Page 11 of Summer Sweethearts
“Hi, Brenda. I’d like a BLT, fries, and a Coke,” Jessica orders and hands Brenda the menu she was holding.
“Um, I’d like a spicy chicken sandwich, fries, and a Dr. Pepper. Please,” I tell her.
“That will be right up,” she says as she heads to the kitchen to give the cook our order.
“So Aiden asked me to be in his wedding party; a groomswoman, he called it,” I tell her.
She laughs. “Congratulations on your position of power. Do you know who else is in the wedding?”
“No, not really. Aiden asked Cara to be his best woman, and I asked about Cain’s side. But other than Oscar being his best man, he was tightlipped about it, -which is weird- but it’s their wedding, so…” I trail off. “Ooh, maybe he’s gonna ask you and didn’t want me to spoil it?”
“I doubt it. We’re close friends, but I don’t think we’re be-in-my-wedding close. I’m sure they are still trying to figure it out. The wedding is in seven weeks, though, so they better get a move on.” She grabs our drinks from Brenda and sets them on the table. I didn’t even notice her come back. I was so focused on the woman in front of me.
“Thank you,” I tell Brenda as she turns to leave our table once more. She comes back minutes later with our plates, and we eat as we make idle chit-chat about the wedding, work, and books we want to read.
An hour later, we are back in the car in front of Sugar Spines. I lean over the center console and give my girlfriend a quick kiss before getting out of the car. I pop my head back in the car. “See you when you get off, babe.”
“I’ll be back here at about seven, and then we can go home. I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep my hands off of you. You look sexy as hell in that sweater, like my own little Barbie, and I plan to play with you like one,” she teases with a wink. I shut the door and hastily walk to the building, hearing her laughter as she pulls away.
That fucking woman and the things that come out of her mouth. I can’t wait to get home, though.
MICHAEL
“Hello,” I answer the phone as I drive home from work. It’s my cousin Cain, and while we’re close, I’m not in the mood to talk to anyone tonight.
“Hey, Mikey. How’s it going?” His voice echoes through the speakers of my car.
“Not good. What’s up, Cain?” I’m trying hard not to be rude, but today has been a fucking shit show, and I just want to go home and have a drink.
“Is now not a good time? You sound pissed. I wanted to ask you something, but if now’s not a good time, it can wait,” he tells me, and I sigh, running a hand down my face.
“My company just told me they’re closing shop permanently, so I’m unemployed as of thirty minutes ago. I have no fucking clue what I’m going to do.” Oddly, it feels better to share the news with someone else than to suffer in silence alone.
“Wow. I’m sorry, man, that’s rough.”
“No. To make matters worse, they included my apartment with my pay. I have thirty days to find a place to live and a way to pay for it. That’s not your problem, though, Cain. What did you want to ask me?”
“Well, you know my wedding is creeping up on us, right? I was… kinda hoping you’d want to be a groomsman?”
“Yeah, man, I’d be honored to stand up with you. Who else is in the wedding party?” I know his fiancé Aiden works withherand that they’re good friends. Seeingheris inevitable, but to be in the wedding party withherwill be unbearable.
“I just have Oscar and you, Aiden asked Cara and Loretta, and both said yes.” My stomach drops. That is exactly what I was worried about, seeing Loretta. I can’t say no. Cain is my family, and he’s always been there for me. It’s been years since I’ve seen Loretta, always opting to visit Cain at his house and avoiding her at all costs. It’s time to pay the piper; I’m going to have to see her and pray she doesn’t stab me when we meet.
“Can’t wait. Let me know when you need me. I’m almost home, and I need to figure out what the hell I’m gonna do. Talk to you later.” I hang up, park my car, and head into my apartment.Fuck!I can’t believe I’m going to have to not only see but interact with Loretta. I haven’t seen her since I broke it off and moved here five years ago. Her eyes, when I told her I was moving and that we should call it quits, haunt me. I couldn’t avoid her forever with my cousins in the same town, but here I am, jobless, homeless, and about to have to do wedding things with the one who got away.Today can go fuck itself.
Getting inside, I head to the kitchen and pour myself a glass of bourbon. Sitting at my table with my head in my hands, I down the amber liquid in one go before pouring another. The second goes down just as smoothly as the third. I get up and stagger to my bedroom, undress, and fall into my bed, thinking about how I let my one true love go for this fucking job, and they chewed me up before spitting me out like a piece of gum.
* * *
Iwake up to the sun glaring through my window, blinding me temporarily.Why didn’t I shut the fucking curtains?Oh, yeah. I got fired, told I’m in a wedding with my ex, and got blackout drunk. Putting my feet on the floor, I stand slowly, intent on shutting the curtains and going back to bed because my head is fucking pounding. I make it halfway across the room when I throw a hand over my mouth and hightail it to my bathroom, falling to my knees just in the nick of time for my stomach contents to spew into the toilet.
I wipe my mouth, stand, head to the sink to wash my hands, and splash some water on my face. My phone rings somewhere inside my apartment, and I pad out into the living room, following the noise. Seeing my phone on the kitchen table next to my empty glass and the bottle of bourbon, I pick it up only to see that it’s once again Cain.What could he possibly want?It’s only been like fourteen hours since our last call. Maybe he told Loretta he asked me, and she demanded I be kicked out. Aiden likes me, but he would totally give me the boot for Loretta.
“Hi, Cain,” I answer, wincing at the volume of my voice.
“Mikey, sorry to call you again so soon. I’m just heading into work and was talking to Aiden, and we had an idea.”
“Okay, and what’s that have to do with me?” I’m annoyed that he’s being elusive.I’m too hungover for this shit.
