by Nella Tyler
“Yeah, I agree. You did awesome, baby. You should be very proud.” I rubbed his back and started thinking once again about being with Bennett that night. I could certainly help his sore muscles.
“Thanks, Emmi. I always am.”
“Do you want to go out with us? Go and do something?”
He paused for a moment. “I actually think I'm going to pass.”
“Really? You aren't going to go out and celebrate at all? We don't have to go out. Maybe we can just stay in and watch a movie. That would be fun.” I was surprised that he seemed so uninterested in doing anything with me. I hoped that he wasn't still upset about what my father said to him. My father could be harsh sometimes – he was often right, but he could still be harsh.
“No. I think I need to go and catch up on some sleep. Have a good night, ladies.” He kissed me on the cheek and headed off with his friends. I stared after him, unsure of what to say or do. His behavior seemed strange, but what could I do about it? He didn't seem to want to do anything. He always wanted to hang out with me, so what was wrong? Had my dad really got to him in regards to dating while playing baseball? I hoped not. I was genuinely worried about Bennett and my relationship with him.
I turned to Connie. “Do you think everything is okay?” She could see the look of concern on my face.
She shrugged. “Who knows? He seemed a little off, but like I said, maybe he needs some time to get his head straight. Remember what I said before?”
“Well, I hope he does it fast.”
“Don't read too much into it. I'm sure everything is going to be all right. He probably has a lot on his mind. Do you blame him? He had a shitty morning. Don't worry about it until you have to.”
I nodded. Connie was always right.
Chapter Four
The next couple of weeks were really confusing for me. Things were not any better between Bennett and I, and I really couldn't figure it out. I worried that he was still hung up on things with my dad, but why wasn't he talking to me about it?
Bennett appeared to be pulling away from me more and more each day, and I didn't know why. I had been more than supportive the past few weeks, and I didn't bring up the fight he had with my dad. He just seemed to be losing interest in the relationship and it was heartbreaking to watch. I wasn't sure if I was doing something wrong.
I knew he had been going through a lot the past few months and I didn't want to be that girlfriend that always nagged him, but something was really wrong. I tried to remember what Connie had said about Bennett needing to get his head straight and prioritize his life. I was totally okay with that – I wanted whatever was best for him. It just hadn’t occurred to me that when he prioritized his life, I may be something he let go of. The thought of it drove me nuts because I couldn't understand why he would make a decision like that. But it was the only way to describe his current behavior.
He never missed a practice again, which I never doubted he would after my father showed up at his place. The problem was, lately he seemed to cancel our dates for extra practices. I was all for Bennett going to his practices, but I didn't believe for a minute that he was the type of player that needed additional practice. He had talent, after all, so I couldn't figure out why he was busting his balls. I couldn't help but take it personally. The other boys weren't even in on these extra practices for the most part, which made it all that much stranger. He would just go into the field on his own time and use a machine to pitch.
It hurt my feelings when he did this. I tried to understand, but I could only see it as something bad for our relationship. I wasn't sure we were going to survive it.
I tried to deal with it as best I could in the beginning because I knew he was a little stressed after being caught missing practices. That was totally understandable. But I had expected him to just go back to doing normal practices and that was it. He was now killing himself on the field, and I thought it was totally unnecessary. I was starting to worry that my dad had really got in his head. What was next? Would he break up with me to focus solely on the game? After all, there were plenty of girls in the big leagues. Right, Dad?
I wanted him to do his best, and I tried to support him as best I could, but as the days turned to weeks, I was finding it hard to stick by him. He had left me feeling abandoned, and I didn't think I deserved it. I had stood by Bennett even though he had lied to me because I believed in our relationship, and now it seemed like it was all for nothing.
I thought Bennett was different from the men I had dated before, but it wasn't looking that way. The feeling of being abandoned reminded me of how lonely I had felt with the other men I dated. I had vowed I would never put myself in that position again, I wouldn't date another guy like that, and there I was doing just that. I didn't know how I had managed to do it all over again, but there I was, seemingly being dropped by another guy I cared about.
Sadly, the only time I saw him lately was when I needed to get a quote for the paper. I was still covering the team and submitting articles.
I had to consider the fact that Bennett was taking my father’s advice, he just hadn't got around to cluing me in yet. I wanted him to be happy and I was gladly willing to support him, but I didn't want to lose him in that process, either. The best thing I could do right now was to support him as much as possible in the hopes that I could prevent him from pulling away from me completely. I was determined to support him, but at the same time, I was losing my heart. My heart just wasn't in it anymore.
Chapter Five
Connie and I sipped on some delicious white wine as she straightened my hair with the flat iron. I had to admit I looked rather fetching. I loved when Connie did my hair for me. It was the first real date that I was going to have with Bennett in weeks and I was overly excited. I rarely did my hair because it took more effort than I was willing to spend on it. I normally dressed conservatively with a casual air. Connie was doing my hair and makeup and it was more than I could have asked for. I wondered if Bennett would even recognize me in my racy attire.
