Friend-Zoned (21 page)

I wake to find I’m in bed
alone and there is a note on the pillow beside me.
I’m so sorry for passing out on you
last night. Glad to see you’re wearing your new jammies, though!
Thank you for taking care of me. You’re the best. Love Tina
xxxxxxxxxx P.S. Cake in the face is a tradition in my family…now
you’ll have good luck for a whole year :)
Cake in the face is a family tradition? I smile. I’ll have to get
her back on her birthday.
And I got ten kisses that time. Nice.
I wonder what she thought when she woke up seeing I’d undressed
her. She didn’t sound angry in the note. She even thanked me for
looking after her.
I smile like an idiot.
It’s Thursday. Poker night tonight.
Can’t wait to see her.
***

It’s eight thirty-ish. The
Thai restaurant I’m at is really nice. I caught a cab over so Nat
could take my car home then to Nik’s.
I’m sitting across from Chad the Accountant who is telling me about
his stamp collection. He says I can come see it some time. He just
needs to make sure his Mom isn’t home.
If someone were telling me this, I’d be in fits of laughter. But
it’s not so funny when you’re a part of said funny
story.
Merlin’s beard…How did I get
in this mess?
“So, you work at a
clothing store?” he asks while picking at his food.
I look up and smile enthusiastically, “Yeah. I own the store. It’s
called Safira. I work with my best friends. I love it.”
He looks thoughtful then asks, “Would there be any changing your
mind about your profession?”
I lean back in my chair and try not to glare at him. Instead, I
inquire, “What do you mean, Chad?”
It’s such a shame. He’s a great looking guy. But when he opens his
mouth and the verbal diarrhea shoots out at you, you realize why
he’s still single. Well, that, and the stamp collection…and still
living with his Mom at thirty eight.
He smiles at me and says, “Well, I don’t know if I could be with a
woman who spends all her time around clothing. There is a huge
problem in America regarding women who obsessively shop. I’d like
to know that wouldn’t be an option with my wife. So, would changing
your profession be an option?” He raises his eyebrows
expectantly.
Say what? Oh, hell
no.
Buying myself some time I reach
for my water and sip at it.
This guy who I’ve known all of two seconds has asked me to change
my profession and basically proposed to
me?
Sweet Baby
Jesus!
I need to get out of here. I
need Nat. Emergency bail time.
***

I don’t believe what I
just heard.
Rage boils in the pit of my stomach. I clench my hands together by
my sides and stop myself from punching something.
I planned to spend the day avoiding Tina. It worked out fine when
she instant messaged me to say she was a little busy to do lunch
today. Perfect, I thought.
I planned on kissing the life out of her tonight and putting myself
out there. I want Tina. It was as simple as that. I made the
decision that tonight is the night. Or it
was
.
The guys came to the house a little earlier to set up the Poker
table and the girls arrived shortly after eight, minus Tina. I
could see Nat avoiding making eye contact with me and thought that
was a little odd. She looked really uncomfortable, too.
Then a few minutes ago when Max asked Nat where Tina was and all
the girls stiffened, I knew something was up.
Nat tried to brush it off with a small shrug. She said, “Sorry
guys, Tina sends her apologies. She had some last minute plans and
had to bail on us.”
Max stood up taller looked at her with brows bunched and uttered,
“What’s more important than Poker night? It’s family night!” He
noticed her stiffen even further and said firmly, “Okay, guys,
where is Tina tonight?”
Nat looked down and played with her earlobe. She whispered so
quietly I could barely hear her, “She’s on a date.”
Silence enveloped the room.
A date?
A fucking date?
I have a thousand questions to ask but can’t bring myself to begin.
Does she even know this guy? Where did they meet? How long has she
known she’d be missing tonight? Aren’t these things friends tell
one another?
This guy could be dangerous for, Christ sake!
I can’t help but wonder if this rage I’m feeling is a result of
jealousy. I come up with the following reason for my reaction –
Tina is a good friend who could be out having dinner with an axe
murderer!
This brings us to now. I ask, “Does anyone know this guy?”
Nat, Meems, and Lola shake their heads at me. Nat says, “She met
him at Winnie’s the other day. All I know is his name is Chad and
he’s an Accountant.”
Chad. The name of an axe murderer.
Definitely.
Mimi looks around and offers, “Well, what did you expect? Tina’s a
fox, Nik. She’s a great catch for any guy. The perfect
catch.”
Lola nods her agreement and softly finishes, “And you guys are just
friends, right?”
Rather than answer them, I walk down the hall into my room and shut
the door.
Once I’m in I walk over to my bed and lay back on
it.
Calm down. Everything will work
itself out.
I
hope.
***

