Loving Mr. Kale

by Nicole Casey

  "No, it's worse," I sighed deeply. My mind was spinning with ideas, trying to find anything to get me out of this, but of course there wasn't any way I could avoid the long awaited wedding day of my only sibling.

  "I guess I knew it'd happen, but hearing it has really freaked me out. Tony will be there this weekend, and I'm going to have to face him and Desi."

  Urgh, I wasn't sure that I could manage it.

  It was going to be awful.

  I couldn't imagine it was ever good to see your ex with someone new, but this was even worse because Tony had found love with the person he'd cheated on me with. I'd been left with my heart broken and my life in tatters, and he'd gone on to find pure happiness.

  That killed me.

  It absolutely destroyed me and had left me unable to move on. With no closure, what was I supposed to do? I'd tried my best to forget about him, and I'd even vaguely attempted to date someone new, but I couldn't do it because the whole time I couldn't work out what I'd done wrong.

  Why wasn't Tony happy with me? Why did he feel unable to communicate with me? Why was I so blind to the signs of him being with someone else behind my back? I had to be the last person in the whole world to notice. It was as humiliating as it was gut-wrenching.

  Sure, eight long months had passed and clearly everyone else had moved beyond the upheaval, but not me. My life was stuck in limbo, and I couldn't seem to shake that off however hard I tried.

  "Well, I suppose Sally is marrying Tony's cousin," Hayley replied cautiously. "It makes sense that he'll be there."

  "I know, but does he have to bring him?" I whined, flopping my head into my hands. "They're still together, everyone will be flocking around them talking about how good they are together, and I'm still by myself. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I had some hot date on my arm, but I don't..."

  "That's it!" Hayley exclaimed, grabbing hold of my arm in over the top excitement. "That's what you need to do. Take some hot guy as your plus one."

  As much as that idea appealed, it was utterly impossible.

  "You are my plus one, remember," I nudged her playfully. "I wouldn't want to deprive you the joy of watching my sister and her beloved get hitched."

  She screwed up her face, making her feelings on that plan very clear. Hayley didn't really know my sister, only what she'd heard of since she started working with me, so I already knew she wasn't too keen on the idea of coming. She was only suffering it because I begged her to, and the idea of a free trip and bar probably helped. There was no way she'd be offended if I ditched her, but there still wasn't a chance in hell of me finding anyone to come to the wedding with me at such short notice.

  Then, all of a sudden, her eyes lit up and my heart stopped dead in my chest.

  That meant she had an idea, and as past experience had taught us, her ideas often landed me in hot water. Whether I ended up hung-over and late for work, or with a small tattoo on my hip... Hayley was officially a bad influence.

  Still, I loved her for it.

  She managed to bring me out of my shell when I was at my lowest ebb. She helped me to get over my heartache, and for that I'd always be grateful. If it wasn't for her, I would still probably be sobbing on my couch, unable to even move in my sadness, texting and begging Tony to come back to me every five minutes. At least she'd gotten me out of that pit.

  "I know someone," she nodded frantically as she spoke, becoming increasingly animated with each passing second.

  “Oh my God, I know the perfect guy. He's so cool, with light brown wavy hair, and a body to die for. And he has that awesome stubble, the sort that makes him rugged and handsome, rather than scruffy. Know what I mean? Oh my God, he'll be perfect." She had her phone out and was tapping away on it before I could even speak.

  "Erm... what the hell are you on about?" I finally ventured. "Please tell me you aren't setting me up on a blind date for my sister's wedding! Do you know how awkward that'll be? Are you insane?"

  "No, it'll be fine," she shut me down without even bothering to meet my eyes. "Max is awesome, you'll love him. Look." As she held out her phone to me, showing me a picture that literally made my heart skip a beat, I found my mouth unable to speak.

  I could just picture jealousy coursing through Tony.

  "He's honestly amazing. Totally perfect for this. Trust me." She said.

  Trust me. Two simple words that I had no idea what to do with.

