Losing Mr. Right

by Natalie Charles

  “A date,” she said, and looped her arm through mine. “One hundred percent a date.” Then she looked out the window as we entered the highway, her face turned completely away from me. “This car is so quiet. Do you plug it in at night?”

  I didn’t want to talk about the Prius, but she did, so I indulged her questions. Enjoy the night. Stop overthinking everything. Mindy was beautiful and fun, and I’d had little beauty or fun in my life over the last few months. There was nothing wrong with keeping it casual.

  MINDY

  I’D NEVER felt so unsettled in my life. I was going to the engagement party for the love of my life, my soul mate, and I was in the company of a man I was terribly attracted to. I felt like someone had swirled up my insides, like I no longer knew what I wanted.

  Brett looked incredible. Tan. Lean. So hot in that polo and without that beard. The beard had been okay, but why in the world would such a beautiful man hide his face? And I’d noticed the thread on his sleeve right away. He was wearing a red shirt with a loose red thread. My hand kept drifting to that thread, looping it around my pinky finger. It was exactly like the story Mom used to tell me, the one about soul mates being tied together with invisible red threads. Sometimes the universe gives us a sign and it’s only a matter of looking for it.

  But that was silly. I brought my hands to my lap like a respectable lady—which I was not. I definitely wanted to have sex with Brett that night, and not because of red threads on his sleeve. I was feeling depressed and lonely, and I needed to take the edge off. Brett was the perfect man for that. I leaned back in my seat and smiled at him. “I like looking at your face.”

  The truth. He had a great jawline and kind eyes. “Your ears are kind of sexy,” I said, and reached over to run a fingertip along the outer edge of one. “Not too big or hairy.”

  “Aw. You sure know how to make a man feel special.”

  He winked and—oh my gosh—he actually blushed a little. My heart moved, it was so adorable. Was that why he wore a beard, because otherwise his face gave away every little emotion? His interest in me was written all over that handsome face, for one. I’d seen that look plenty of times, though Brett had played a little hard to get. I am closing the deal tonight if it kills me. Bedding Brett just might be worth dying for.

  “I’m glad to get out tonight,” I said. “I’ve been working outside all afternoon, weeding the flower beds. I still have more to do.”

  I had a sunburn on the back of my neck where I’d missed a spot when applying sunscreen. I could feel the darn thing and it was stinging. “I found a tick crawling on my arm.” I scratched at my hair, itchy at the thought that another one could be hiding there. “Have you ever had a tick bite, people walker?”

  He grinned at that. “Not a bite, but I’ve found a few. I usually pick some up when I take people on hikes. One of the services I offer is checking for ticks.”

  “Hmm. Maybe you could check me later.” It wasn’t meant to be sexy, I swear. There’s nothing sexy about checking another person for parasitic insects. But the look on his face—I started laughing. “That’s not flirting. I’m seriously feeling paranoid.” I kept running my fingernails across my scalp. “I don’t want to start off the school year with Lyme disease.”

  Brett pointed to the shoulder of the highway. “You want me to stop here and comb your hair?”

  “No. Of course not.” I was still laughing.

  “Just a quick stop. I won’t even charge you. It will be a courtesy check. I’m pretty good at it. I can check you for lice while we’re at it.”

  “Now you’re being ridiculous.” I pushed playfully on his shoulder, impressed by the muscle I felt there. “I’m fine. It’s fine. I don’t have ticks.” I don’t think.

  “Suit yourself. Don’t say I didn’t offer.” Laughing felt good.

  We pulled into the parking lot at the bar—silently, because we were in a Prius—and parked near the back. Of course we did, because Brett probably thinks nothing of walking from the back of a parking lot. He’s a professional walker. He offered me his arm and I looped mine through his, thinking that Lettie would love Brett. She would think he was wholesome and friendly. Maybe Brett wasn’t the most successful career man in the world, but I felt no shame when I walked into Chase and Jackie’s engagement party on his arm. For all anyone knew, this hot guy was a millionaire.

  The first thing I noticed was the streamers. Goddamn paper streamers in a bar. They’d rented out the back room and brightened up the wooden walls with white balloons and party decorations. Shouldn’t be white, I thought, which was bitchy of me. “Good turnout,” I said out loud, because wow. I’d had no idea Chase and Jackie knew this many people.

