Causing Heartbreak

by Regina Bartley

  “No thanks.” I laughed.

  “Well, I’m super excited for you and we’ll have to go shopping very soon.” She said excitedly.

  No wonder.

  It finally clicked.

  All boys.

  She was filled with a house full of boys. No girls. I was probably the only girl that had been in that house.

  “Um,” I hesitated. “Thanks. That could be fun.”

  What was I supposed to say? Let’s have ice cream and sundaes and shop til we drop. Not likely. But I wouldn’t be mean either. She was after all my boss.

  “Okay honey, well you take care and I will see you on Monday.”

  “Yes ma’am. I’ll see you then.”

  We said our goodbyes and I hung up. She wasn’t one of those overly perky people, but sometimes she could be exhausting.

  Sawyer was twirling around in my big open living room.

  “Who was that?” She asked.

  “My new boss.” I lifted my eyebrows. “I got a part time nanny job.”

  “That’s actually perfect for you.”

  I slid around the bar and into the living room. “It really is, and the kids are really great.”

  “That’s awesome.” She said. “I have the best idea.”

  I rolled my eyes. I knew what her “best ideas” entailed.

  “Seriously.” She growled. “I say we go back to your parent’s house. We get some clothes, some food, and some pillows and blankets and we come back here for a sleepover.”

  Her eyes were wide, waiting for me to respond.

  Then she turned on the pouty face. That was my trick. She was using it against me.

  “Fine,” I huffed.

  “It wasn’t that bad of an idea.” She squealed.

  “Actually it was a great idea, I was just trying to make you sweat a little.”

  “Not cool. Come on.” She grabbed me by my hand.

  “Wait,” I stopped her before she yanked my arm off. “I have to eat first.” I pointed to the food bags sitting in the kitchen.

  “Oh right. It’s so weird hearing you say that. This new Wren is going to take some getting used to.”

  “Well, we have all night. We can discuss it over ice cream.” I winked at her and she beamed. Her face lighting up.

  She needed this too.

  FINALLY, IT WAS TIME TO GET MY drink on. I’d been waiting all day. Mel’s parties were always memorable and full of hot ass girls. Beer, girls, and memories sounded like just what I needed. Something to wash this funk off of me. Or maybe someone to kiss it all away.

  Luke parked his truck as close as he could get to the house, but there were cars scattered everywhere. You could hear the music from a half mile back which was usual for one of her parties. Luckily she didn’t have neighbors that were close or anything. Everyone was pretty chill and laid back.

  We walked around to the back of the house where the bonfire was set up. It seemed like there were double the people compared to last time. There was a little chill in the fall air so most people were gathered close to the fire. The music was turned up loud enough that people had to yell at each other.

  “I’m going to find us a beer,” Luke yelled and I nodded.

  I was on a mission to find some hot little number to keep me warm for the night.

  Just tonight.

  I wanted to erase yesterday, and I’m sure there were plenty of girls here that’d be willing to try.

  I spotted Mel with her usual parade of guys on the opposite side of the fire. She winked, and I cringed. Been there done that. She gave me a pleasant welcome into the neighborhood, but she was too sloppy for my taste. Didn’t plan on going back down that road.

  A cute little blonde kept eyeing me. This was going to be too easy tonight.

  It would never be that easy with Wren. A man should get paid for the amount of work it took to be with her. That’s what made her different. I wanted something I’d probably never be able to have. And I wanted her in a different way. She was a forever kind of girl. Well, worth the effort, but it’d never pay off.

  Never.

  Luke handed me a beer and left on his own quest. I lifted my chin at the blonde and she made her way in my direction.

  This wasn’t personal. I didn’t want the girl. I wanted an eraser. Someone to make me forget the one I really wanted. I just needed to feel someone’s touch.

  When I curled my finger, signaling her over she didn’t hesitate.

  Too easy.

  She wanted one thing like I did.

  I tipped back the bottle of beer and finished it. I would need one hell of a bigger buzz to go through with this.

  “Hey,” she said. Her tiny voice fit her tiny body.

  “Hey, I’m Bentley.”

  “I know who you are.” She cocked her head to the side.

  Shit. Had I already slept with this girl? I’d only been with a handful since we moved here, but a couple of them were on seriously drunk nights. Damn the liquor.

  “My friend Emily knows you.” She pointed back to the group of girls.

  Oh.

  Emily.

  Yeah! Won’t be revisiting that alley way either.

  “You want to go get another drink?”

  “Sure.”

  About eight beers later and after a whole lot of dry humping on the dance floor I was ready.

  I’d had a hard on since she backed her pert little ass up to me two songs ago. My head was swimming, my body was tingling, and I wanted to dig myself as far as I could into this girl.

  “Let’s go somewhere.”

  “I thought you’d never ask.” She bit her lip and ran her fingernails along my chest.

  I grabbed her hand and pulled her with me to the closest empty bedroom that I could find. She giggled and climbed onto the bed. With one hand, I lifted my shirt over my head. My other hand finished off the rest of the beer that was in the bottle and tossed it across the floor.

  I climbed over her on the bed and kissed her neck. Kissed her bare chest that poked out from her tight shirt.

