Buzz: A Second Chance Romance

by Karli Perrin

  If I was a better person, I would turn around and go home. If I was Mason, I would apologize and then go home. But I’m a selfish, masochistic prick who is probably going to be unemployed come tomorrow.

  Mason opens the door and laughs. “Surely you could have found a tighter shirt to wear.”

  I look down at my denim shirt. It’s not tight, it’s just fitted. Okay, maybe it is a little tight. “Fuck you,” I reply as I look him up and down. “Surely you could have changed out of your work clothes.”

  “I did.”

  “Well I can’t tell. You look like you’re about to go into a meeting.”

  “Maybe I am. Maybe it’s about the banning of offensively tight t-shirts. Try buying an adult size next time.”

  He laughs as I push past him. “Hey, if you’re about to have a meeting, does that mean I get to keep Sophia entertained?” Judging by the look on his face, we’re done playing. “Is Lori here?” I ask as I glance around.

  “Yes. Best behavior, remember?”

  “Like always.” I gesture to the flowers in my hand. “Where’s Sophia?”

  “Oh, you actually listened to me for once.” He points to the end of the hallway. “She’s in the kitchen cooking up a storm. Why did you buy her two bouquets? Kiss ass.”

  “I haven’t. One’s for Lori.”

  He raises an eyebrow. “Don’t be a dick.”

  “What?” I feign innocence as I begin to walk backwards. “So I’m allowed to buy Sophia flowers but not Lori?”

  “Correct. Sophia is the host. Lori is…well…Lori is somebody else’s girlfriend.” I try not to flinch as I turn my back to him. “Wait. That came out wrong...” I ignore him and carry on walking.

  “Something smells delicious,” I announce as I enter the kitchen.

  Sophia looks up from her recipe book and smiles. “I hope it tastes equally as delicious.”

  “I’m sure it will.”

  “Well if it doesn’t, you should know that I’m counting on you to eat all of it and make the others feel guilty for leaving theirs.”

  I laugh. “I’ve got your back, Soph. Why do you think I’m here? It sure as shit isn’t to see Mason. I see enough of him at work.”

  She smiles but it turns sad. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay tonight?”

  “Of course I am.” I wink. “I’m a big boy, remember? Thanks for letting me be the fifth wheel.”

  “You’re always welcome here, Buzz. I think it’ll be good for both of you to see each other moving on.” She looks down at her engagement ring. I’m surprised it doesn’t blind her. “We’re going to be in each other’s lives for a very long time so we need to make it work somehow. These past few months have been tough on all of us. I miss the good old days when we all used to hang out.”

  I nod. “Me too.”

  “You know I’ve always been on your team but Lori is my best friend. Please don’t say or do anything to upset her.”

  “I’ll try not to.” I pause, trying to decide if I even want to know the answer to my next question. “Is she happy? You know…with him?”

  “I’ll let you be the judge of that,” she replies after some careful consideration. So that’s either a big fat no or she’s head over heels in love with the guy. Please Lord, let it be the first.

  I hand over the flowers. “These are for you.”

  She grins and leans in to take a sniff. “And there’s me thinking that you’d bought them for Mason.” She opens a cupboard and pulls out a glass vase. “Thank you.”

  “Well I guess I should go and wait with the other guests, huh?”

  “You can stay in here and help me plate up if you’d prefer.”

  “Nah, they’ll be getting bored without me. I’m the life and soul of the party.”

  “I won’t be too much longer now. I just need to make sure that everything is properly cooked so I don’t poison anyone.”

  “Hmmm, it wouldn’t be too much of a shame if Lori’s date got poisoned.”

  “Come on now, play nicely.”

  I laugh as I walk out of the room. “If I do anything to piss you off, just remember the pretty flowers that I got for you.”

  I head towards the game room and stop outside when I hear Mason talking to somebody else about his new poker table. For some reason, I carry on walking towards the lounge as though there’s some kind of invisible thread pulling me.

  And then I find out why.

  I stop walking when I see her. I’m pretty sure I stop breathing too.

