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“So the other women are just…sex partners?”
“You know men—straight men, especially—they don’t know how to do relationships well. Honestly, I feel bad for all you straight women.”
I hate that I’ll come off looking like the jealous woman who doesn’t trust her guy, but I ask anyway. “Does he ever—is he ever with another woman when I’m not around?”
“Don’t even go there. Just because Kimberly shows you some stupid pics.”
“I’m usually not paranoid like this, honestly. But…it’s like there’s something he’s not telling or showing me. I don’t even know why I feel this way exactly.”
Felipe continues to wipe the counter without looking at me.
I try to prod him from his silence. “What?”
“You’re overthinking things, but…”
“But?”
He sighs before saying, “It doesn’t hurt to be careful.”
“What do you mean?”
“Darren can be a heartbreaker.”
“I gathered that.”
“You’re smart. Just trust your gut and you’ll be fine.”
He walks over to tend to another customer. I finish my water and find Marshall to let me into Darren’s place. Once inside, I find my notes on the nightstand. My ankle feels sore, so I make an ice pack, which I probably should have done sooner. As I sit on the sofa, I can’t help but ruminate on the pics Kimberly showed and what Felipe said. On the one hand, he said I shouldn’t worry; on the other, he said it doesn’t hurt to be careful.
Now, just because Darren might have been flirty with some woman in a nightclub doesn’t mean he did anything. I think back to when he made that comment about the baby. A part of me actually believed he was only partially joking. He had said I wasn’t just a “moment,” but that doesn’t mean other women can’t be moments even while he maintains a serious relationship with me. I’m old enough to know that some men have flings on the side. If Darren’s been a player like his cousin, I don’t believe that he’ll magically change just because of me. I’m more inclined to believe that once a player, always a player.
As if he knows I’m thinking about him, I get a call from Darren.
“How’s your studying?” he asks.
“Okay. I left my notes from stats at your place, so that’s where I am right now.”
“You should stay there. I’ll have someone drive you back in the morning.”
“I’m not nine years old. I don’t need to be chauffeured everywhere.” I pause. “Saw some pics of you and JD. You look like you guys were having fun.”
“What pics?”
“Kimberly showed them to me. You and JD are at some nightclub. You had your arm around a beautiful woman.”
There’s silence on the other end before he replies, “Kimberly show you anything else?”
“She said there was one of you dancing with two women, but Felipe chased her away.”
“Good for him.”
I don’t want to ask about the other woman. I want to be able to trust Darren a hundred percent. But I’m not that confident. I think a part of me is insecure about myself as it pertains to my relationship with him.
“So, who was the woman or women?” I ask.
“No one.”
I can’t decide if that’s a good answer or not. I say, “You can tell me. I’d rather have honesty than not.”
