Page 17 of Falling Back to You

“Bless her heart. I heard there was a virus going around. Glad to hear your mom’s on the mend. Gotta love a momma’s boy. Don’t you agree, Dial? They’re so strong and virile.”

Dial muttered, “I can’t believe you.”

“Don’t you still live with your mom, Shelly?”

“You’re confusing him with yourself,” Dial chimed in.

“I don’t live with my momma. I have a house on the property.”

“Same fucking difference.”

“It’s not—unlike Shelly over here, my momma ain’t throwing a load of dirty clothes in the wash for me.”

Shelton raised his hand to object. “I actually wash my own clothes.”

“Wow, such a catch. He’s washing clothes, Dial. Yeah, he’s using his momma and daddy’s detergent and hot water, but he’s turning the knobs.”

Dial’s expression was pinched. She was pissed at me, and I didn’t blame her. But I was pissed too. One minute she’s calling my name begging for me to go deeper, and the next she’s on a date with a man who wouldn’t know how to please her if I emailed him detailed instructions.

“Is there a problem?” Shelton had chosen to play dumb.

“Yes, Houston, we have a major fucking problem.”

Shelton turned to his date and asked, “Dial, how do you want me to handle this?”

Her eyes grew wide, and she sputtered, unable to provide an answer.

“I’ll take that, darling. She wants you to stop being a pussy and man the fuck up. Full disclosure, if you do, I’m gonna knock you the fuck out. But she would still like you to handle this situation.” I tapped her on the shoulder. “Am I right?”

“Why, Oz?” She released a defeated huff.

“I’m just giving Shelly some good-natured ribbing.”

“It’s not good-natured. It’s rude. And his name is Shelton, not Shelly. He didn’t like that nickname in high school, and he doesn’t like it now.”

I pressed my hand to my heart. “Wow, my sincerest apologies. I didn’t know that.”

“I’m gonna go to the restroom,” Dial announced. “Move.” She shoved me in the arm. I immediately stood, allowing her to slide out. “When I get back, you better be gone.”

Both Shelton and I stared at her ass swaying from side to side as she walked away.

When she was out of earshot, I dropped back into the booth. “Listen here, you little shit. This date is over.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. Dial is off-limits.”

“Dial and you haven’t been a couple in years. And from the looks of that chilly reception, she isn’t interested in your boots resting under her bed.”

I was tempted to punch him in the nose. Shelton’s words had hit their target. I was causing a fuss over a woman who used me for sex but never let me stay the night. Who rolled her eyes whenever I entered a room. A woman who was fine with just throwing everything we shared away. I’d be the first to admit that when I was younger, I was plumb stupid. But now that my frontal lobe had fully developed, I was acutely aware of what I’d been missing.

“And you think she’s gonna be hugged up with you?” I said. “She’s only on this date to make me feel some type of way.”

“Dial gives me the impression she’s ready to move on. Now, you may still love her—”

“I don’t.”

“—but if you keep acting like a hotheaded ex, you’re going to lose her forever. It may not be to me, but it’ll be to someone.”