  Someone shoved a tray of food in front of us. “Pig in a blanket?”

  The food was mini hot dogs wrapped in phyllo dough, and the woman must have been one of Jackie’s friends. She was wearing a light blue flowing tank with factory-ripped jeans and too much makeup. This was also a bitchy thought. I forced a polite smile. “No, thank you,” I said.

  Brett held up a palm when the woman turned to him. “None for me, thanks.” When she wandered off with her tray, he looked to me with a shrug. “Should I grab us a drink?”

  There were pitchers of beer on a table in the back of the room, but the beer looked pale yellow and flat. “I’m all set for now.”

  I caught a glimpse of Chase and Jackie in a corner. Jackie was laughing with her mouth wide open and Chase was looking like he would rather be anywhere else. Beside me, Brett said, “Is that him?”

  “Yes,” I said, my voice a whisper. “I should go over.”

  “You want me to come?”

  “No, that’s all right,” I said, too hastily. “You know, on second thought, yes. I’d like a drink. But maybe something at the bar?” Those pitchers just looked gross.

  “Beer or cocktail? My treat,” he added when he saw me reach for my purse.

  “Beer. Something on draft, preferably a stout from a microbrewery.”

  He shot a look around the room at the old sports memorabilia and the wooden paneling. “You think this is a place for a beer snob to get a drink? I’ll surprise you.”

  “Sounds good.”

  I waited for him to leave the room before wandering over to Chase and Jackie. Chase did a double take when he saw me. A pained smile crossed his face. “Hey, Mindy.” Bless his heart, he did his best to sound upbeat, but he’d always been a terrible actor.

  “Chase.” I nodded solemnly before flinging an arm around Jackie and shrieking, “Jackie! You look amazing, honey!”

  “Eeek! I’m so happy you made it!” She gave me a big hug and wiggled her bottom a little. As we hugged, I caught a glimpse of Chase looking visibly uncomfortable.

  “Oh my gosh, do you think I’d miss this for the world?” I stepped away and gave her stomach pooch a quick rub. “How are you feeling? You look incredible.”

  I was a high school girl once. Homecoming queen, voted “Most Likely to Wear Designer Clothing” in senior year. I can be phony with the best of them when I need to be. It’s not that I’m afraid to be myself, but sometimes it’s not worth the effort.

  Jackie looked down at her uterus zone. “I’m feeling great. No trouble at all. And look, I’m wearing Lit Chick!”

  “Yes, you are.” I reached out to touch the fabric of her pink and white striped Emily (Dickinson) dress. It was actually super cute. “Did you buy that from me?”

  “Sure did!”

  She beamed, and I wondered how I’d missed that piece. I would’ve saved it for myself had I been in my right mind. “It looks great on you, Jackie.” That wasn’t phoniness, either. That dress looked like it was made for her.

  Chase cleared his throat. Oh, right. Chase is here. I’d been doing an admirable job of ignoring him. “Did you come with Lettie, or—” He stopped, leaving the question unasked.

  I smoothed my hair, feigning nonchalance. “I came with a date,” I said. “He’s getting drinks.”

 
; His gaze darted to the door of the room, toward the bar. “Bring him over when he comes back. I want to meet him.” Chase smiled, but it seemed forced. Then he swallowed and took a swig from his bottle of beer.

  “Sure.”

  I was suddenly so glad that I hadn’t come alone, or with Lettie. Coming with a date sent Chase a very strong message that he needed to receive: I was over him. And standing there observing his obvious awkwardness, I did feel like I might be getting somewhere on that front. I certainly didn’t feel the discomfort that I’d expected to feel: that constant aching in my chest, that feeling that Chase was planning a new, joyful life with Jackie and leaving me behind. Maybe Jackie was joyful, but clearly he was not.

  I excused myself as another of their guests approached, but I continued to observe Chase from a distance. He was shifting on his feet and his shoulders looked tight. He stood silently at Jackie’s side while she chatted people up. Now I sort of felt bad for him. I didn’t want him to not be happy. That’s not what you want for a person you care about, no matter how brutal they’ve been.