When Connie finished putting the finishing touches on my makeup, I turned to look in the mirror. I had smoky-eyed makeup with red lipstick. I was astounded with how well it all looked with my blonde hair.
“My God, you should do this professionally.” I couldn't believe how great I looked – I was like some model out of a magazine.
“Don't be silly, you're a knockout. You just don't use what has been given to women to emphasize what we already have. Believe me, Bennett is going to go nuts looking at you.”
“He's certainly in for a surprise...”
“Emmi, you are going to knock his socks off and if you're lucky, you can get him back on track with you.”
“Well, I appreciate your help here. I would have been lost without you. So what am I going to wear?”
“Well, I dug something out of my closet, and I don't want any arguments.”
When I walked out of the bathroom Connie gasped, “Oh my God, girl, you look so hot.”
“Yes, but I can barely breathe.”
“That is the torturous life of a female, after all. I'm afraid you will have to deal with it. Don't act like you have never been in a dress before.”
“Well I have, but you don't think this is a little too short?”
“Look, I think you have been living life in the sporty world for too long. No, it's a cocktail dress, not club wear. You will be fine. You want that to get Bennett's attention, don't you? Remind him what a hottie you are.”
“Don't start, okay? God, Connie, I miss him so much. I feel like it's all falling apart.”
“Yes, I know. I don't know what's going on with that boy, but you are going to stoke his fire in that dress.”
I laughed. “Oh, hell yeah.”
“Come on, Emmi. As soon as you open the door, his mouth is going to drop. Don't sell yourself short. Just because you have brains doesn't mean you can't look hot, too.”
I beamed at her. “Now you better get out of here before my
date arrives.”
We hugged and she left. I finished my wine while I waited for Bennett.
It wasn't long before I heard a knock on the door and I let Bennett in. He produced a dozen yellow roses that lit me up inside. Wow, how long had it been since I received roses from him? And yellow, how unusual. I couldn't help but grin, the gesture alone sent chills up my spine.
“Wow, these are lovely, Bennett. Thank you so much.”
He looked me over with a searing look. “No, Emmi, you are lovely. Wow, that dress, you look fantastic. You should wear that all the time.”
I laughed. “That's what Connie said, but thank you.”
He surprised me with a kiss on the cheek and I took the roses and headed into the kitchen to find a vase.
“I miss you, babe.”
I turned around to look at him. “I missed you, too.”
I was dying to talk to Bennett about what had been going on for the past few weeks, but I didn't know how to bring it up. He was being so sweet that I didn't want to ruin our night.
“Hopefully we can see more of each other now.”
“Well, I have a lot of practice to get in, Emmi. I need to make sure I'm focused.” He had that look on his face again that aggravated me.
My blood pressure was starting to slowly rise as I filled a vase full of water. After cutting the ends of the stems, I placed them gently in the water. I bent forward, taking in the lovely scent coming off of the roses. Well, so far so good. Maybe I should continue smelling them until I calmed down. Practice? Come on. “Thank you again,” I said once I noticed he had entered the kitchen behind me.
“Would you like a drink?” I wasn't sure I had any more wine, but I thought it would be rude not to offer.
“No, I'm good for now. Are you ready to go? You certainly look fantastic.” He walked over to me and kissed me again.
“Yes, I'm ready.”
We left my apartment and headed to the best restaurant in town. It was known for its lavish decor and was a regular hot spot for celebrities in the area. Bennett liked it because it had the best lobster in town. He was a big fan of seafood, and he planned on ordering some surf and turf. That was all he talked about on the drive over. I thought about bringing up the fact that he was distant with me lately, but I didn't want to ruin his good mood. It was the best date we had been on in awhile. I just wanted there to be more of them.
We were seated immediately, despite not having a reservation. Bennett had been getting a lot of exposure lately, and it was clearly making a difference. A waiter approached our table and asked us if we would like some wine.
“That sounds fabulous tonight, sir! In fact why don't you bring us two?” He winked at me, and I wasn't sure how I felt about getting drunk with him. He was still acting weird, and it really bothered me.
“Now, Bennett, you're not trying to get me drunk tonight, are you?”
He chuckled. “Of course not, my dear. I know you aren't a light weight.”
I just smiled softly. I was starting to get into a bad mood and I didn't really want to. The more I thought about the fact that he kept pushing me away, the madder I got. I deserved better than that. I was beginning to get angry and annoyed and the fact that I wasn't talking to him about it was causing it all to fester inside of me.
The waiter quickly returned with a bucket of ice with wine sitting proudly on top. He poured two glasses and handed one to me first and then Bennett.
“What should we toast to?” I asked.
“How about the future? May we both get everything we want.”
I was startled by his toast and wondered what he meant. Was he talking about his career or our relationship? It seemed an odd to toast, considering I had barely seen him lately.
I allowed him take the lead when it came to ordering dinner, mainly because I was annoyed, and when the lobster arrived I couldn't have been happier. It just melted in my mouth with a taste of garlic and butter. It was absolutely delicious. I almost wanted to order another, but my tummy was packed full.
