325 First Fights

by E. L. Todd

  Ace chuckled. “Ouch. But that’s a good point.”

  “I hate this,” Cypress said under his breath. “I hate this so much. I want to go back to what we were. Fuck, I miss it. I miss my wife.”

  “You could let it go,” I suggested. “If you don’t think you’re gonna get anywhere with her, maybe you should just walk away.”

  Cypress’s gaze shifted to a random point in the restaurant as he considered what I said. “No. I don’t want to be with anyone else. She’s worth fighting for.”

  “If only she could hear you say that,” Ace said.

  “She does hear me say it,” Cypress snapped. “All the time.”

  “I mean candidly,” Ace said. “When you’re saying it to her face, she might think it’s just a line. But when you’re saying it to us when the girls aren’t around, you know it’s real.”

  “Then how about you tell her for me?” Cypress pressed.

  “I do,” I said. “I’ve said it to her tons of times.”

  “Me too,” Ace said. “She just needs to believe it on her own.”

  “It’s been two months, and nothing has changed,” Cypress continued.

  “Not true.” I pointed my finger to the ceiling. “You got laid.”

  “And that’s a pretty big deal,” Ace said. “So don’t lose all hope.”

  “I guess,” Cypress said.

  “And didn’t she say she would give you seven months?” Ace said. “She also said she wouldn’t sleep with anyone else. That’s a pretty big sacrifice for someone who doesn’t have any faith. I think you really do have a chance to make this work. You just need to tough it out.”

  Cypress nodded, gratitude moving into his eyes. “Thanks. I needed to hear that. Sometimes I feel defeated, you know?”

  I nodded even though I had no idea what he was talking about. “Yeah…”

  “The other night, I hugged her before I went inside,” Cypress said. “She hugged me back and then she kissed me. It wasn’t the kind of kiss you give before you screw. It was a nice kiss. It reminded me of the way she kissed me when we both used to get home from work and finally had some time to ourselves. It was good…” His eyes shifted to the table, and a dreamy look entered his expression.

  I felt bad for my friend. He was being punished for something he did a long time ago, but so much had changed after that. Cheating was pretty despicable, but he was obviously a different person now. He loved Bree with all his heart. He never gave up on her—not even now. “You’ll get her back, man. I know you will.”

  “Yeah,” Ace said. “She’ll come around.”

  Cypress drank his beer again, his eyes still shifted elsewhere.

  Ace left the table and walked to the bar to get another beer. The second he got there, a woman in a black dress came to his side, standing too close to him for a stranger. She flipped her hair then chatted him up.

  “Why does Ace get all the action all the time?” I asked, not really expecting an answer.

  “Because he looks like Superman.”

  “But we’re hot too.”

  Cypress narrowed his eyes, a smile on his lips. “You think I’m hot?”

  “No, I said we’re hot.”

  “Which includes me,” he said. “Therefore, you think I’m hot.”

  “Well, you wouldn’t get laid all the time if you weren’t, right?”

  “I don’t get laid all the time,” he pointed out. “I’ve been in the worst drought of my life for the past eighteen months.”

  “But you could pick up any woman in here,” I said. “If you wanted to.”

  Cypress shrugged. “You could too.”

  “So you think I’m hot now?” I asked as I pointed at myself.

  “No. I just said you could pick up a woman. Not the same thing.”

  “Sounds like the same thing to me.”

  Cypress finally chuckled. “You caught me. I think you’re hot.”

  “That’s what I thought.” I brushed my shoulder. “As I was saying, the women always go for Ace.”

  “It’s because he’s a bodybuilder. They like to feel protected.”

  “But we’re ripped,” I pointed out. “I don’t hit the gym every day just to keep my cardiovascular system in check.”

  “All those superhero movies are altering women’s expectations.”

  Ace spoke to the woman at the counter for a few minutes before he returned with his beer.

  “Get her number?” I asked immediately.

  He took a long time to drink his beer, keeping us in suspense before he answered, “No.”

