“What, Dean? What could you possibly want?” Her eyes are glassy, like she’s trying not to cry. She looks away and then back at me, taking a deep breath.
“Hey, easy killer. What’s wrong?” I take a step towards her but she takes a step back, holding her hand up, silently asking me to stay put.
“We broke up, okay?! Is that what you wanted to hear? He dumped me.” Her admission shocks the shit out of me. No wonder I haven’t seen them together.
“Shit. I’m sorry, Whitley. I mean,” I grip the back of my neck, “I can’t say that I’m sad about it, but I really am sorry.” That clearly wasn’t the right thing to say because she punches me in the stomach and storms off. I double over, clutching it.
“You’re such an asshole,” Whitley shouts as we make our way into the backyard. I throw my head back and laugh.
“You used to love this asshole, baby,” I direct that remark to her back as she storms away from me and over to the gaggle of women huddled around the firepit. Snagging a beer from the cooler, I head towards the grill where Ford is standing, shaking his head at me and Whit’s face off.
“What?” I grin and he shakes his head again.
“That girl is going to end up killing you.” I glance at her and then back at Ford.
“Yeah, but what a way to go.” I clutch my chest dramatically and he shoves me, laughing. Ford and I have been friends for as long as I can remember. We went to elementary school together, played high school football together, and I was a groomsman in his wedding to his high school sweetheart, Zoe. She died after childbirth about five years ago and he’s finally met someone else and things seem to be going well. Her name is Lex, she moved in right next door to Ford and she’s currently in the group of women that Whit is sitting with. Jaxson sidles up next to us with a beer.
“Hey brother,” he says, slapping me on the shoulder before grabbing a beer. “What are you hens over here clucking about?”
“Just about how bad you want your new secretary,” Ford cracks and I guffaw. Literally. Fucking. Guffaw. Jax’s face turns bright red and he punches Ford in the shoulder.
“Dude, shut the fuck up.” He hisses, looking around to make sure no one is listening.
I’m still laughing because it’s true and everyone knows it but him. Can’t wait to watch that little shit show play out. All the sudden a loud commotion comes from the group of girls and we can see Avery sink down in her chair just as Whitley spews her drink everywhere.
“Looks like Avery might know it, too,” I say, tipping my beer that way and raising an eyebrow at Jax. He shakes his head.
“No fuckin’ way. I have kept that shit on lockdown. The only person who I told was Ford who obviously told you.”
“I feel like it’s sixth grade and we’re on the playground,” I murmur with a sigh. “No, you moron. Any person with a brain can see you’re half in love with her,” I say, knowing good and well what a man in love looks like. I glance at Whitley.
Whitley Jean Cantu. Kissed her under the bleachers at a football game my sophomore year in high school during halftime. Been in love with her ever since.
Jax clears his throat, bringing me back to the moment. “Good to have you back, Dean. Not sure I’ve had a chance to tell you that yet.” I tip my beer at him.
“Appreciate it. It’s good to be back,” I take a long pull from the bottle, organizing my thoughts before going on. “Been a long time comin’. I should have come back a long time ago.”
“Had to do what you had to do to chase those demons, man. I get it.” Ford says, and if anyone does get it, it’s him. He spent a lot of years running from his demons but had to do it while raising two kids. I’ll never know what that was like.
“Yeah, but we all know I was a dick about it.” They both murmur in agreement. Left town ten years ago, Everly’s name barely written in stone, and I never looked back. Couldn’t. Looking back meant slowing down and I couldn’t slow down. I had to get the fuck out of this town.
Ford’s girlfriend Lex chooses that moment to come over and see if the burgers are ready and I excuse myself before they start making out in front of me. It’s not long after, we are all laughing, eating, and shootin’ the shit when Whitley excuses herself and leaves the party. I glance at my phone. Seventy-three minutes. That’s how long she stayed, which is honestly probably the longest amount of time I’ve spent around her since I moved back and bought the bar. She’s been avoiding me since I came home, making herself scarce anytime I show up to check on things. She even tried to lay out ground rules at the bar. Saying that I can only be there when she isn’t and if I’m going to be there to let her know so she can make sure she isn’t there. She can hide all she wants but eventually her and I are going to have to talk this shit out, face to face.
That woman is it for me and she’s going to know it sooner rather than later.
Whitley
I silently let myself into my one-bedroom apartment on the edge of town. Just a small apartment, nestled between two others all in a row. I don’t need a lot when it’s just me. The space has a small kitchen, if you can even call it that, that sits at the front of the apartment and adjacent to the living room. The bedroom and bathroom are down a short hallway off the living room. It’s not much, but it’s a place to call my own. I moved out of my parents and into here about four years ago, right around the time Fred made me manager.
The last two weeks have been miserable. My life feels all topsy turvy since Derrick broke things off with me. He texts me occasionally, checking on me, which is sweet, but just confusing my heart even more. I’m questioning my sanity at this point and I really need to get my shit together.
I’m not usually home this early on a Saturday night, but I couldn’t spend one more minute at that cookout with Dean. He’s everywhere these days, invading my life. Work, outings with my girlfriends. I even came home to him mowing my yard last week. My phone dings from the table. I don’t even need to look at it to know it’s him.
Dean: Make it home okay?
Me: Fuck off.
Dean: I’ll take that as a yes.