After expertly avoiding
answering Chad’s extremely invasive questions, I excuse myself to
use the ladies room. Once inside, I take my cell phone out of my
purse and text Nat.
Me: This guy is a fruitcake! Emergency bail procedure in T-Minus
ten minutes.
Nat: Gotcha. Turn you cell phone volume up.
I walk back to the table with a bright smile and sit. I answer some
of Chad’s less invasive questions then my cell phone blasts ‘Thrift
Shop’ by Macklemore.
Show
time.
I take my cell phone out of the
bag look at the display fake frowning. I say in an almost genuinely
confused voice, “Oh. Please excuse me. This could be
important.”
I furrow my brow and answer the phone, “Hello?”
Nat sounds amused when she says, “Blah blah blah. Dog hit by
car.”
I widen my eyes and put a hand to my chest. I whisper loudly,
“What? No! Not Fluffy!”
Nat answers in all seriousness, “I think we should get a dog. Or
two.”
I lower my head, put the hand on my chest up to my forehead and
wail, “Oh No! Not my precious baby!”
Nat sounds as though she’s made a decision, “We’ll get two.” More
excitedly. “Pugs! We’ll call ‘em Pizza and Donut!”
I wipe tears I haven’t shed off my cheeks. I respond in a shaky
voice, “Why? Dear God, why?”
Nat replies as though I answered her previous statement, “Because I
get lonely sometimes, ya know!”
I slump my shoulders and force them to shake. I whisper softly,
“Don’t make any decisions without me, doctor. I’m on my way.”
Nat giggles and dramatically says, “And the award for best acting
under pressure goes to Teeny!” Then her voice turns serious. “But
seriously, I want a dog.”
Dial tone.
She hung up on me!