  I reached down and touched the sensitive spot between her legs. She moaned. “That feels so good.” I rubbed small circles over the thin material of her pants. “Oh yeah. Yeah.” She kept talking.

  FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, could she just shut her trap? I wanted this to be fast, painless, and carefree.

  We were tangled up, and she was kissing my neck and rubbing the hardness pressed against my jeans. I reached down to undo the button when she twisted me to my back. She slipped my zipper down and the entire time her eyes were locked on mine. She slid my jeans all the way down and was surprised when I sprang free. Commando for me.

  She licked the line from where my dick touched my stomach all the way to up the trail of thin hair.

  That was working.

  I wanted more hot touching and a whole hell of a lot less talking.

  When her lips rimmed my dick and she sucked the tip I shivered and groaned in pleasure. It felt good. My body felt so good.

  But my fucking mind was all jacked up. When I looked down at her and saw her hair spread out across my legs all I saw was red.

  Beautiful red hair.

  She took me in all the way and I moaned again. My eyes rolled

  “Oh Wren.”

  “What?” Her head snapped up.

  “Don’t stop.”

  “You just called me another girl’s name.” She climbed back away from me and fixed her clothes, and used the back of her hand to wipe her face.

  “I’m sorry. But it’s not like it really matters. This was just a thing.”

  “Yeah, well the least I fucking deserve is that you’d get my name right. I’m out of here.”

  “Wait. I’m really sorry.”

  Yeah, me too.” She said as she slammed the door shut and left me there.

  I deserved that.

  I was an ass. Bigger than an ass. I was the hair on an ass. That was worse, right?

  I put my arm across my face, and laid there
feeling like the biggest douche bag that ever lived. My heart wasn’t here. Hell, my brain wasn’t even here. It was with Wren. I don’t know how I managed to let that little red-head wrap herself so quickly around my heart. I knew nothing about her and yet she was already consuming me.

  I fucked up.

  I shouldn’t have showed up at the party.

  I didn’t belong here.

  I had to get the hell out of here.

  Fast.

  I quickly got dressed and slung the door open. I looked everywhere for Luke. He was nowhere to be found. Probably shacked up with some chick.

  Fuck it.

  I’ll walk.

  It’s not that far. A few miles.

  I sent Luke a text telling him that I was going home. That way he wouldn’t be trying to find me later.

  The walk would do me some good.

  I felt like shit. I knew that Wren and I weren’t anything more than friends. And even the friend part was questionable, but I felt like I betrayed her.

  I couldn’t get her out of my brain. I couldn’t erase her like I tried.

  Every ounce of me wanted to pick up my cell right now and call her, but that would be even shittier. Call her to what? Tell her I was thinking about her while some girl had her head between my legs. That’s classy.

  I would see her tomorrow. I’d go help her move, and I’d try my hardest to get back in her good graces.

  I DROPPED SAWYER OFF AT HER CAR this morning and finished the last of the packing. I was sitting in my bathroom floor packing the last of my crap when I heard my phone ding. It was a text.

  Bentley: I need your address.

  Me: You’re still coming.

  Bentley: I told you’d I’d help. I want to help. Now where do you live?

  I was a bit shocked. I figured after the other night in his driveway that he would probably hate me.

  I texted him the address and he said that he was on his way.

  It wasn’t until that last message that I realized he was coming here. To my house. With my parents.

  Shit. Shit. Shit.

  “Mom,” I yelled. “Can you come here?”

  “What is it honey?” She peeked her head in the bathroom and smiled when she saw me sitting there cross-legged.

  “Doctor Miller’s son Bentley is coming to help with the move. His mother insisted. He’s on his way now.”

  “Ooookay.” She exaggerated her O.

  “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. They just thought that the move would be too much for me and that an extra hand would help.”

  She smiled. “That’s wonderful. Very thoughtful.”

  “He should be here soon, so be prepared when some strange guy comes knocking on the door.”

  “I’m on the lookout.” She said and went back to work.

  I suddenly felt a little nervous and a bit clammy. I stood up from the floor and checked out my reflection in the mirror. I was a mess. A hot mess.

  I splashed a little water on my face and tightened my hair into a bun.

  Catching myself getting like this made me want to kick something. It was ridiculous.

  I could feel mom staring at me from the other side of my bedroom. I used my foot to kick the door shut. I’d be getting the third degree later.

  I sat back down in the floor and finished filling the boxes with all of the stuff under my sink. I was zoned out until I heard a knock on the door.

  “Come in.”

  I felt his stare before I even saw his face. Bentley stood there in the door. I thought he was going to be grinning at me like normal, but he wasn’t. There was a sad look on his face. One I had never seen before. I tried to figure it out, but it was too late. Mom came up beside him and he smiled at her. Completely hiding it away.

  “Hey,” he finally said.

  “Hey.”

  “Bentley it was so nice of you to come over and help.”

  “Glad to do it ma’am.”

  “You call me Gloria.” She replied, and he nodded.

  I gathered myself and began to climb off the floor, when he reached out a hand. “Let me help you.”

  I took his warm familiar hand and he lifted me off the floor with ease.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He was still looking deep into my eyes.

