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sixteen
Travis
Dinnerwaslight-hearted,laidback, and fun. It was like being a part of a family all getting together. We’d gone to The Secret Garden per Russell’s request. Both Dee and I were delighted at his choice while the others stated that they’d never been.
“Man, are you guys in for a treat! Just wait until you try the butter. It alone is worth going for!” I shouted, clapping my hands for emphasis as we made our way to the restaurant.
Wine flowed, laughter filled the air, and the most delicious food I’d ever tasted filled the table. It was a good night and I was thoroughly enjoying myself. Yet, I stayed mostly quiet, just happy to be in the moment. I'd also noticed Dee seemed preoccupied. I really hoped she wasn’t still hung up on Dennis the Douchebag. I mean, what kind of asshole welcomes a woman into his life, encourages her to cultivate an unbreakable bond with his children, and then just severs it as if it never happened? Dennis fucking Koontz. That’s who. The jackass.
The way his eyes flared when I claimed Dee as mine, how he kept trying to touch her, left me wanting to put my first through his face. I only refrained because the last thing the boys deserved to see was their dickhead dad getting punched in the face. And then there was Dennis’s fiancée. It was like Tami had cloned herself. Bile rose up my throat as I recalled how she Blatantly stared at my crotch. How she thrust her barely-covered boobs in my face. Let’s not gloss over how she glared at Dee as if she had death ray vision. That woman was the type that constantly had to be the center of attention and didn’t let anything get in the way of what she wanted.
The woman reminded me so much of my ex-wife it made me sick. Even though her sharp stiletto nails clutched Dennis’s arm, she’d made no attempt to hide her interest in me. Interest that was based one-hundred percent on my former fame and the money that came with it. I tried not to react, but I found her behavior revolting. Once upon a time, it was an ego boost—the unwavering attention, how girls would cling to me. It had been what first attracted me to Tami when we were in college. I'd mistaken lust for something more. I mean, I was a young jock with a big career and an even bigger ego and she’d come along looking at me like she’d die if she didn’t drop to her knees right then and there to suck my dick. Thankfully, I’d grown up and learned to recognize the signs of a gold-digger and how to avoid them.
Thankfully, Dee was my buffer. One look was all it took was one look at Dee to turn Diane into a barely-restrained jealousy monster. And she should. Everything Diane lacked, Dee possessed. Ambition, brains, resilience, confidence, and most of all, self-respect. And hot. Dee was so fucking hot it was all I could do not claim her right there in front of the whole of Chicago.
To my utmost displeasure, I wasn’t the only one who thought so too. Dennis obviously regretted dumping Dee for the tarnished trophy hanging on his arm. The way he gazed at her with longing, how he practically hung on everything she said, and then him trying repeatedly to fucking touch her arm, were all clear indicators. It pissed me off, but I’d managed to keep a handle on my temper. I found comfort in the fact that it was my arm that was wrapped around her when we left the stadium. It wasmyfingers that got to caress that soft, satiny skin. It was me who got lost in her beauty, thinking about how badly I’d wanted to kiss her in front of that douchebag so he got the message loud and clear that he’d lost his chance. Because no matter what he thought, Dee was mine, and there was no way I’d ever fucking share.
When I was dropped off later that night, I fought the urge to look back at Dee. Everything in me said to turn around, to wave goodnight, but I didn’t. I needed a clear head because she had me all tangled up inside. The lyrics to “Tangled Up in You” by Gene Loves Jezebel played on a loop in my brain as I went through the process of paying Amie’s sitter and going up to kiss my angel goodnight before readying myself for bed.