  I wanted to go along with her plan, however crazy it sounded, but the reality wouldn't work out the way I pictured it in my mind.

  Would it?

  "Yeah, yeah, okay," my mouth spoke without me even realizing that I'd made my choice. I was lost in my mind, consumed by the awesome fantasy of finally having the upper hand.

  Who knew? Maybe Tony would be so sickened by jealousy that he'd beg for me to go back to him. I didn't want to admit it to anyone, but I really wanted him to want me back. I didn't want to take him up on that offer (although maybe I probably would, if I was totally honest with myself), the main point of it would be to reject him. To watch his face crumble the way mine did when I walked in our apartment to find him and Desi sitting there, calmly holding hands, waiting to tell me that they'd found love behind my back.

  I wanted to hurt him the way he hurt me, and this actually felt like a great way to do that.

  "Yeah, I think you're right after all, Hayley. I think this might be exactly what I need to do."

  Hayley grinned that wicked smile at me, approving of my decision.

  "You won't regret this," she assured me.

  "You'll be kissing my feet once you see the heartbroken look on Tony's face. Finally, the punishment he deserves!"

  Chapter Two

  Max

  "What do you want?" I asked Hayley suspiciously as she sidled over to me with a smirk plastered across her face.

  I'd been coming to the same gym as her long enough to know when she was up to something... and this was definitely one of those times.

  "You're up to something. I just know it."

  She didn't answer. Instead, she simply sat in the seat next to me, sucking down her smoothie with an overly innocent expression on her face.

  "Oh God. You want something, don't you? What is it this time?"

  Her face lit up, and I knew that I was in a lot of trouble.

  "This will be something you love, I promise." She said.

  But I couldn't trust those words. She was terrible for telling me I'd love things that were bad for me. The number of times that I'd missed out on training because she dragged me into the cafe before I got a chance to even lift a weight... Still, she was a lot of fun, so I'd let her get away with it.

  "What is it?" there was a warning in my tone now, one that she picked up on because her expression instantly became more serious. "You better tell me now. I'm too sweaty to be dealing with questions right now." I shot her a wink so she knew that I wasn't angry.

  "Look, I have this friend, a guy that I work with actually, and he's absolutely awesome."

  "Right..." I didn't like where this was going at all. My hackles were well and truly raised.

  Was she trying to set me up? Was I giving off desperate vibes? Maybe I hadn't been in a relationship for a while, but that didn't mean I needed help. I actually felt really defensive about it.

  "He has his sister's wedding coming up this weekend, and he needs a date." She fluttered her eyelashes at me, but that wasn't going to be enough to coerce me. I needed more information before I'd even begin to entertain this idea. I wasn't keen on the idea of attending such a formal event surrounded only by strangers. I didn't think anyone would want that?

  "Why doesn't he have a date already?” I asked incredulously. “Surely the wedding has been organized for a while now?" Why couldn't I work out what was wrong here? I felt like all the clues were all there but I couldn't quite put them together.

  "Actually, his date is me, but I can't go now. I know this is a bit sudden, and maybe a little crazy, but I just know for
a fact that you'll love him."

  I'd gone out with Hayley a couple of times. She knew the sort of guys that I was into, but still I couldn't shake the suspicious feeling snaking through my veins. I just really felt like there was something deeper going on here, and I wanted to know what.

  "So, this really nice guy was going to take you to a wedding?" I asked.

  "I guess he needed to liven things up," she shrugged and smiled brightly. She knew how naughty she was, and I actually loved that she embraced that. "But I can't go now, and you are the most fun person I know. There isn't anyone else I would've asked."

  Admittedly, that was a little flattering, but I wasn't done yet.

  "So this isn't a set up then? You aren't sending me on some crazy blind date?"

  I'd been dating a bit recently, and it was safe to say that I wasn't having the best time of it. I'd met some very strange people along the way... weird, but not wonderful. It had put me off, and I was putting that side of my life to bed for a while. I didn't need it forced back on my way before I was ready.

