AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I drove through the snow-covered streets of town, finally coming to the breakfast diner I'd agreed to meet a couple friends at for breakfast. I found a parking spot and cut the engine, once again checking my phone. I’d swore I felt it vibrate in my pocket, but there was nothing.
Irritation grew in me, then I realized I really had no right to be irritated; I hadn't tried to contact her. She certainly wasn't a mind reader, I thought. Perhaps this was just her way of letting me know we needed to go our separate ways. Yet an aching deep down in my stomach refused to believe that was true. Everything about me wanted more of her. I'd always found her attractive, but when I met her, she was already with Derrick, and unlike him, I had a fucking conscious.
I blew out a breath and ran my hand through my hair, then leaned back against my seat. Perhaps she just needed some time to figure out things, I thought to myself.
I checked my phone one more time, then pocketed it, pulling my keys from the ignition. If I didn't hear from her by Friday, I'd call her, I agreed with myself. I climbed out of my truck and made my way into the diner.
I spotted Tom and Pace sitting in the booth against the far wall and made my way over to them. "There he is," Tom said, smiling.
"Hey," I said sliding into the booth beside Pace.
"So? How the hell was the trip?" Tom asked.
Both Tom and Pace were the only two people who knew I had gone to Paris with Tess. Even though they, too, were friends with Derrick, I knew they could keep it to themselves.
"It was amazing," I answered as the server poured me a coffee.
"Do any sightseeing?"
"We did. You didn't mention anything to anyone, did you?" I asked, suddenly feeling a little on edge.
"You know us better than that. You asked us not to say anything," Tom answered.
“Besides, he was down south with that little number he's gotten involved with. Last we heard, they had a miserable time together.” Pace chuckled. “I guess she dumped his ass on New Year’s Eve. Looks good on him, actually." Pace picked up his mug and took a drink of his coffee while reading over the menu.
"Serves him right. You don't think he's going to be sniffing back around Tess, do you?" I asked, feeling concerned.
"Wouldn’t surprise me. The man is incapable of not having a piece of ass," Tom answered, looking over my shoulder, a frown lining his face.
"So, how was the skiing?" Pace asked.
"Amazing. I highly recommend you guys take the wives and go sometime. Seriously, I think they were the best hills I've ever been on, and the view from the room was amazing. We actually had our own private chalet."
"Where do we need to go?" I heard a familiar voice ask from behind me.
I didn't even need to turn around to know who was standing behind me. I knew who that voice belonged to, and I hoped he hadn't heard what I said as a surge of anger flowed through me. I looked to both Pace and Tom before Derrick appeared in front of me and slid into the booth across from me.What was Derrick doing here?It was supposed to just be Tom, Pace, and me, but as I looked to my friends, I noticed they were just as surprised as I was to see him there.
"So, what did I miss? Where the fuck you go?" Derrick questioned, looking me straight in the eyes as if he actually knew where I had gone and was waiting to hear me say it.
A funny feeling ran over me at the fact that I sat across from someone who I once considered my best friend. Then Tess flashed through my mind, followed by the thought that only a week ago, I had been between Tess's legs. I shrugged. "I was just telling them about the ski trip I went on over to Breckenridge," I lied.
"Oh fuck, hell, I've skied there before. Not really anything special enough to write home about," Derrick replied, taking a sip of his freshly poured coffee.
"Maybe not to you, but I thought it was outstanding," I shot back, my insides stirring at his arrogance.
"What else did you do while you were there? Any cute snow bunnies?" Derrick questioned. "Oh wait, I forgot, you don't do that." He rolled his eyes and then laughed, elbowing Tom in the side.
Tom cleared his throat as Derrick continued to laugh at what he thought was a funny joke. "Anyways, everyone have a good holiday?" he asked, trying to steer the topic.
"Not too bad," Pace answered. "Busy with family as always. What about you Derrick?"
"Doesn't the tan say it all? Lucy and I spent two weeks down south."
"And how was that?" Tom asked, knowing full well that none of us really wanted to hear his answer.
"Let's put it this way... I wished I had been single."
“Shocking,” I said under my breath as I clenched my jaw at his answer and picked up my mug, my knuckles turning white. He was already up to his old tricks.
