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"It's about time you got here," Derrick said, standing as I approached the table, holding his hand out for me to shake.
"Hey, man, sorry about that. Traffic was brutal," I said, removing my jacket and hanging it on the back of my chair while glancing to the woman who sat beside Derrick.
"No problem. Glad you could make it. Lucy, I'd like you to meet Maddox, my best friend." He grinned as he turned and placed his hand behind her as she stood up to shake my hand. “Maddox, this is Lucy.”
After all the introductions, we ordered a few appetizers and drinks. I sat there listening to the two of them talking about some trip they were taking over Christmas. He'd apparently booked a ten-day getaway down to the Virgin Islands. Anger boiled in me as I sat there thinking about Tess and how she must be feeling, wondering if she even knew.
"How long have you known Derrick?" Lucy asked.
"Long enough," I muttered, looking to Derrick as he held onto Lucy like he used to hold onto Tess. "We went to school together and then to college.”
“Oh, so you’ve known one another for quite a long time. What was he like in school?”
I chuckled to myself. “He used to be quite the player in school," I bit out, glancing to Derrick, who sat there looking at me with shock on his face.
"Oh, is that so." Lucy smiled, looking over to Derrick like he was everything, thinking I was joking. However, Derrick just sat there and glared at me, his eyes turning dark.
"Yep, always had a woman on the go. Sometimes two or three at a time," I answered. “I could never keep up with who he was dating one week to the next.”
"He’s kidding, babe. He’s quite the joker. Which reminds me, Maddox, could I see you for a moment? I wanted to run something by you," Derrick interjected, his jaw square and tight.
I grinned at him. "Is there a problem?" I asked, knowing very well he was pissed off and was using that as an excuse to pull me away from telling Lucy anything more.
"Now, Maddox," he spit, getting up from the table.
I downed my scotch, ice jingling against the glass as I set it down on the table with force. I stood up. "Lucy, please excuse us for a moment."
"Yes, please excuse us, darling." Derrick leaned down to kiss her. "Why don’t you order us all another drink, would you, darling? I just need to run something business related by Maddox here."
"Sure thing, babe," she said, looking up at him as he placed his hand under her chin, tilting her head back as he met her lips for a quick kiss.
I followed Derrick down the hall to the men's room and stopped just outside the door, turning to face him.
"What the fuck is your problem?" Derrick gritted.
"You seriously have to ask that? What the hell are you even doing? Jesus, you are supposed to be getting married in three weeks and heading to Paris, but instead you’re planning some trip to some island with this piece."
"Look, I broke it off with Tess just like you wanted me to. Lucy is something special, but how would you ever understand?"
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
"It means that since you are still single, you have no clue how it feels to be in love."
"Fuck you!" I said through clenched teeth, pushing my hands against his chest. Derrick knew what I had been through. How dare he even suggest something like that to me. "I don't think you know what it means to be in love. You had the perfect girl—the perfect fucking girl. Tess adored you, she would do anything for you, and stood by you during some of your worst fucking times, and you broke her heart like it meant nothing because you let your dick do the talking, just like you’ve always done. How long have you been doing this one?"
"Don't you dare talk to me like that!"
"Why the hell not? Because the truth hurts? Honestly, I do not know what the hell you are even doing with this chick or even where you found her. She doesn't even begin to hold a candle to Tess. She is just another fucking bimbo, just like all the rest of them."
"Well, you better get used to the fucking bimbo, because I'm asking her to marry me tonight."
"You're what?" I blurted, my eyes almost falling out of my head. The bed he and Tess slept in hadn't even grown cold, and here he was talking about marrying some other chick.
"You heard me. I have the ring in my pocket. I wanted you to be here for it."
I scratched my head, barely believing what I was hearing. "Well, Derrick, I hate to break it to you, but I don't want to be here for it. I won't stand beside you either at this wedding or any other for that fact, so don't even fucking ask me. The best thing I could do for that girl right now is walk out there and warn her about you."
We stood there staring at one another for what felt like an eternity, then without another word, Derrick turned and made his way back to the table. I took a minute to cool off before making my way back to the table to find Derrick holding Lucy's hand and speaking in a low voice to her, as both of them smiled at one another. I pulled my phone from my pocket and placed it on the table, staring down at the screen to avoid being sick at the disgusting display in front of me. I was just about to tell them I was going to head out when my phone vibrated against the table, Tess's name flashing on the screen.
