” Steve asked, but no one answered. “Well, how much?” he asked, looking to everyone, more than genuinely curious now.
“Well, um,” Shane stammered, but before he could continue both Lillian and I gave him a death glare and he shut up.
“Oh, come on,” Steve chuckled, “it can’t be that much.”
“It was enough to tell you to ‘fuck off’,” Teddy finally told him, flatly, but with just a hint of anger and bitterness.
Everyone stared at him, me included.
As soon as those words came out of his mouth I froze. I couldn’t move or talk. It was like I was a statue. The only thing I was doing was breathing, and I only knew that because if I wasn’t I would have just seen black from passing out. I couldn’t see myself, but I imagined if my eyes were bugged out of my head and my mouth was on the floor it wouldn’t even show half of what I was feeling at that moment. I was in shock and disbelief, and the only two thoughts going through my head were, What the fuck? And, I can’t believe he just said that.
It was so quiet you could literally hear everybody breathing. I wanted to say something, but I literally couldn’t get my brain to form a sentence, let alone get the words to come out. After what seemed like an eternity, but was only about a minute, I heard Steve talking, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying because my mind was still in a fog. When I saw Teddy elbow Shane again, I assumed they were talking about the last time I got that drunk, and I was glad my brain was not functioning at that moment.
After another few moments, I heard Shane’s voice then saw Jemma’s hand in front of me, a few seconds later, and I blinked.
“Huh... what?” I asked, blinking fiercely.
“You okay?” Jemma asked, with a little laugh, and put her hand down.
“Yeah,” I said, shaking my head to clear it.
“You sure?”
“Yep,” I assured her, then turned to Shane. “What did you say to me a few seconds ago?”
“I said, ‘Are you ready to get creamed at the game tomorrow?’”
“What game?” I asked, and everyone stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “What?” I asked, looking at everyone, honestly confused.
“What do you mean ‘what game’?” Shane asked, when the shock wore off, but still in disbelief.
I sat there trying to figure out what the heck he was talking about, then it hit me, and my eyes went wide in realization.
“Ah, fuck!” I whined, in exasperation, for forgetting, and I noticed Steve’s eyes go wide.
“What?” Shane asked, chuckling. “Don’t tell me you forgot.”
“Yeah, I did.”
“What!” he asked, in disbelief. “How could you forget about the Super Bowl?”
“Well, if you haven’t noticed, I’ve been a little preoccupied this week,” I said.
Everyone looked at Steve for his reaction but were surprised at what they saw. He looked the same as he did when I said, ‘fuck’. He looked like he was in shock. His eyes were wide and almost out of his head and his lips were parted the slightest bit. They all stared at him a few more seconds, then Shane turned to me.
“Is he okay?” he asked, a bit of a concerned look on his face.
“Yeah, he’s just not used to my mouth.” I grinned.
“Oh,” he replied, trying to hold in a laugh.
Everyone else started laughing.
At the laughter, Steve blinked several times, closed his mouth, and shook his head, then noticed everyone staring at him.
“You okay, dude?” Preston asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Steve answered, shaking his head again to clear it.
“Don’t worry, man, you’ll get used to it.” Shane laughed.
“Okay, enough about me. Can we change the subject, please?” I asked.
“Ah, you’re no fun,” Shane pouted, looking at me.
I just smiled at him, smugly, and stuck my tongue out at him, and he laughed.
“So, what are your plans for the game tomorrow?” Lillian asked, as I grabbed my cup, and finished off my coffee. “You’re not going to a bar are you?”
“Oh, God no!” I answered, resolutely, putting the cup back on the table. “I don’t think I’ll be going to a bar any time soon.” I laughed, and so did she. “I was planning on going home, but...”
“But you’re not now?” Lillian finished.
“What?” I asked, looking at her. “No, I’m still going, it’ll just be a day later than I planned.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Do you still only want me to ‘spot’ since you’re going home?” Tia asked.
“Yeah,” I said, turning back to her, “there’s no reason to do the other.”
“Okay,” she replied, looking at Steve.
“Oh yeah,” I said, turning and looking at Teddy, “speaking of ‘spotting’, can you fill in for Marisa on Wednesday? She has an exam that morning and wants to study for it.”
“Yeah, sure, no problem.”
“Okay, thanks. Oh, and don’t worry, you won’t have to shave my legs,” I added, with a grin and a wink, as I watched Steve stiffen.
“Oh, okay,” Teddy said, very amused at what I was doing to Steve.
“So,” Jemma asked, sensing the tension, “why are you going home?”
“Seriously?” I asked, turning to her, in a bit of disbelief.
“Yeah.”
“There’s no way I’m staying here and watching the game with these losers,” I teased.
“Hey!” Shane, and a few others, slightly hollered.
“What?” I asked, looking at them, and they didn’t say anything. “That’s what I thought,” I said, with a light laugh.
“Well, just remember our bet,” Shane said, with a cocky smile.