Sleep was elusive as I thought about Dee and Dennis, and in a roundabout way, Tami. I had a lot on my plate and it seemed to be piling higher by the minute, but I could handle it because I had two clear goals: taking care of my daughter and heeding Craig’s advice. I wanted Dee and thanks to my newfound friend, I was pretty sure she felt the same. After meeting Dennis and his boys, I got a good look at the reasons behind Dee’s insecurities. Seeing the ghosts that haunted her in the flesh only reinforced my determination to take it slow. To earn her trust and convince her that not only was I crazy about her, but that I'd never abandon her. Unlike Dennis, I would never walk away from the woman I loved.
seventeen
Travis
Thefollowingweek,Ifound myself back at the stadium alongside my darling Dee, Russell, Craig, and several other people from work. We’d just gotten to our seats, drinks and food in hand, when Dee cursed under her breath.
“Hey! What a coincidence!” A familiar voice called out. I turned to see Dennis walking down the aisle towards us. I noticed he didn’t have the boys with him, but he most certainly had Diane. Dressed in even less clothes than she was previously. As soon as her dark brown eyes landed on me, she adjusted her bra so that her boobs so that her nipples were barely covered. The effort was absolutely wasted when compared to the vision of loveliness seated next to me. The sexiest woman I’d ever seen was dressed simply in jeans, a baseball jersey, and a ball cap. The kind of woman who was ready to spend a good night watching a ballgame and wasn't out to find a man.
“Dennis. What are you doing here?” Dee’s asked flatly, not hiding how unhappy she was to see him. Earlier on the way here, she’d confided in me how he’d been blowing up her phone. Message after message asking when they could meet up. When could they get together to ‘discuss’ things? When could he see her? So far, Dee had held him off, insisting she needed more time, but Dennis hadn't gotten the message. In fact, a text came through right as we parked. I had told her that if she wanted to turn off her phone, I had mine. With a relieved smile, she turned her device off before thanking me.
“The company gave us tickets.” Dennis flashed two stubs that he’d pulled from his pocket and plopped down in the seat next to her. “What a coincidence? Our seats are together.”
Coincidence, my ass. I bet the jerk orchestrated this wholecoincidentalsituation.
Keeping my expression neutral, I side-eyed Dennis, knowing full well that him having tickets in the same section, the same row, and with seats next to us, was anything but chance. Dee remained silent as Dennis and his squeeze settled in. She kept her attention fixed on the men out on the field as they warmed up before the start of the game.
“Soooo,” Dennis said after a few tense, awkward moments. “How is work, Dee? You never did say how it’s been working for Russell. I hope everyone is treating you the way you deserve. That you'reappreciated.”
I didn’t miss the pot shot so obviously aimed at me. If the douche wanted to know how well I was treating her, he needed to nut up and just say so.
“Everyone loves her,” I chimed in before Dee could respond. Was it the equivalent of me pissing a circle around her? Yes. Did I give a shit? No.
“Russell can’t stop telling everyone how bringing her on was one of the best decisions he’s ever made. She’s one of his greatest assets.”
“Except for Leah. Shedefinitelydidn’t like it when you turned her down after she propositioned you while I was in the bathroom.” Dee giggled. A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth as she teased me about the young woman and how I rebuffed her advances.
“Were you flirting with someone while Dee was in the restroom?” Dennis turned towards me, looking absolutely appalled.
“No, I wasn’t flirting with anyone,” I argued back even though it was none of his business. My voice rose slightly before Dee’s hand was suddenly on my leg, silently urging me to not let Dennis upset me.
Too late for that.
His mere presence annoyed me.
“No, he wasn’t flirting.Shecame ontohim, but he shot her down.” Dee backed me up. It was just yesterday that she confessed that she’d heard most of what had been said between Leah and me. I’d left to get a refill on my coffee and found her in the breakroom (surprise, surprise). Our conversation quickly turned to how Leah now seemed to be after the finance department’s manager. How quickly she’s moved on.
“She should know better.” Dee had laughed as she shook her head.“Darren’s the most committed man I’ve ever met. I swear his office is a shrine to his wife and kids.Leah’s deluding herself if she thinks he’ll ever leave them for her.”
