Drake snorts and shakes his head, balling up the aluminum wrapped around his burger before tossing it into the trash bag. “That’s going to be a lot of—” He turns sharply towards me, eyebrows raised high. “What about Gracie and this new guy? Or she can even just take a friend.”
I stare at him like he’s just grown two fucking heads. I’m almost convinced he’s grown two damn brains to be thinking such a thing. “I’m not fucking doing that.”
He stares at me, deadpan. Dead. Ass. Serious. “Hear me out. You can tell Donna you’re inviting her and whoever it is because you feel bad for leaving her home alone. You and Devon can have a moment with her and tell her—”
“We can just do that at the apartment,” I cut him off. “Donna would never allow me to be alone with her, even with Devon around, and I doubt Kate would let that happen either.”
Drake rolls his eyes, throwing his hands up. “Then fucking talk to her at the goddamn apartment that you need to go back to at that. Stop being a wimp, Owen.”
I glare and don’t say anything. Instead, I turn to look out the windshield window all over again. We’re sitting in front of McDonald’s on our lunch break, due to get back to work any minute now. I’m half tempted to just get out and walk home or something and end my shift, but I know that’s a stupid decision to make. I’m not going to jeopardize my job because I’m cranky.
I just need sleep. Peace. Fucking space. Yeah, definitely fucking space.
I rub my eyes and lean my head back. Thank heavens Drake just lets me stew for a few minutes because I’m honestly nervous I’m going to snap at him if I don’t get some time to calm down. Even staying with my parents the last couple of days hasn’t been enough. But that might also be because Donna just doesn’t leave me the fuck alone. Blowing up my phone with both calls and texts every five damn minutes. She’s obsessed with knowing my every move yet demands I give her the space she wants and gets annoyed if I dare ask about her latest move. Go fucking figure.
I pull out my phone and bring up the retreats page again, deciding to finally get our places reserved. Donna’s been bugging me to do it since I brought it up. While I don’t know if Donna and Kate will even want to go, I’m still going to reserve the spots. But as I bring it up, I’m stalled.
Only packages are left. The lowest one is for three couples. Reading it makes me groan audibly, and I drop my head back on the passenger seat’s headrest, side-eying Drake. He’s married, and the reminder glitters on his ring finger. But I can’t ask him. His wife is about eight months pregnant with their third. There’s no way they’ll be up for going on a retreat when the woman can pop at any chance.
“Lowest package is for three couples.” I show him the site. “I don’t have a third couple to join.”
He looks at me pointedly, and I sigh. “They aren’t even—” my words falter, and then I straighten. “I guess I can ask Landon and Marcy. I’m sure they’d like to get away for a weekend.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “What about Gracie?”
I shrug with a shake of my head. “I don’t know. I guess she can stay with her parents or something. She won’t really be alone then.”
He stares at me, lips pursed, and then turns to the front of the car, turning the key in the ignition. It takes a moment for the car to rev to life, and Drake backs out, turning so we can get back to our shift.
“You aren’t over her,” he finally says, pointing out the obvious.
No, I’m not. I won’t ever be over Gracie, and that’s the part that fucking sucks. I’ve moved on, and pushed my life forward. I got my dream career. All of it without her around. Yet, I want her back. I know I can’t have her, though. Not after the shit she pulled. It isn’t healthy for me. I can’t allow it. I have to just be friends with her, and if that starts to become tough, I’ll have to end any contact with her. It's why I want to move back with my parents. So that way, I can at least try to be friends with her. Living with her is too fucking hard.
So maybe Drake’s right. Telling her everything will help me. I had to go to fucking therapy for an entire year after she left me high and dry the last time. Even during those sessions, I was told that I should tell her all of it if I ever got an opportunity.
Shut up, Owen. You just keep overthinking everything. Let yourself fucking relax.
I swipe at the screen and allow it to reserve the spots for three couples. I’ll just have to ask Marcy later on. Or Landon. I have his number, so it might be easier to ask him. What if he and Marcy can’t, though? Then what am I supposed to do? Donna will freak if I have to cancel because of that. No, it just means I’ll have to have a backup plan, that’s all.
Maybe this double couple retreat will be good. It’ll help me and Donna connect. We can work through shit. Maybe, just by some miracle, we can get our relationship to work. At least I’m willing to try; that should say something.
We pull into traffic and sit. From my position, I can see people turn even in their driver’s seat and eye us nervously. People hate it when cops pop up randomly, behind them, next to them, or even near them. Our presence always makes them nervous, even if they don’t have anything to hide. It’s a thrill I enjoy about being a cop, and it has yet to fade.
“What happens at a couple’s retreat if you find out you really shouldn’t be together?” I suddenly ask, the question leaving my lips before I can stop it.
Drake shakes his head. “I don’t know, man, but you probably aren’t coming back with a girlfriend if that happens.”
Part of me finds that a good thing. The other part is nervous about it actually happening. I don’t think I have anything in common with Donna. Not even the whole Gracie issue. Because Donna loathes Gracie for her own damn reasons. I still love her even though I don’t want to. I doubt I can ever hate her. I just can’t ever be with her again, and that’s the main problem. So, I have no fucking clue what Donna and I have in common at all. We used to butt heads on many things, but I learned a long ass time ago just to agree with whatever she says or wants. It makes things so much easier to deal with when it comes to Donna.
With no need to pull anyone over, I go back to ignoring the people around us for the most part. I have no interest unless they’re breaking the law, and I have to get out and do something about it but I really am not in the mood to do so right now. If someone breaks the law, they’re going to get a bad side of me.
I just need a good fuck, that’s what it is. I groan as I lean back in my seat once again. I’m a loyal ass man. There’s no way I’m going to find a random chic to bang, and considering my relationship label, I’m going to have to go to Donna’s tonight. Get the frustration out by putting my dick in her and banging it out. It works, for the most part. At least I can get over whatever the hell is dragging me down for a couple of weeks at a time. So, it’s worth it, for the most part.
I swipe my phone’s screen on again and bring up my girlfriend’s number.I’m coming over after my shift.
Chapter12
Gracie