  She’s standing by the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out at the world below. And she’s wearing the dress. The dress. My favorite piece of clothing of all time. I mean, I always preferred her naked but if she had to wear something, I would always choose the green and black dress. The lace up back meant it was a fucking puzzle to get on but it took less than a second to get it off. My eyes fall to her strappy, fuck-me heels and I become insanely jealous and territorial. I feel like pulling my pants down and pissing all over her. Hey, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve done it. I swallow hard. I’ve been thinking about this moment for the past six months. Dreaming about it. First, she jumps into my arms and tells me how much she’s missed me and then we have lots of sweaty make-up sex.

  As if she senses me and my dirty thoughts, she glances over her shoulder and then does a double take. Our eyes meet and the whole world stops. In this moment, nothing else matters. Nothing else exists. You know in movies where a character is about to die and their whole life flashes before their eyes? Well that’s how I feel right now. I’m seeing our whole relationship flash before me. The entire history of us. And this feeling that I have in my stomach, and in my throat, and in my heart…it feels like I’m the character in the film. I feel like I’m suffocating. Not being able to go to her, not being able to touch her…it’s killing me.

  This is a bad idea. I can already tell that I’m probably going to ruin Sophia’s night which makes me feel shitty as she’s been so kind to me. I should probably leave, or at least try to. I begin to walk backwards, watching her carefully, waiting for her to stop me. But she doesn’t. Somebody else does. I spin around when we collide. The first thing I see is hair gel. Way too much hair gel. And then I see the whitest teeth that have ever existed. He’s even more overdressed than Mason, which I didn’t think was possible. I’m not sure why I didn’t get the memo telling me to dress like I’m going to a funeral but judging by the way I’m feeling right now, maybe they’re here for mine.

  We size each other up; no longer men but predators. Luckily, I’m bigger than him in every way and higher up in the food chain. “Hey, man,” he says as his eyes dart between me and Lori, probably wondering why the air is so thick with tension. I simply nod at him and watch as he walks over to her. “Hey, babe,” he says before leaning in to give her a kiss on the lips. Just as I’m seriously contemplating pushing him through a window, she turns her head, forcing him to kiss her on the cheek instead. That’s my girl. Only…she’s not. Not anymore. And that’s highlighted by the fact that some asshole has got his arm wrapped around her, clinging on to her as though she’s about to disappear into thin air. But she hasn’t looked at him once. Her eyes haven’t left mine since the second she noticed me and for the first time in six months, I feel alive. This right here…this feeling, this is why I can’t move on.

  I sense Mason next to me but he doesn’t say anything. Nobody does. We’re all standing in complete silence. Me staring at her. All three of them staring at me. But then she makes her move. She forces a smile as her attention turns to Mason. “Well this is a surprise,” she says, her gravelly voice almost giving me a boner.

  Fuck, I miss her.

  “You didn’t mention that we were expecting more guests, Mason.”

  He clears his throat. “I…um…sorry…you…I’m just going to check on Sophia.” He practically runs out of the room. Pussy.

  I smile at how much my presence still affects her. “Good evening, Lori.”

 
“Buzz,” she replies through gritted teeth. “What are you doing here?”

  I take a few steps closer to her. “It’s nice to see you too.”

  “Have you brought a date?” she blurts out, looking disappointed in herself for asking.

  “No. I’m not dating.” I feel like dancing when her face floods with relief. She’s always been super easy to read. I used to call her my little open book which she loved because she’s such a huge book lover. But then our own story ended abruptly and now I have to listen to somebody calling her ‘babe’. Shoot me now.

  I walk over to her and hold out the flowers. “These are for you.”

  She frowns. “You bought me flowers?”

  The new guy chuckles. “You bought my girlfriend flowers? Wow, now I feel like a massive idiot for not buying her any.”

  That’s because you are one. I ignore him and gesture for her to take them. “I got your favorites.”

  He laughs. “Wait, who are you again?” Who am I? Who the fuck are you? “Are you here just to make me look bad?” No, you do that all by yourself. He taps the side of his head. “Sunflowers. I’ll have to remember that.”