  “Hey, try this.” Brett appeared at my side and pushed a frothy pint of stout into my hand. “I can’t believe it, but they have a fantastic tap selection. Everything is from a microbrewery.”

  Brett’s eyes widened, and I smiled at his genuine amazement at the beer selection. He was the complete opposite of Chase in so many ways. Chase was so serious and cynical, always driving after some goal. He made me look like an optimist. Brett, by contrast, seemed straightforward and uncomplicated. Maybe that was what came of having a no-stress job like being a people walker?

  “Would you believe me if I told you that this bar is known for its rare beers? It’s got one of the best selections in the area. Perfect for us beer snobs.” I winked.

  Brett moved closer to my side. “Before I saw the taproom, no, I wouldn’t have believed you. But this is a pretty cool place.” His gaze roamed over the white decor. “The beer, at least.”

  “Cheers to that.” I clinked his glass and took a sip from mine. The stout was rich, with notes of chocolate and coffee. “This is fabulous. I don’t think I’ve had a real beer in weeks. Maybe longer.”

  “I take care of your needs,” Brett said softly, against my ear.

  A thrill rushed through me at that. I shivered and dragged my finger down the front of his shirt. “I should put you to work more.” His face brightened with interest.

  “You keep talking like that and I’m going to have to take you home.”

  “Down, boy. Not just yet.” Out of the corner of my eye I saw Chase standing alone by a bowl of red fruit punch with melted green and pink sorbet foam floating on top.

  Brett must have followed my gaze. “Did you talk to him?”

  I nodded. “Yes. And it was completely fine. Come here.” I grabbed Brett by the wrist. “I’ll introduce you to Chase.”

  I delighted in the way Brett followed me, no questions asked. I savored the look on Chase’s face when he saw my companion. His blue eyes narrowed, his smile was slow to appear, and it seemed heavy when it finally did. I felt a little bit like a kid bringing someone special to show-and-tell. “Chase, this is my friend, Brett. Brett, Chase.”

  The two men nodded and shook hands politely, but there was a bit of chest puffing from Chase. Brett didn’t seem too concerned. “Congratulations,” Brett said. “Mindy was telling me the wedding is in the fall?”

  “Wedding in the fall, kid in the winter.” Chase looked me in the eye. “You’re next.”

  “What’s that mean?”

  “Wedding. Baby. You’re next.”

  The statement hit me like a slap. He was actually wishing this fate on me, that I’d be saddled the way he was. “I don’t think so,” I said. “I make my own choices and I don’t choose either of those things. No offense.”

  Chase looked down his nose at me. His manner was so cold. I’d never seen this side of him before. “We don’t always have a choice. Plus I know you.”

  I was aware of Brett’s stiffening posture beside me, but I was focused on Chase. “You know me,” I repeated. “What’s that mean?”

  “You’re just like me,” he replied. Damn, his tone was so icy. This wasn’t how friends were supposed to talk to each other, no matter how awkward things were! “It’s like I said a hundred times. You and I always manage to fuck things up.”

  “Chase.” I gestured to our surroundings. “This is your engagement party. You’re getting married in a few weeks. What are you talking about?”

  “Don’t play dumb.”

  Brett touched my elbow and attempted to pull me aside. “Come on, Mindy. Let’s go grab some food.”

  I couldn’t allow Chase to have the final word in this conversation. I couldn’t allow him to try to define me, yet again. “You know what? You don’t know shit about me.”

  But Chase wasn’t finished, either. He pointed at Brett with his beer bottle. “You realize you’re just another boy toy, don’t you? One of many. Trust me.”

  I pushed him. It happened so quickly that I didn’t even think about it until Chase was stumbling backward into the wall. “How dare you,” I snarled.

  “Mindy.” Brett set himself between me and Chase. “We should go. We don’t want to cause a scene.”

  Too late. I saw eyes turning toward us, watching the scuffle. Shame heated my face. “You’re a jerk,” I said quietly. “Good luck. With everything.”

  I set my drink down on a table and spun around, my eyes stinging with humiliation. I kept my head high until I was safely through the door, and that’s when I crumbled. Somewhere I heard Brett’s voice calling after me, but I couldn’t bear to turn around.

