Chapter 31
Chapter thirty-one
Adam
Ican barely hear myself think in this place and the lights are starting to give me a migraine.
Bryan wanted his bachelor party to be like something out of “The Hangover”, so we are in Vegas – of course – and sitting in the third bar of the night.
This one comes with strippers, a mechanical bull, and even an all-you-can-eat buffet.
But, who wants to eat at a strip club? Yuck.
Bryan is across the room having the time of his life with one woman giving him a lap dance while another pours tequila down his throat.
Knowing how he was in college, I sometimes still can't believe he's giving it all up to get married.
Jessi's great and they're great together, but his little black book was almost as big as mine.
I got a handwritten card from Emily a couple days after that night.
She apologized again for being "overly persistent" and swore to respect my boundaries going forward.
She also apologized for being there when another woman came over, though I don't think she recognized it was Maya.
She just saw me slamming the door in her face when I ran after someone, and then she left without a word when I came back looking like I'd been hit by a truck…
emotionally, at least. God, that night sucked.
We've only been speaking via email lately, just to be safe.
With that issue essentially handled, I had to talk to my brother. Cory had been a complete ass and he knew it. I was finally calm enough to call him a week after the dinner. He answered after the second ring.
“If you’re calling to say I was an asshole, Mom and Dad already beat you to it.” Alright, Mom and Dad! They hated to make a scene in front of company, but I knew they noticed how Cory was behaving.
“Good. Since when do any of us have a say in who the other is dating?!” I yell.
Never in a million years would I have pulled that shit on any of my brothers.
Bro code says that you wait until the woman isn't around to stage any needed interventions about a problematic relationship.
Lucky me; I'm the first one to have to enforce it. Cory sighs.
“I fucked up, bro. The market was down that day and I lashed out. She’s not my type, but she seems perfectly nice.”
"I don't give a fuck if she's not your type! She is my girlfriend, and she was there because I asked her to be. Because I'm serious about Maya!" I didn't realize how mad I still was at Cory until I was yelling at him. Knowing he was in the wrong, he doesn't try to interrupt.
"How serious are we talking, bro?" he asks quietly. I can't believe this asshole has the nerve to question me.
"I don't know…Serious!" Cory looks at me doubtfully and I shout back, "Really serious!" Not my finest argument. I may need to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth to make Cory understand. I release a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
"I love her. Like, really love her. I haven't bought a ring or anything," I hear Cory gasp over the phone. "But I think I might buy her a ring eventually. Assuming we get back together." For a while, there's just silence from Cory's side of the line. Then—
"Damn. Adam! Why didn't you let me know it was so serious? Maya could be my sister some day?!" I smile at that thought. Things are tough now, but Maya in my bed, by my side, with my family? It all sounds amazing. I lower my hackles slightly since he actually sounds sincere.
"I assumed it was obvious when I brought her to meet Mom, Dad, and all my asshole brothers," I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
I suppose Cory has no frame of reference, since I've never brought a woman home before.
Before Maya, I never let a woman stay over; now I'm contemplating forever with a woman I've known less than three months.
Not that I care, but that's not exactly the norm.
Cory clears his throat, sounding embarrassed even over the phone.
"Again…I'm sorry, bro. I'll be sure to apologize in person at Mom I can’t go cold turkey when it comes to that woman.
But I've kept my distance, and I know she's noticed.
I take another sip of my Jack & Coke and try to shake my gloomy thoughts. A tall brunette with fake boobs wearing nothing but a g-string and pasties practically slithers into my lap and bats her eyelash extensions at me.
“Hey, big boy. Why so glum?” She gyrates in my lap as she speaks. She looks like one of the countless women I wasted time with before Maya.
“No reason. Just taking a break from the bachelor party festivities.” I nod my head towards Bryan and she giggles.
“Oh, I see." She grinds even harder on my lap, probably thinking she's found her marks for the night.
"Well, if you boys are looking to take this party to the next level, me and a few other girls can come to your room and turn that frown upside down.” She winks for emphasis and I turn away to hide my cringe.
What the hell am I doing here? I've never had any trouble getting a woman into her birthday suit, and the women in here have one goal: separate you from as much of your cash as possible by any means necessary.
I'm not dumb enough or drunk enough to invite one to my room.
Especially not when only one woman is worth my attention, and I'm the idiot keeping her at arms length.
I politely excuse myself and walk over to let Bryan know I have a headache—which is true, despite the hard time the guys try to give me.
