Without Doubt (32 page)

“Seriously? You asked her out? Multiple
times?” My arms were resting on the bar and my fingers were peeling
away the blue label. The bar was packed now and Katelynn was busy
filling drink orders.

“Let’s move over to a table.” Bash started
to get up.

I grabbed his arm and yanked him back down.
“No. We’re staying right here. Answer me.”

He let out a long sigh, tipping his head
back. “It’s a joke. Geez, Slo, give it a rest. I know you like her;
I wouldn’t do that to
you
.”

“Forget it. I don’t want to go there with
you. Not again.”

“Fuck, man, drink your beer and cheer the
hell up, already. What happened to my fun, balls to the fucking
walls, brother?” He tapped my shoulder. “Hey, have you seen my
brother? He looks a lot like you. And me! But he doesn’t walk
around with a stick up his ass. You know, he laughs and relaxes,
likes to have fun. If you happen to see him, let me know.”
Sebastian got up and walked away.

I downed my beer and signaled Katelynn for
another. He was right. I was always uptight, these days. I didn’t
walk around with a stick up my ass, but I wasn’t exactly friendly
all the time, either.

Brittany Jameson had been my high school
sweetheart. We dated all through high school and for two years
after. When Brit started at the local college, we spent less and
less time together. I felt her pulling away. Two months into her
sophomore year, Bash came to me with a video on his phone he
received from a buddy.

The text that was sent with it asked, “Isn’t
this your brother’s girl?”

Yeah, it was her. Naked. In a bed with at
least five guys. She not only broke my heart, she ripped it out and
stomped on it with five-inch spiked heels. At the time, I was
saving up, working three jobs– not to compete, but to buy her an
engagement ring.

I ended things with her by showing up at her
dorm to find her in a similar situation. I quit two of the three
jobs and went to work on my physique. That was three years ago. I
was still dealing with it. Or not really dealing with it. I’m not
sure which, yet. At times, I think I’m moving on and at other times
I feel as if I’m standing in quicksand, being pulled back
under.

I like to think that I would have done the
same thing, confronted my brother, if I had been the one that
received that text. In a way, I owe Sebastian. Brit admitted she
would have stayed with me, if he hadn’t shown me and I hadn’t found
out. She said, “I was only experimenting. I don’t have the
experience you do. I’ve only slept with you. I wanted to try on a
new pair of shoes before settling with my favorite pair. Slo, baby,
you are my favorite pair. I was planning on spending forever with
you.”

Can you believe that bitch? I couldn’t.
Especially when the proof was there. In my face. Twice. I couldn’t
waste another minute with her.

Back to Sebastian. He did save my ass from
making a huge mistake with Brit. So yeah, I owe him.