  "Don't shut down that idea until you've seen him!" she announced happily while pulling her cell phone out of her bag. "He's absolutely gorgeous. Just your type."

  As I examined his picture on her screen closely, I had to admit that she was right. This was exactly the sort of guy that I would chase in a bar, if I were still doing that. He had dark, cropped hair, piercing green eyes that stared deep into my soul, and broad-looking shoulders. There was also a very adorable dimple in his cheek. Shit, he actually had my heart fluttering in a way that it hadn't done in a very long time. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all...

  "See, I told you that you'd like him," Hayley announced happily, seeing right through me. "So, you'll do it, right? It's a free trip out of the city with a gorgeous, lovely guy. There will be lots of booze, food, fun... weddings are fun, aren't they?"

  Oh God. Was I actually about to do this? Was I about to agree to what really still seemed like a blind date, however much Hayley tried to convince me otherwise? Then again, what could I lose? Life wasn't perfect recently; I was getting so frustrated with my boring office job to the point where I wanted to scream. My novel writing ambitions weren't going anywhere. Despite how much time I spent writing and desperately trying to find myself a literary agent, I didn't have strong feelings for anyone... Maybe a time out from real life was exactly what I needed. And if it led to a bit of fun with a seriously hunky guy, then that was just an added bonus, surely?

  Maybe Hayley was right.

  Maybe I could use a weekend of fun.

  "Okay," I finally conceded. "I don't know what it is about you, Hayley, but you always seem to make me do crazy things."

  "Honestly, you'll love this. It'll be so much fun. Bryant is awesome, and I just know the pair of you will get on. You both love me, so why wouldn't you love each other?"

  "Are you a bad influence on him too?" I teased, nudging her playfully.

  "Yes, of course," she was totally unashamed by this. "Which just gives you a conversation starter. You can discuss me and how awesome I am."

  I laughed loudly and returned back to my drink, this time with a new emotion flowing through me. It had been a long time since I'd felt anything other than disdain for life, and I was actually really enjoying it. Maybe this Bryant would be the one to turn everything upside down. It felt like I'd been bored to death for so long that I'd never be excited again.

  Maybe, just maybe, this would be the weekend that changed everything.

  "So it might be best for you to tell me a bit more about Bryant," I asked Hayley, trying to keep my tone as innocent as I could manage. "Just so I don't go to this wedding knowing nothing about him?"

  But I didn't feel like I was fooling Hayley at all. She looked like a cat that got the cream, like she'd been doing some successful matchmaking.

  "Okay, sure, what do you want to know? What he does for a living, how old he is, or what his shoe size is?"

  God damn it! I couldn't get away with anything with this girl... then again, I wouldn't be without her either!

  Chapter Three

  Bryant

  He said yes, you're going to have a whale of a time... I tried to allow Hayley's words to flow through me as I anxiously waited for my mystery wedding date, Max, to open the door.

  Still, I wasn't convinced.

  My moment of madness when I allowed myself to get swept up in the image of a heartbroken Tony was killing me now. How the hell was I supposed to get through this whole traumatic weekend with someone I didn't know? I should've trusted my instincts and brought her with me instead. At least I knew for a fact that I would've had fun with Hayley; she would've made the nightmare seem a lot more fun...

  "Oh hi," my face actually broke out into a big smile as I saw the man from the pictures come to life in front of me. I'd been attracted to him before, but now in the flesh, I realized that he was even better looking than I'd first realized.

  He was absolutely gorgeous. He actually had butterflies flapping in my stomach.

  "Max, is it?"

  "Erm, yeah. It's good to meet you."

  It was hard to read his expression, if anything he looked totally bewildered by the whole situation, but as he extended his hand to shake mine, my confidence levels grew. At least he seemed alright with this nightmare. Okay, so Hayley hadn't told him it was a plan to get back at my ex at my command (I really didn't want to seem like the saddo who couldn't get over my past... even if that was how things were) so he wasn't fully aware of what was going on, but he seemed okay with it all regardless.