  “She wouldn’t give it to you?” Cypress asked in surprise.

  “No,” Ace answered. “I never asked for it.”

  “Really?” I raised both eyebrows as I looked at her. “She’s pretty cute.”

  Ace shrugged then looked at the TV.

  “Because you’re seeing Lady?” Cypress asked. “Is that getting serious?”

  “No,” Ace answered. “I don’t see that going anywhere.”

  “I thought she was cool,” I said. “Blended into the group pretty well.”

  “I think she’s pretty and funny, but there’s not much there,” Ace said.

  “Does there need to be more?” I asked incredulously. “I love pretty, funny girls. They’re the best.”

  “Bree used to be funny,” Cypress said. “Until she started hating me.” He rubbed his jaw, his black wedding ring contrasting against his fair skin.

  “She doesn’t hate you.” Ace turned back to me. “What’s going on with you, Blade?”

  “Nothing much,” I said. “I got a new TV—”

  “I mean women-wise,” Ace said. “You haven’t seen anyone in a while.”

  “Oh…” Should have assumed that’s what he was talking about. “Not really. It’s the same shit over and over. Meet a pretty woman, take her home and have some fun, and then see her a few more times until it fizzles out… I’m over it.”

  “You’re over getting laid?” Cypress asked in surprise.

  “I’m never over sex,” I said. “I’m just tired of the pattern. It’s a blur.”

  “Maybe you need something more serious,” Ace said. “Sounds like you’re bored of being single.”

  “Isn’t being in a relationship more boring?” I asked.

  “No,” Cypress answered immediately. “Finding the right woman you want to spend your life with is the best thing that could ever happen to you. Sex is always great. We always have fun together. There’s never a dull moment.”

  “Eh…I don’t know.” I’d never met a woman that interested me enough. They were all the same, it seemed.

  “You’re opposed to a relationship?” Ace asked.

  “No,” I answered. “I’ve never done the relationship thing before, so I don’t know if I’d like it.”

  “It’s not bad,” Ace said.

  “Then why don’t you do it?” Cypress asked, his eyes narrowed in slight hostility.

  Ace brushed it off. “Unlike you, I like being single.”

  “You just blew off that hot chick,” I countered.

  “True,” Cypress said. “That’s a good point.”

  Ace drank his beer before responding to us. “I didn’t like her. That’s all. Looks aren’t everything.”

  I laughed because I thought he was joking.

  Ace didn’t crack a smile.

  Cypress sensed Ace’s dark mood, so he changed the subject. “I’m glad Evan showed up…as much as I hate him.”

  “Me too,” I said. “Looks like our little talk straightened him out.”

  “Amelia doesn’t know,” Ace said. “He didn’t mention it to her.”

  “Then it’ll be our little secret,” Cypress said. “Amelia seems to be happy, and that’s all I really care about.”

  “Me too,” I said. “Losing a husband is bad enough. But losing the father to her kids…not cool.”

  “Yeah,” Ace said. “I think it’s only a matter of time before Evan tries to get her b
ack.”

  “I highly doubt that,” Cypress said. “He’s having too much fun with that new adult of his.”

  “Nah.” Ace shook his head. “He’s starting to rethink his actions. I can tell.”

  “Well, she would never take him back,” I said. “No way.”

  “I don’t think so either,” Cypress said. “She better not, not after what he did.”

  Ace and I both looked at him.

  Cypress’s face fell in guilt. “I wasn’t married to Bree at the time, alright? Not the same thing.”

  Ace and I both cut him some slack and turned quiet.

  Ace finished his beer. “I should get going. I said I would meet up with Lady.”

  “Me too,” Cypress said. “Maybe if I play my cards right, I’ll get laid tonight.”

  I didn’t have anything to do except return to an empty house. “I’m getting tired too. I have a date with my hand.”

  Cypress chuckled. “TMI, man.”

  “And telling me you’re gonna get Bree into bed isn’t?” I countered.