  Sophia comes rushing into the room with Mason close behind her. “Dinner time!” she shouts overenthusiastically. “Please come and sit down. Come, come, come!” She practically drags me over to the table on the other side of the room.

  Lori glares at Sophia. “I thought it was just the four of us this evening.”

  “So did I,” she replies sweetly. “But Buzz is welcome here any time,” she adds, nodding to me.

  I smile. “Thanks, Soph.”

  I turn my attention to the prick who is currently helping Lori into her chair. I roll my eyes at such an old fashioned gesture and think back to a conversation I had with her where she told me that she hates men who insist on opening doors and paying for meals. What is she even doing with a guy like him? He already seems like the opposite to me in every way. Maybe I’ve just answered my own question.

  I sit down opposite Lori, ignoring the little place card in front of me which has Sophia’s name written on it. She rolls her eyes which makes me chuckle. “Something in your eye, Lori?”

  “Nope,” she simply replies.

  “Then you better be careful. You know what happens to girls who won’t stop rolling their eyes.”

  Hers go wide now, unable to play it cool at the mention of books. “Been watching the latest Fifty Shades of Grey movie, have you?”

  “Nah,” I reply. “I just remember that part from when I read it at your place that one time when I couldn’t sleep. Remember, the next morning I was really horn…”

  “Let me take your flowers,” Sophia interrupts. “I’ll go and put them in some water.”

  “I’ll help you bring the dinner out,” Mason tells her.

  “No!” she protests, giving him a pointed look. “You stay here.”

  The new guy shuffles even closer to Lori and laces his fingers through hers.

  I can’t bear to look. “Where are the drinks at?” I ask Mason.

  “Um, Sophia’s matched the wine to the food.”

  “What a great idea,” New guy says.

  I ignore him and groan. “Please don’t turn into one of those.”

  “One of those?” Mason asks with a knowing smirk.

  “A loser,” I elaborate. “You got anything stronger?”

  “I’ll get the whiskey.”

  We all watch as he leaves the room then I finally turn back to Lori and her stalker. His knuckles are white from gripping her hand so hard, the needy bastard. I give it another month until she needs to file a restraining order against him. “Well, this is cozy,” I say.

  He smiles but she doesn’t. “Aren’t you going to introduce us properly, babe?” he asks.

  Where’s the whiskey? Maybe I could take a drink every time he calls her babe. “Yeah, babe,” I say. “Introduce us.” New guy laughs, completely oblivious to everything. I’d feel sorry for him if he wasn’t fucking my girl.

  Lori scowls, looking like she would rather be anywhere but here. “John, this is Buzz. Buzz, John.”

  Of course he’s a John. A boring name for a boring man.

  “Interesting name,” he says.

  “Shame I can’t say the same about yours.”

  “Touché,” he says, laughing. “So is Buzz your real name or nickname?”

  “It might as well be my real name.”

  “What’s the story behind it?”

  “Maybe another time,” Lori says with a warning glance in my direction. “I wonder what’s taking so long with the food…”

  “When I come, I shout ‘to infinity and beyond’.”

  He looks confused. “Excuse me?”

  You heard.

  Mason walks back into the room juggling the whiskey and a huge serving plate of lamb. “My nickname. When I come, I shout ‘to infinity and beyond’. You know, like what Buzz says in Toy Story.” Lori closes her eyes and I can’t help but wonder if she’s taking a trip down memory lane.

  He looks confused. “I’ve never seen Toy Story.”

  “Well you’re missing out.”

  “If you can’t guess, he was drunk at the time,” Mason says as he places the lamb down. “He’d been watching Toy Story earlier that day. He only said it that one time but that’s all it takes for a nickname to stick, right? It’s been about ten years but it’s not something that your friends are going to let you forget in a hurry.”

  “I’ve said it more than once, actually,” I correct him while looking at Lori. Her eyes shoot open as her cheeks turn red.

  “Dude, TMI,” Mason replies as he pours the whiskey.