Chapter Seventeen
I gots a boo-boo

It’s Saturday Night.
I’m sure the girls will come to the club tonight. And for the first
time in forever, I’m not excited about seeing Tina.
In fact, I’m dreading it.
Poker night went okay from what I could hear of it. I heard
everyone laughing and talking from inside my room. The girls left
about midnight. I pleaded a headache after I heard about Tina’s
date and spent the night on my bed like a stubborn child who didn’t
get his way.
Yesterday, I avoided Tina like the plague. She sent me an instant
message asking if I wanted to do lunch but I lied and told her I
was drowning in work and would be off site most of the day.
Today, Tina came to the office but I had Max tell her I wasn’t in.
She brought some cupcakes for us but I didn’t have one. You know
shit just got serious when you refuse gooey caramel cupcakes which
taste like heaven. I’m not sure what she wanted but I was in no
mood to hear her tell me about her fantastic date with Super Chad,
Accountant of the Year.
Okay, so call me sulky, but when the girl you really like is not
into you, it sucks. And now I’m actually thinking about cutting her
loose.
I think I’ll just tell her that work is really busy and that I
might not have as much time as I used to for our lunches and
get-togethers. Then I’ll cancel Poker night all together. And
someway cut the rest of the girls out of our lives. While somehow
asking for the VIP passes back. Then we can all go back to how
things were before. Uncomplicated.
I’m hanging out with Ghost in the security room watching the CCTV.
I know the second the girls arrive.
B-Rock gets giddy and smiles like an idiot. Then I see them.
Beautiful as always. Cutting them out of our lives is not going to
be easy. Tina is the last in and kisses B-Rock on the cheek while
looking at him like he personally shines the stars at night. I know
how that look can make a guy feel. I’m normally on the receiving
end of that look.
They disappear from camera view for a few minutes then reappear on
the CCTV in the VIP area.
I can see they’re looking around for us. After a few minutes, they
give up.
Tina still sneaks looks though. She’s frowning. I don’t like
it.
Knowing I’m putting that look on her face makes me feel like the
world’s biggest ass. Especially, when just a week ago I swore I’d
do anything to protect her from looks like that. But that was
before my epiphany this morning.
Who’s going to protect me from her?
Ghost sighs and looks towards me. He says, “Clue in, man.”
I’m confused. I reply, “Huh?”
He sits back in his chair and tells me like he thinks he sees it,
“Tina likes you. More than likes you. Grow some damn balls and do
something about it.”
I scowl at him and spit out, “She had a date the other night. I
don’t think she likes me that much, bro.”
He puts his hands behind his neck and smiles. He offers, “If I was
a chick and I saw the guy I like every day having to act like I’m
not interested, it would drive me nuts. I’d do anything to get my
mind off it. Even go on a date.”
I don’t answer; just stare at Tina through the
display.
God, why does she have to be
so beautiful?
Ghost makes an
impatient sound and barks, “Fuck, man, she bailed on the date half
hour in. That sound like she had a good
time?!”
What?
I frown. I’m confused.
“What?”
Ghost sighs and leans forward slightly. He looks at the display and
points to the girl of my dreams, “That girl of yours was itching to
get out of there. Called Nat to get her out of it. The guy was a
dud. Supreme dud. Still living at home and owns a fuckin’ stamp
collection.” He chuckles on the last bit.
Are you fuckin’ serious?
“What
the hell, man? Why didn’t you tell me any of this yesterday or
today?” I demand. I’m pissed.
He leans back in his chair again and smiles cruelly. He shrugs and
mutters, “You ask me?”
The
fucker.
I narrow my eyes and ask,
“Why are we friends again?” I’m genuinely curious.
He chuckles and reminds me, “I think it’s because I always had your
back, brother.”
He’s right. He’s an asshole but he’s right. Not once in my life
have I ever had to go through things alone. Before Ghost was Max.
My little brother always has my back regardless of the situation.
Then I met Asher. He was a tall kid with scruffy blonde hair and
untrusting brown eyes. Very much like he is today if I think about
it. I didn’t shoot up in height til after High School, now I’m
taller than all the guys. He was getting taunted by some idiot
jock. I went over, stood next to him and asked, “You need a hand?”
He looked at me with narrowed eyes and shook his head. The next day
I walked past him in the hall; he caught up to me and started
walking with me. He said, “I’m Asher.” Without looking at him I
nodded my head and said, “I’m Nik.” And that was that. Max, Ghost,
and I have been friends ever since. He’s been with us through
everything; Marcus’s shooting, Dad’s death, Ceecee’s accident. All
the important things. And he’s always been solid, good at helping
you when you’re at your worst and don’t think you need anyone. He
spent most of his childhood escaping family when he was embraced by
mine.
Ghost won’t say it, but he loved my dad as much as I did. The day
Dad met Asher Collins he watched him closely. When Ghost was
leaving dad pulled him aside and said, “You ever need any help,
son, for anything at all. You call Niki and he’ll tell me. I’ll
take care of it.” He wasn’t even shocked at what my dad was saying.
Dad was telling Ghost if his parents didn’t wise up and stop
beating their kid they’d get themselves killed. And Ghost
appreciated it. Ever since that moment, Dad was his idol. And Mom
won him over early by being over attentive of him. He acted like he
didn’t like it but I see how he looks at Mom, like he wishes she
was his biological mother. Blood doesn’t mean anything to us.
Ghost
is
my
brother.
Ghost looks closer at the monitor and whispers, “Oh shit.”
I’m immediately alert. I look at the monitor. One of the waitresses
is picking up a broken glass by Tina’s feet. Mimi and Nat flank
Tina and touch her in a gentle way and Lola is holding something on
Tina’s leg. The waitress is talking a mile a minute and looking up
at Tina apologetically. Tina waves it off, smiles and replies. Lola
has removed whatever she’s holding on Tina’s leg. I see her reach
over the table and pick up a bunch of napkins and put them on
Tina’s leg. I realize she’s been cut and is bleeding.
Lightning fast I’m up and out the door. I run across the VIP area
til I reach Tina’s back. Without even assessing the situation I
pick her up in a bridal hold and move towards the door behind the
bar.
Tina starts with a shrill, “Nik, what on…”
But I cut her off by saying ,“Just a second, sweetheart.”
Tina softens her voice and utters, “Nik, I’m fi—”
And I cut her off again with a firm, “Tina, we’re almost there.
Quiet, babe.”
She listens to me that time. She quiets and loosens in my hold. Her
arm winds around my neck and her hand softly caresses the hair at
the back of my head. It feels so nice I’m worried I’ll push further
into her hand and purr like her cat.
On a mission, I carry her all the way to my office and set her down
on my desk. Luckily, she’s wearing a dress that comes to the knee.
It’s a beautiful deep blue color with a V-neck and puffy short
sleeves. She looks like a princess.
I kneel in front of her and hold her calf in my hands. There is a
small nick there. It bleeds a little more than I’d like but it’s
nothing major. I look up to see her gorgeous green eyes looking
down at me and they’re dancing.
Covering my face with my hands, I lean my forehead on her knee and
say a muffled, “Okay, I might’ve overreacted.”
She places a hand on my head and her body shakes with silent
laughter.
You’re such a
putz.
***