“Yeah, yeah,” I responded, dismissively.
“What bet?” Steve asked.
Shane looked at me and I nodded.
Over the next half-hour, Shane told Steve about the bet, while I talked to everyone else. I found myself laughing and enjoying myself, despite my massive headache. At one point, I even forgot that Steve was there. That was until our conversation started heading toward its usual direction, so I decided to watch him. As it went from normal to gross or inappropriate, I noticed his facial expressions change, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. Depending on the comment, his eyes widened or his face contorted.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a wave of nausea hit me and I knew I had to get out. Frantically tapping Tia’s shoulder, I leaned over and told her, “I feel like I’m gonna get sick.”
She immediately went into action.
As she pulled me back, I saw Teddy mouth, “You okay?”
I shook my head and saw him start to get up. With the chair back far enough, Tia quickly, but gently, put me in my chair and I drove as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, I knew I wouldn’t make it to my room. Thankfully, when I made it to the big trash can, just in time, it was slightly tilted.
As I got sick, I felt a hand rubbing circles on my back and relaxed a little. When I finished, I leaned back slightly and grumbled, “Ugh, remind me to never drink again.”
At my words, I heard chuckling behind me then Shane tease, “Lightweight.”
I really wanted to flip him off, but I couldn’t twist
my arm behind me easily, so I just took the napkin Teddy was offering. A few seconds later, however, I heard more laughter as I wiped my mouth and knew he was flipping Shane off by proxy. It made me smile.
Once I was finished, I threw the napkin in the trash and sighed. Turning around, I saw everyone looking at me, concerned, including Steve. I felt a blush start to rise on my cheeks.
“Well, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go crawl in a hole and die.”
With that, I turned around and started to leave. Before I got too far, though, I heard Graham ask, “In that case, I can have your autographed baseball, right?”
I stopped and narrowed my eyes, turning around again. Seeing his smug smirk and the teasing glint through his glasses, I flipped him off with a smirk of my own. As another round of laughter filled the room, I turned around a final time and headed to my room.
Once there, I went straight into the bathroom. Pulling up to the sink, I rinsed my mouth out with a bit of water. I splashed water on my face before grabbing a rag hanging by the sink. As I wiped the back of my neck with the damp rag, I saw Teddy come behind me in the mirror.
He reached over my head and grabbed the mouthwash out of the cabinet. Pouring a capful then trading it with the rag, he asked, “Feeling better?”
Swishing the mouthwash, I nodded. After spitting it out, I answered, a bit tiredly, “Yeah.”
“Good.” He handed me a towel and put the mouthwash back in the cabinet.
“Thanks.” I smiled, then wiped my face and the back of my neck. “But I could use a nap,” I added, with a chuckle, handing him back the towel.
He chuckled, too, and hung the towel back up. “Lucky for you, it’s only twenty after eleven, so you can get a decent nap ‘til Tia’s finished.”
I sighed as my lips curled up.
Shutting off the light, Teddy followed me out of the bathroom and helped me into bed. He turned off the regular light and left.
About twenty minutes later, I was peacefully dozing when there was a soft knock on the door.
“Come in,” I called out, softly, not opening my eyes, not wanting to get out of bed.
Hearing the door open and shut quietly, I opened my eyes and saw Steve, with his head cocked sideways, looking at me.
“How ya feelin’?” he asked, with a soft, warm smile.
“Better,” I answered, sitting up.
“Can I sit?”
“Sure,” I said, quietly, and moved over to give him room. I scooted back until I was against the backboard, drew my knees up against my chest, and wrapped my arms around my legs.
We sat quietly for a few minutes until Steve turned sideways and sat Indian style to look at me.
“I take it that it was an interesting night last night?” he asked, chuckling.
“You could say that,” I snorted, looking at the ceiling.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why? I’m the one who got way beyond plastered,” I replied.
“Yeah, but I’m the reason,” he said, quietly.
I looked at him. His beautiful blue eyes were full of sadness, and I instantly felt guilty, for what I wasn’t certain.
“The other night—” he began, but I cut him off.
“It’s okay,” I told him, softly, part of me not wanting to know, “you don’t have to tell me.”
“Yes, I do. I owe you an explanation and I don’t like seeing you like this,” he said.
I felt even guiltier. “Okay, I’m all ears.” I laughed, softly.
He laughed a little, too, before turning serious again. “The other day was a bad move on my part and I shouldn’t have said it like that. I was just surprised that you had already talked to my sister that I couldn’t think.”
“Well, what was I supposed to—” I began to say, then stopped. “Wait, what?” I asked, looking at him, hoping I misunderstood what he just said.
“I said that I was so surprised that you talked to my sister that I couldn’t think,” he said again.
My heart sank. I immediately put my hands on my legs and put my face in them, and felt the tears begin to fall and my body shake. I can’t believe this! How could I have screwed up this badly? He probably hates me! I wouldn’t blame him if he never wants to see me ever again, let alone talk to me!