  John laughs. “Well it’s certainly a good story for a dinner party. I’m not sure it’s one to tell the grandchildren though.”

  Fuck you, John. I can tell my future grandchildren whatever the hell I want. Maybe one day I’ll tell them about the time their crazy-ass grandmother decided to date a loser called John before she came to her senses and got back with me. “I’m sure they would be too busy thanking me. If it wasn’t for me, their mom or dad wouldn’t be alive.”

  “Touché.”

  New game - drink every time he says ‘babe’ or ‘touché’.

  Mason hands me my drink right on time. I take a long drink and then lick my lips when I see Lori watching me. Her eyes fall to my mouth and I want to ask her if she’s remembering all the times it’s been on her. All the things my tongue has done to her.

  “Anyone else for whiskey?” Mason asks.

  They both shake their heads in response. “No thanks, buddy,” John says. “I’ll wait for the wine.”

  Buddy? So now he’s trying to steal my best friend too? I don’t think so, buddy.

  “So, what do you do for work, Buzz?”

  “I work for Mason,” I tell him. “I’m his bitch.”

  “It’s true,” Mason adds.

  “What about you? What do you do?”

  “I’m a doctor.”

  Of course he is. “What do you specialize in?” I ask.

  “Dentistry.”

  So that explains the ridiculously white teeth. “Oh, you’re a dentist. I thought you were a real doctor.”

  “Don’t be rude,” Lori says. “John works extremely hard.”

  “I’m not doubting that. I’m just being honest. I thought he was a real doctor. You don’t exactly save lives by whitening people’s teeth.”

  “I carry out more complicated procedures than that.”

  “It’s hardly open-heart surgery though is it, doc?”

  “And what would you know about broken hearts, Buzz?” Lori asks with hurt in her eyes.

  “More than you’d think,” I reply.

  More silence. More unspoken words.

  “John is introducing me to his mother this weekend,” she says, and it feels like a test.

  “That’s nice,” I lie, trying my best to act cool but ruin it by blurting out, “A little quick though, don’t you
think?”

  “Not really. It’s just the next step. It’s what happens in normal relationships.”

  “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never liked normal. What comes after that? Boring sex and white picket fences?”

  Her eyes go wide but John laughs. “You don’t need to worry about our sex life, if you know what I’m saying.”

  “Oh, I’m not worried.” I’m sure she has lots of fun faking her orgasms for you. “Hey, that reminds me…it’s Thursday today. You up for drinks after this, Lor?”

  She looks like she wants to kill me and fuck me at the same time. “What happens on Thursday’s?” John asks.

  Lori begins to mumble, presumably trying to make something up but I cut her off. “Throwback Thursday. It means we’re allowed to sleep with our ex’s, no strings attached. What do you say?”

  “Absolutely not,” she says through gritted teeth.

  “Come on, not even for old time’s sake?”

  “That’s enough,” Mason warns.

  I laugh. “Come on, guys, lighten up. I’m just joking around.”

  Sophia walks in right on cue, holding a bottle of wine and two plates. “Mase, can you take the plates from me before I drop them?”

  He’s already done it by the time she’s even finished her sentence. It’s like they can read each other’s minds. “Of course. I was going to come back and help but I thought I might get told off again for abandoning our guests.”

  In other words, he’s been instructed to babysit me.

  They place potatoes and vegetables on the table and then Sophia grins nervously. “Okay, so here we have a carved roast leg of lamb with basil and mint pesto paired with a 2010 Pinot Noir.”

  “Excellent choice,” John says. I lean over and begin to scoop potatoes onto my plate. “May we start?” he asks, which makes me look like I have no manners whatsoever.

  “I’m pretty sure she didn’t spend the last few hours cooking this feast just for us to stare at it,” I say as I pile my plate with lamb.

  John chuckles. “Hungry?”

  I look at Lori. “Ravenous.” I take a bite of lamb and then moan. “It tastes so good.” I’m mostly doing it for Lori’s sake, but it does actually taste nice too.

  Sophia beams. “Yay! Thank god for that.”