They're so blasted on whiskey and Dos Equis?, they can hardly stand.
No way they make it through Bryan's "Hangover"-themed bar crawl at this rate.
I push my way out of the club and head back to the hotel.
Thirty minutes later, I've showered, taken two Excedrin, and ordered room service to soak up the liquor currently giving me the spins. I sit on the edge of the bed and grab my cell. I might be a bit drunk, but this call can’t wait. After four rings, I hear her sleep-scratchy voice on the line.
“...Mmm. Hello?” Damn. She sounds half asleep. Maybe I shouldn’t have called at – I look at my watch – one in the morning. I totally forgot about time zones.
“Oh shoot. I didn’t mean to wake you, Maya.” I hear a gasp and then fumbling, like she almost dropped the phone.
“Adam! Uh, no, no. It’s fine. I just fell asleep on the couch. What’s up?”
“I know it’s been a minute…I just had to hear your voice.” I hear her sigh and my chest immediately tightens.
“You could have talked to me when I called before.” I can hear the hurt in her voice. Hurt that I put there.
“I know, babe. I’m sorry. I just needed some time to sort things out.” God, I sound like such a jerk.
"And have you?" she whispers. "Have you sorted things out?"
"I have. That's why I had to call…I missed you." I hear her breath catch, but she stays silent.
“Hmmm.” She seems pissed. Why wouldn't she be after I basically ghosted her at the first sign of trouble? Maybe I should've begged to get back together in person rather than over the phone in the middle of the night. She interrupts my thoughts before I can spiral into full-blown heartbreak.
“I was actually going to try calling you again. I just wanted you to know I started seeing someone.” My heart plummets to my stomach.
Of course she was seeing someone! Could I be any more of a bonehead for waiting so long to make up with her?
I fail miserably at keeping the disappointment out of my voice.
“Oh really? How long have you been seeing each other?” My migraine graduates from splitting to stabbing and I pinch the bridge of my nose.
“It’s only been a couple of weeks, but I feel really good about it.” She actually sounds excited about this guy! If I could go back in time and uninvent phones to prevent this conversation, I would.
“Well…I wish you all the best and I hope he makes you happy. Listen, Maya, I gotta get back to–"
“Adam, wait," she interrupts. "The person I’m seeing is a woman.” That’s a surprise. I knew she was open, but–
“Her name is Dr. Jamison. I’m seeing her to work on some of that baggage you mentioned. She's my therapist.”
For several moments, I'm too stunned to speak. I hadn't meant to make her feel like she was broken. Now, she's seeing a therapist because of something I said.
“Wow." I nervously clear my throat. "Uh…that's great, Maya."
"Thanks," she says, sounding calm and not at all pissed her boyfriend told her to seek professional help.
"You know…you didn’t have to do that just because of what I said,” I say quietly. She just laughs.
“I didn’t. I did it because my insecurities have been weighing me down for long enough. It’s time to see if some professional help can…well, help.” She seems more confident even over the phone. I breathe a huge sigh of relief and can’t wipe the smile off my face.
“Now I really am happy for you. But why did you do that! You knew what it sounded like.” I hear an evil laugh across the line and wish I were there to give her a proper spanking.
“Maybe it was a little petty, but you hurt my feelings when you didn’t answer my calls or come over.” Though it hurt like hell, that's fair. She clears her throat and her voice is much more somber.
“I’m so sorry for not believing you. I could’ve handled that whole situation better.”
“Babe, I’m sorry, too. I never should’ve let it go unresolved for so long.”
“So…What now?" Her voice drops into a sultry range. "Do you want to come over to make up?” More than anything!
“I wish, but I’m stuck in Vegas for Bryan’s bachelor party. I’ll be back in town tomorrow.”
“Oh. OK.” Her pouting is literally audible and it forces a laugh from my chest.
“I’ll be back tomorrow. You know…I was thinking. Would you like to be my date to the wedding?” My invitation is met with silence and the smile falls from my face.
“Are you sure? Won’t it be awkward after the champagne flute incident?” I suppress a laugh. Emily is the only person other than myself who even knows about it, and she might want Maya there more than even me.
“No way. No one will even remember that. And if they do, they can take it up personally with me.” I'll never forget that day because it brought Maya into my life. She giggles and I can finally breathe again. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of her.
“In that case, of course I’ll go with you.”
We settle into an easy conversation and I fall asleep to the sound of her light snoring.