  “Good point,” Cypress said. “You got me.”

  I usually got a coffee at the Carmel Coffee Co. because it was closest to my house, but I decided to change it up and head to Carmel Coffee House instead. It was near the Hippopotamus Café and was located in an alleyway between two buildings. When I reached the courtyard, there was a fountain, walls covered with ivy and red flowers, and pots planted with exotic blossoms. There was a long line, so I pulled out my phone and waited.

  When it was finally my turn, I stuffed my phone into my pocket and walked up to the counter, a twenty in my hand. The aroma of fresh coffee entered my nose, brewing right at that moment behind the counter. The glass cases showed all the homemade pastries they baked every morning.

  I didn’t expect to see the pretty brunette behind the counter. Her hair was thick and curled at the ends, and she had big blue eyes that contrasted against her fair skin. Diamonds were in her ears, and she wore a jean dress with a white blouse over it, looking particularly European. There were a lot of tourists around here, but I assumed she lived in the city if she was working there.

  “Just woke up, huh?”

  I stared at her blankly. “Sorry?”

  “I asked what you’d like, but you kept staring.” She smiled as she looked at me, making it clear she wasn’t trying to insult me. “We all have those mornings. I had one just yesterday.” She kept smiling, her teeth just as pretty as everything else about her. She was petite and curvy, and her neck particularly caught my attention. She wore a thin gold necklace with a simple bar at the end. I loved everything that I saw in front of me, from her style to her looks.

  I needed to stop staring and start talking. “Sorry, didn’t get much sleep last night.” Not true. I slept like a baby.

  “It’s okay. What can I get you?”

  Just the sound of her voice made me hard. I was stiffening in my jeans, subtly picturing us making out on my couch with her skirt pulled to her waist. It was a strong reaction from me, considering how bored I’d been lately. “I’ll take a coffee. House blend.”

  She typed it into her tablet. “Room for cream?”

  “I drink it black.”

  “$2.50.”

  I handed her the twenty, and she made change. When she looked down, I took advantage of the opportunity to look at her. She had a few freckles on her face.

  “Here’s your change.” She placed the money in my open palm.

  It wasn’t until that moment that I recognized her subtle accent. It was definitely French. Was she from France? She had to be if she had an accent, right? Would it be stupid of me to ask?

  When I didn’t move, she spoke. “Did you need anything else?”

  “Oh, no. Sorry.” I shoved everything into my pocket and stepped away.

  “Sir?”

  I turned back around, hoping she’d ask for my number.

  “You forgot your cup.” She held up the recycled coffee cup.

  “Oh…duh.” I took it and smiled at her, feeling like a dumbass. “Thanks.” I turned away and wanted to smack myself in the forehead. I couldn’t ask her out after making the biggest idiot of myself. I wasn’t smooth. I wasn’t cool. I wanted to tell her that I usually was much more eloquent. She’d just caught me off guard.

  It was her fault, really.

  I filled my coffee then walked to work, thinking about the pretty French girl who wouldn’t escape my mind. If she was French, why was she here? Maybe she was in college, and she was studying abroad. I didn’t know.

  But I really wanted those answers.

  3

  Bree

  Saturday was our day off from the restaurants. We let our crew take over, knowing they could handle our absence for a day just fine. Sometimes we took Sundays off too, but usually one of us checked on a few things.

  I didn’t know what I was going to do with my free time. The sun was out and it was a warm day, probably because it was September. The tourists were gone, and the heat set in. During the summer season, it was usually overcast more often than sunny. But once fall came around, we had our version of a heat wave.

  I opened all the windows and immediately spied on my husband next door. He was sitting on the couch in his sweatpants, reading the paper. A steaming mug of coffee was beside him, and he sipped it as he read the Pine Cone. He was shirtless, and his body looked particularly fine that morning.

  I wouldn’t mind doing this on my day off.

  Dino was sitting on his blanket on the couch, his head resting on his paws.