  BRETT

  AFTER MINDY stormed out of the bar, I leaned into Chase. I was slightly taller than him, and physically dominant. “What the hell was that about?” I snarled.

  “You should know she’s a whore,” he said. His voice rose despite his attempt to play it cool. “This week it’s you. Couple weeks ago she was standing in my driveway, begging me to fuck her. I mean, enjoy it while it lasts, dude.”

  My vision blurred with rage. “You think this makes you a man, talking that way?” I said, quietly, for his ears only. “She’s a sweet girl.”

  Chase’s lip curled. “Like I said. Enjoy it. Because she doesn’t care about you.”

  That’s when I realized. Chase knew he was marrying the wrong person. There was no explanation but irrational jealousy. “I see what this is. It sucks to see her with someone else, doesn’t it?” I crept closer, until I could smell his cheap aftershave. “Don’t ever let me hear you talk to Mindy like that again.”

  I noticed too late that Jackie was within earshot. She’d come over to Chase’s side, but now she was standing there with her eyes wide and her mouth open. I nodded at her as I stepped away. “Jackie. Sorry you heard that.” Then I turned and left to find Mindy.

  I hated guys like Chase. I’d known too many of them. Tough guys who live to control others. Mindy stared at me as I approached her in the parking lot, my hands fisted tightly at my sides. Her makeup was running down her beautiful face. I wanted to carry her far away from that stupid bar.

  “Brett. I’m sorry.”

  I was numb, knowing full well what was going on between Chase and Mindy. She had feelings for him, and maybe he had feelings for her, too. And this wasn’t a date. I was just the guy she’d invited to make Chase jealous.

  CHAPTER 12

  MINDY

  SOUL MATES? HAD I actually believed that about Chase? What was wrong with me? You always fuck things up, that’s what.

  I was out in the parking lot, the tears streaming down my face, before I realized that Brett wasn’t behind me. I stopped in the middle of a parking stall to swipe at my face and look around. A few moments later he emerged from the bar, his face dark. The sight sent my stomach flipping. “Brett, don’t listen to him. Please.”

  I was desperate for him to not hate me, to not believe I was the trash Chase had impli
ed I was. In the back of my mind I fully believed everything Chase had said. I always managed to destroy my relationships. No one stayed for long, because I was childish. Spoiled. Self-centered. Who could love me? But I wanted so badly for Brett to think better of me. When he looked at me, I saw myself as I wanted to be: beautiful and worthy of love. I wanted him to keep looking at me that way.

  Now his face was pulled into a frown and his fists were clenched by his sides, and his silence was driving knives across my skin. “Brett. I’m sorry.”

  “What?” His head snapped up. “You have nothing to be sorry about. That guy is an asshole.”

  It took a moment for that to register. Was Brett taking my side, even after Chase had slut-shamed me and called him a boy toy? Another wave of humiliation passed over me at the memory. That was exactly what Brett was to me, wasn’t it? Someone I’d planned to use for sex. He deserved more than that.

  My chin was trembling. I hate that this happens when I cry. My whole face melts like plastic on the stove. “I’m sorry.”

  Brett stopped in his tracks. “I told you. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

  He set his hands on my shoulders so that we were facing each other, but I couldn’t look him in the eyes. Then he’d see everything. He’d know that I wasn’t taking him seriously—this good, kind man—because he didn’t meet some artificial standard. He didn’t make enough money. Chase was right. I was totally fucked up. I folded my arms across my chest and stared at the ground, looking at the asphalt between us. Brett tucked his fingers beneath my chin and lifted my face. “Mindy,” he said. “Look at me.”

  It hurt so much to face him. I felt exposed. If Chase was my good friend, what did that say about me? I covered my face with my hands, unable to meet Brett’s beautiful blue eyes. “I want to go home.”

  He loosened his grip on my shoulders but didn’t release me entirely. “He shouldn’t ruin our night.”

  “Too late for that.” I uncovered my face but looked away again. The bar was next to the highway, and I wondered if the cars zooming by were watching the pathetic girl standing in the middle of the parking lot. My makeup was probably streaking. “I must be a mess.” I swiped my fingers down my cheeks.