“You were right, Bennett. The lobster is delicious.”
“I'm glad you like it. I've been here a few times and it never disappoints.”
A few times? With other women?
We spent the entire dinner laughing and getting a little drunk – both of which I was surprised about. I couldn't have asked for a better evening out. Bennett had been a complete joy to be around and I hoped that it meant that things would get better between us.
I took a sip of my wine and smiled as he filled it again. “If you will excuse me, I have to use the ladies room.”
“Absolutely.”
I got up from the table and made my way to the bathroom. As I was walking by tables, I glimpsed Gwen Stefani having dinner with a couple of girls. My mouth fell open and I desperately longed to go and talk to her, but I was sure that it would make me look like a dimwit in from of Bennett. I continued to the bathroom without incident.
Connie had informed me to keep tabs on my beauty and to apply lipstick when I could. I quickly went to the bathroom before heading to the mirror to check my face. I was still shocked by how well she did with my makeup. It was astonishing actually. I reapplied my makeup and blotted my lips before returning to the table.
I had expected Bennett to stay over after our date, but he made up some excuse that he needed more sleep. We hadn't had sex in over a week, and I was starting to get concerned. Maybe I should have suggested we stay in and then I could have seduced him. That would have been much better than lobster. Or maybe I was still overreacting; he may just need some more time. We had a great date, so there was no reason to get freaked out over nothing. I hoped...
Chapter Six
Lying in my bed, I was looking through some school notes to prepare for a test coming up. I couldn't have been more bored at that point, but the test was a big one and I really needed to ace it.
Things between Bennett and I were trailing off once again. Since the night of the lobster date, I had seen very little of him the following week. It was starting to seem like I didn't have a boyfriend at all, which was a little depressing. Not only had we barely seen each other, we had hardly talked, as well. There had been many text messages sent by me that went unanswered. Guys don't seem to get how much something like that can hurt a girl.
I had talked Connie's ear off and we both had no idea what to do at that point. I knew I would have to talk to Bennett about it sooner rather than later because it was getting to the point where a breakup would be inevitable. We couldn't possibly continue to carry on in this manner and have it leave no mark on our relationship. We had to make a move, but I wasn't even sure if Bennett was interested in saving the relationship.
I closed my textbooks and lay back on my pillows. I had to figure out a way to get things done. I sat up quickly in bed. I wasn't sure why I hadn't thought about that idea, but I was beginning to think it was time to go to the source. If anyone knew what was going on with Bennett's career, it would be my father, and maybe he could also shine a light on what was going through Bennett's mind in regards to me.
I wanted to know how the process with Bennett was going and whether my dad was still considering hiring him. After all, if Bennett was going to ignore me and ruin our relationship, I would like to hope there was a payoff for it. If we weren't going to be together, I hoped it was for a damn good reason.
I picked up my phone and dialed my father. He picked up right away.
“Hello, darling. How are you today?”
“I'm good, Dad, How's business going?”
“Same old thing. Ya know. Busy as always. I wanted to apologize to you again for not getting in touch with you he last time I was in town. Things were crazy, and I had to see Bennett's team play and there were a few hiccups in regards to it that I needed to deal with quickly. By the time it was over, I was back on the jet to home. But I am sorry, I would have liked to have had dinner with you.”
That had been the closest by father had come to saying any
thing about visiting Bennett. I thought he would have told me the whole story sooner, but he clearly didn't think it was any of my business. It didn't seem to matter that I was the one that brought him Bennett in the first place.
“Don't worry about it, Dad. I get that you are busy.”
“So, how is school?”
I sighed. “School is great. Just getting ready for an exam, but everything is going well.”
“That's good, my dear. That's what I like to hear.”
“The reason I'm calling is that I was a little curious about Bennett and how he is doing. You and I really haven't discussed him a whole lot since the first time we met with him.”
“Oh, I see. Well, Bennett is doing very well. As I'm sure you have noticed with his games, he has a lot of talent and he definitely puts on a good show for the crowd. I don't see any reason he wouldn't be going to the major leagues.”
“Well, that's good to know.” But it was all information that I already knew.
“Yes, of course. If he keeps going along this path he should be in the majors very soon.”
On my dad's team? What path was he talking about? Was he impressed with all the extra practices? He probably loved the dedication and didn't care what it might be doing to my relationship.
“Is that all you can tell me, Dad,” I asked laughing. “I kinda know all that stuff, I was hoping for something on the inside track.”
He chuckled. “Yes, I guess you are. Sometimes I forget that you know all this stuff already. I think you know as well as I do that I'm seriously considering taking on Bennett, I would do well to have him on my team.”
“Yeah, I thought you would.”
“Can you keep a secret from Bennett if I asked you to?”
“Yes, Dad.”
“How is your relationship going with him?”
So he did know. I decided to play it off lightly. “We are still spending time with each other, but here's no rush.”
“That's good. There is no need to get serious with Bennett right now.”