“Hey,” he said, softly, and put his hand on my back, which only made me shake harder. “Hey,” he tried again, rubbing my back, “it’s okay.”
“No, it’s not,” I replied, through muffled sobs.
“Yes, it is. Look at me,” he said.
I shook my head.
“Why not?”
“Because.”
“Because why?”
“I can’t.”
“Why can’t you?”
“Because I feel stupid.”
“You’re not stupid.”
“Yes, I am.”
“No, you’re not,” he assured me, continuing to rub my back. “Look at me.”
I shook my head again and buried my face deeper.
“Please,” he added, softly, and almost pleadingly.
Hearing the pleading in his voice, I reluctantly, and slowly, raised my head and leaned it against the backboard, keeping my eyes closed. Sitting there unable to stop the tears, and trying to catch my breath, I felt Steve’s hand on my cheek.
“Don’t cry,” he said, softly, wiping a falling tear from my cheek with his thumb. “Look at me.”
I finally opened my eyes and saw Steve looking at me with a warm smile, and eyes full of love. “It’s okay.”
“How can it be?” I asked, trying not to cry again.
“Because,” he replied, grabbing my arm, and pulling me next to him then wrapping his left arm around me, “I completely understand.”
“How could you?” I asked, leaning my head on his shoulder.
“I would’ve done the same thing if I were you.”
“Really? Why?” I asked, looking up at him, curious.
“Because if I would’ve been cheated on and pitied, it would be hard for me to trust someone again, too.”
“How do you know about that?” I said, a little more harshly than I intended.
“I talked to Lillian.”
“You did?” I asked, surprised. “Why?”
“What was I supposed to do? You kept hanging up on me or not taking my calls, and even slammed the door in my face.” He smiled, laughing a little.
“That’s true.” I laughed a little, too.
“Not to mention telling me in no uncertain terms, to ‘fuck off’.”
At his words, my head shot up and I looked at him, wide-eyed. Seeing the look on my face, he busted out laughing. Confused, embarrassed, and feeling very guilty, I looked back down.
“I’m really sorry about that,” I told him, quietly.
Steve stopped laughing. “Hey.” He hooked his finger under my chin and forced me to look at him. “It’s okay.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I just know now not to piss you off enough to get that drunk,” he teased.
I narrowed my eyes, which made him laugh again.
“Seriously though, I truly do care about you and I’m not just with you because I feel sorry for you, and I will never cheat on you. The other guys are actually the ones I pity and feel sorry for because they missed out on getting to know an extraordinary person,” he said before leaning down and kissing me.
The kiss was the most tender and loving kiss I’d ever had. When it ended, we just sat there staring into each other’s eyes. Without a word, I turned in his arms and sat on his lap, wrapping my legs loosely around him. I put my arms under his and grabbed his shoulder blades, before laying my head on his left shoulder, and he wrapped his arms around me. We sat there like that, in the silence, just holding each other.
“I’m so sorry,” I apologized, breaking the silence after several minutes.
“Me too,” he said.
I lifted my head an
d looked at him confused. “Why?”
“Because if I would’ve mentioned my sister being home, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
“That’s true,” I agreed, wrapping my arms around his neck.
“Hey,” he replied, pretending to be offended.
I just kissed him before he could say anything else.
The kiss quickly deepened, but I pulled back before it went too far.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, panting, trying to catch his breath.
“Nothing,” I answered, trying to catch my breath as well.
“Then why’d you stop?”
“‘Cause there’s something I’ve gotta do before we go any further.”
“And what’s that?”
“Get a shower.”
Chapter 15
“So, you ready to meet some of my buddies?”
“Yeah.”
“Nervous?”
“Nah, not really. I figure if they’re anything like mine, I’ll be just fine,” I said, and Steve started laughing. “What?” I asked, looking at him quickly, before turning back to the road.
“Nothing,” he replied, trying not to laugh.
“Uh-huh,” I said, without taking my eyes off the road.
We sat in silence with his hand on my thigh, as I drove to his apartment.
“So, it’s just gonna be your buddies and neighbors from across the hall, right?” I asked, pulling into a parking spot.
“And maybe my brother and his girlfriend, as well as my sister and her husband.”
At the mention of his sister, I stiffened and shut the truck off. Feeling my reaction, he immediately tried to reassure me.
“Hey,” he coaxed, rubbing my thigh, soothingly. “Hey,” he tried again, when I didn’t look at him.
When I turned and looked at him, I was so scared and he just smiled.
“It’ll be okay, I promise,” he assured me, warmly, then leaned over and kissed me.
The kiss was soft and tender and full of reassurance.
“You have nothing to worry about, okay? They probably won’t even come anyway,” he told me, leaning his forehead against mine, after breaking our kiss.
I just nodded.
He kissed me again before leaning back up and getting out of the truck.
Something New & Unexpected Page 15