  I thought about asking Amelia if she wanted to do something with the girls, but after being a full-time single mom, she probably wanted some downtime. Hauling the kids to the beach or the mall probably sounded like work to her.

  Would it be weird if I hung out with Cypress?

  Over the past two months, I’d started to see him in a different way. I didn’t necessarily see him as my husband, but I certainly thought of him as a friend. He was a business partner as well, someone I trusted in a financial way.

  And I did agree to consider this marriage thing with an open mind.

  I pulled out my phone and stood in the window. You have plans today?

  He looked at his phone on the coffee table. He immediately abandoned the newspaper and picked it up. A handsome smile stretched on his face as he typed back. I hope I have plans with you.

  What a flirt. Want to take Dino to the beach?

  Depends. Will you wear a bikini?

  I might.

  Ooh…I’m in.

  What if I wear sweatpants and a baggy shirt?

  Still sexy as hell, if you ask me.

  I automatically smiled then looked through the window.

  His face was turned to me, and he wore the same smile. He gave me a wave, the muscles of his arms tightening and moving with the gesture.

  I waved back. I’ll be ready in thirty minutes.

  Alright. I’ll meet you outside.

  We met in front of my house thirty minutes later. He was in his dark blue swim trunks and a white t-shirt. He skipped the shave that morning, but the short beard around his jaw was nice. Dino was ready to go, sniffing around without a leash.

  “You never put a leash on him?”

  “Sometimes. But most of the time, no. He’s a good boy.” Cypress whistled then started walking, telling Dino to keep up with him.

  I walked beside him with my bag over my arm. I packed a blanket along with sunscreen. My swimsuit was underneath my clothes, and my shades sat on the bridge of my nose. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gone to the beach to lie around. I tagged along with the gang to play volleyball at the nets, but that wasn’t the same thing.

  “Want me to carry that?” Cypress asked as he looked at my bag.

  “Psh. I got it.”

  He chuckled. “Alright.”

  “Did you carry my stuff when we were married?”

  “We still are married,” he corrected. “And no. I always a
sk, but you always say no.”

  “Sounds like me.” I noticed the black ring on his left hand but didn’t comment on it. I never saw him in public without it. I wondered what my wedding ring looked like. He never showed it to me, and I couldn’t find it anywhere in the house.

  We arrived at the beach a few minutes later and walked down the stone steps to the sand. Once we were on the beach, Dino led the way and walked faster than us, eager to get to the water and check out the other dogs.

  Cypress whistled loudly, and Dino bent his ears and immediately slowed down.

  “Wow, he’s really trained,” I said.

  “You were a fierce disciplinarian when he was a puppy.”

  “I can’t see me being stern with a dog that cute.”

  “You’re stronger than you think.”

  We found a spot on the sand, and I laid out the blanket. I set my bag down then took a seat.

  Cypress got comfortable beside me, his elbows resting on his knees. He wore aviator sunglasses, blending in with the crowd of beachgoers and surfers. “So, when’s that dress gonna come off?”

  “You’ve already seen me naked.”

  “And I would love to see you naked now.”

  “This isn’t a nude beach.”

  “I’ll take what I can get.”

  I rolled my eyes then pulled my dress off, revealing my olive-green bikini. I had been planning to take the dress off anyway, so I didn’t feel like I was being flirtatious.

  Cypress stared at me, but I couldn’t see his eyes through his sunglasses. “That’s a great color on you.”

  “Thanks.” I waited for him to take off his own shirt.

  “What?” he asked with a grin.

  “Are you gonna wear that shirt all day?”

  He chuckled. “Wanna see some skin, huh?”

  “Well, we’re at the beach, and it’s a sunny day…”

  He pulled his shirt over his head, revealing a perfectly ripped body that could land him on the cover of a magazine. He tossed the shirt on my bag then flexed his arm. “Is that what you wanted?”

  “Yeah, minus the flex.”

  He chuckled then relaxed.