  "So..." there was a little bit of an awkward silence hanging in the air, but we managed to dispel it by chuckling like idiots.

  "You up for this? I have to warn you, though, that my sister is a bit of a bridezilla."

  "Oh God, really? Okay, well that should make for some interesting fun. At least there's a free bar... there is a free bar, right?"

  "Oh of course. I wouldn't put you through this torture without booze, would I?"

  As he grinned at me, my heart fluttered a little with excitement. This was actually the sort of man that I usually liked, one with a cute face, nice hair, and a fun, loving personality. If things were different, then maybe...

  No, God, I couldn't start thinking along those lines. I didn't want to start making it more complicated by adding anything else into the mix. This was mental enough.

  "Anyway, shall we get going?" he grabbed his bag and locked his door behind him. "A wedding with a bunch of strangers... it should be fun!"

  At that moment, I felt a little bad. If I thought this was bad for me, I hadn't even considered what it'd be like for Max. He wasn't going to know anyone at the wedding.

  "I'll be by your side, don't worry. It won't take long for you to know me."

  As Max sat in the passenger's seat of the car, and I slid into the driver's chair, I felt an intense heat emanating from him. It was almost as if there was a chemistry sizzling between us, one that I couldn't yet explain. Sure, Max was hot, but I never usually fell for someone without knowing him well. Tony and I were friends for nearly two years before we got together. Maybe that was why it was so damn hard to recover.

  "So, can I ask you a few questions on the drive up?" Max asked me curiously. "Is that cool? I don't usually do this sort of thing, so I don't know what's normal."

  God, he was so normal for someone so hot. Just because Hayley liked him, didn't mean he was going to be cool. I was well aware that he could've been a total ass, but it seemed like I was in luck.

  "No, me neither. Let's just muddle through this nightmare together. Ask away, I'll ask you some stuff too."

  Actually, that could be better. The more that me and Max knew about one another, the more convincing we'd be as a couple. Now that I was on board with this crazy plan, I wanted Tony to think that I really had moved on.

  "Okay, so you work with Hayley, right? At the printing press. Is that what you want to do?"

  I didn
't like to admit that I didn't really have any career ambitions, and that I was quite happy about the job I already had. I was one of those people that worked to live, not lived to work. I was happy with the way I was, but sometimes I felt like it made me sound a little... lame. "Actually I'm a wonderful singer," I joked. "I'm just waiting for someone to notice."

  I sent Max a wink so he knew I was teasing, and he joined right in with my game. "Oh yeah? Please give me a song. Maybe I know some people."

  I burst out into a very tuneless rendition of a very popular pop song, losing all my inhibitions along the way. I felt free enough to act a fool around Max. He just had that calming presence that made everything seem alright. He even started to join in by the time I reached the chorus.

  "Oh yeah," he eventually burst into peels of laughter. "I can really see it. You're the next big thing, for sure!"

  "Thank you, I'm glad it's clear to you too. Honestly, I was starting to think that no one would ever spot my awesomeness."

  It was fun joking around, but I wanted to know more about Max too.

  "So, what is it that you do?" I asked.

  "Well my day job is one that I hate. I work in an office that sells toner. It's very boring, but what I really want to do is write. I've actually written quite a few books. It's just a case of getting them published."

  Damn that was interesting! Now I wished that I really did have a talent for singing, compared to Max I felt really boring. "What do you write?"

  "Fiction, in the thriller genre mostly. I like writing crime novels that keep the reader guessing until the very end. I don't know how good I am, but I love it all the same."

  "I would love to read some of it! I read a lot so that would be awesome. If you don't mind?"

  "Yeah, it would be cool to know what you think. The only person who has read them so far has been my mom, and she has to tell me that I'm amazing."

  He nodded, agreeing with me, before launching into the details of the plot of the favorite book he'd written, and while he talked I realized how much his passion shined in his eyes. He was gorgeous normally, but as he discussed his work he went off the charts. His whole body seemed to shine with the thrill of it all.