  I caught mom staring between the two of us, and it made me uncomfortable.

  “Did you meet Dad?” I asked him.

  “Yeah, he let me in.”

  “Okay.”

  I bent over to pick up the box that separated me from him.

  “Don’t pick that up. Don’t lift anything. That’s what I’m here for.” He grabbed the box before I had the chance.

  I growled. “I’m not helpless you know.”

  “I know that, but there’s no sense in you doing it when I am overly capable. You keep boxing and I’ll help your dad load it up.”

  “Everything is boxed.”

  “Then go make me a sandwich. I’ll be hungry soon.” He winked and walked away carrying the box.

  I stood there with my mouth hanging open. When I looked over at mom she mouthed, “he’s cute.”

  I shook my head and rolled my eyes.

  Dad wouldn’t let Mom do much either. The guys seemed to have a handle on things. I didn’t have too much stuff, but there was enough to fill a pickup truck bed. I guess that’s bad enough.

  I didn’t argue after Bentley caught me with a box in my hands. He growled and I listened. It was so weird having a guy want to do things for me. Just because he wanted to. I wasn’t used to the feeling. It was really nice, and that uncomfortable vibe that should have been between us faded. It was as if we were just starting over and forgetting about the whole incident. I couldn’t be happier.

  I went into the kitchen and made everyone sandwiches to eat. They had all worked very hard. The least I could do was feed them considering all I did was sit back and watch.

  Dad thanked Bentley a hundred times for coming to help. Of course, they were buddy-buddy by the time everything was loaded. It all just seemed too easy.

  We gathered around the kitchen table to eat and it gave my parents a chance to really get to know Bentley, and he didn’t seem nervous about it all. They asked him about school and I realized how little I actually knew about him. I was surprised when he said that he wasn’t going and had no intentions of going back. He seemed a bit sad about the fact that his parents weren’t too thrilled about it. Of course, they weren’t. They were very successful. If I had to guess, I’d say they just wanted the same for their son. He was content though. He knew that he would never be as successful as his parents but loved the idea of working for a living. Working hard to take care of himself. It was honest and respectful. People did that every day. Normal people. I loved that about him.

  Once we finished eating, we loaded the last of the things in the car. Just as I was about to get in my car, I told them to give me just a minute before we left. I had something I needed to do. Bentley sat in the driver’s seat of his truck and smiled as I walked towards the sidewalk.

  I walked up on the porch and knocked lightly.

  I heard the squeaking of the wood as the door opened.

  “Wren,” Uncle Jake said.

  “What are you doing here?” He said in a happy tone. “Look at that belly. You look great.”

  “Thanks,” I smiled. “I just wanted to stop by and let you know that I’m moving to town today. I got an apartment. I wanted to tell you goodbye.”

  “That’s really great. I’m so glad that you thought of me.”

  I pulled a folded piece of paper from my pocket and handed it to him. “That is my new address and my cell phone number. I know that this baby is a part of your life too, and I’d love it if we kept it that way.”

  His eyes filled with unshed tears. “Thank you.”

  I nodded. “Oh and I almost forgot. It’s a girl.”

  He grinned so big. “That’s,” his voice sounded a bit choked. “That’s
wonderful.”

  I couldn’t stand there any longer. It was too hard. “I better go. They’re waiting on me.”

  “Okay, thank you Wren.”

  “Yep,” I gave him a quick hug before turning to leave quickly.

  It wasn’t until I was back on the sidewalk that I finally released the breath I’d been holding. But it felt good. The whole thing felt good. I wanted to get it over with, and I am so glad I did. It made him happy, and that’s what I wanted.

  I gave everybody a thumbs up when I walked back into the driveway, then climbed in my car and led the line of cars to my new place. I was turning over all sorts of new leafs today. I was excited to get to my new place. All of my furniture was being delivered today too. It was going to look like a home, and I was ready.

  Those guys worked so hard and I knew they were worn out. Dad had to leave to go to work and apologized that he couldn’t stay and help me unpack. I wasn’t worried about that. He did more work than I could have expected for any one person. He was so thoughtful and caring.

  While Bentley was in the bathroom Mom said that she needed to go to and asked if I’d be okay alone with him. I assured her that I’d be just fine. She kissed my cheek and waited for him to come out of the restroom to say goodbye.

  He smiled politely, hugged her, and we watched her leave.

  It was just us.

  Just the two of us.

  “I’m starving.” He said. He fell back onto my brand new couch which I was in love with. It looked even better in my living room then it did in the store.

  “You’re always hungry. You eat a lot.”

  “Well, you don’t eat enough.” He tucked his hands tightly behind his head, making himself right at home.

  “You don’t have to stick around. I can unpack. It will probably take me several days anyway.”

  His lips lifted on one side.

  He was smirking at me.

  Clearly.

  He stood up from the couch and walked over to me still grinning. “You order the pizza and I’ll hang curtains, Little Red. My treat.”

  I groaned under my breath. Silently hoping he’d trip and scratch that all too perfect face.

  Curtains. Of course.

  Why didn’t I think of that? Curtains would be too hard for me to hang.