Chapter 31
thirty-one
. . .
Brynnlee
Mindlessly I stirthe creamer in my cup that has already started to cool. My father’s words knock around in my head, as if to remind me that I need to accept them. Refusing to let me forget that Jensen and him shared a conversation I have yet to know the full extent of.
My thoughts run rapidly, questions and an unsettled feeling in my stomach making it hard for me to focus on much of anything else.
Closing my eyes I swear that I can feel his arms around me, his body pressed into mine from behind. The tinkle of his breath against my ears when he whispers to me.
“So glad it’s Sunday,” Taylor enters the kitchen and I jump in surprise when I hear her voice. “Jumpy are we?”
Turning I lift my cup and try not to cringe when I drink the cold coffee. “Just tired.” I am not delusional enough to believe she buys the excuse. Those are the downfalls of having a friend that can read you like a book. To her I am transparent and she sees right through me.
“I think maybe you need to talk to him.” She doesn’t even attempt to play along, but instead goes right for it. I stare at her, unsure of what to say.
“Seriously Brynn, Connor says there is an entire story that needs to be told and that you’ve only been given a small look into the shit show called Chrissy.”
I stare at her in disbelief as she pours herself a cup of coffee then turns to face me.
“Since when do you talk to Connor?”
I suddenly feel like the entire world is going crazy around me. How did I miss this?
“We ran into each other outside of the liquor store. We got to talking, he asked about you. Since you aren’t answering his calls he can’t ask you himself.”
Again I stare, feeling like I don’t actually know my best friend at all.
“We went for coffee.” She looks down as if to avoid my stare and again I say nothing. “Okay and then we ended up back at his place and well.” She allows the explanation to die there and instantly all hope of remaining calm escapes me.
“You slept with him!”
“Have you seen that man?” She smiles, fanning her face.
“Yes, and so have half the women in Chicago.” Taylor has never been shy with her endeavors and she refuses to care what others think. I’m envious of her for that very thing, she is who she is, and if you don’t like it, well you can fuck off.
“He’s very skillful.” She lifts her cup to hide her smile.
“Tay, you do know that he isn’t the kind of guy to settle down.”
“Good because I don’t want to settle down.” Her parents had a horrible marriage. I’ve never seen two people that hated one another more and instead of divorcing they chose to make each other miserable for years. Which meant that Taylor was a witness to all their shit.
“Can we talk about you though, instead of me?” She steps forward and places her cup onto the countertop.
“There is nothing to talk about.” There is so much. But I don’t want to, I just want to forget it all exists and go back to the point in my life where I didn’t feel so torn and twisted.
“There is so much to talk about,” she assures me.
“He’s married, whether it”s a happy marriage or not.” Am I the only person that thinks what he did was fucked up? “What else is there to say?”
“It’s his story.” She shrugs and it only irritates me more. Maybe I’m taking out my frustrations on the wrong person, but she is the one pushing.
“A story he should have told from the start. Him trying to backpedal and make things right now doesn’t change the fact that I’m humiliated. I stood outside that restaurant feeling like I was on top of the world. I’d finally met the guy. Then the next thing I know I’m facing his wife and everything crashed in around me. His wife! There is nothing okay about that, no matter which way you look at it. I am now a mistress to some woman’s husband.”
“Oh sweet sweet friend, you are not a mistress.”
I’m frustrated and pissed. “Then what in the hell am I?” I throw my hands up in the air. My temper is getting the better of me.
“Misinformed.” I wrinkle my forehead in confusion at her words. “Angry. Sad.” With each word she speaks I feel my emotions getting the better of me. “You have every right to be all those things. But you’re also stubborn and all I’m asking is that you please give him a chance.”
“I did!”
“No, you gave him a few minutes in the middle of a loud crowded dance club,” Taylor corrects me. “Give him a real chance to clear some things up. If after that you still don’t want anything to do with him then that is your choice. But you owe it to yourself to get the full truth. Trust me when I say it”s so far from what either of us thought.”
I walkthrough the aisle looking at dress after dress, but not truly seeing them. I left after Taylor and I had our little heart to heart, needing to get out and get some fresh air. I’d hoped to clear my head but thirty minutes in and I’m walking through a department store with no real purpose.
At this point I know I am so far past retail therapy.
“Hello again.” I spin around surprised with the close proximity of someone and come face to face with none other than the woman that took an amazing night and turned it to shit. Honestly though I can’t blame her, she didn’t lie.
“We met.” She tilts her head to the side and fakes a whisper. “When you were out with my husband.”
My stomach drops, and nausea rolls in my stomach.
“Do you make that a habit?” She crosses her arms over her chest. Her enhanced chest becomes more noticeable with her current pose. “Sleeping with married men?”
I look around worried that someone may overhear and she literally laughs.
“Oh, does that embarrass you?” I can’t even get mad at her for her attitude, because I feel like I deserve it. “If you’re embarrassed by your actions then maybe you shouldn’t be screwing men that aren’t available.”
“I didn’t know.” The words rush from me.
“Of course, they all say that.” She lowers her arms to her sides. “You think you’re the first woman he played? Please, you should know that you are nothing special. He’s probably already got your replacement in his bed. Jensen has always had a wandering eye and when we got married he swore to me he’d changed. Yet here we are, me standing in front of one of his many sluts.”
“You don’t know me.” I’d reached my limit and maybe lashing out was wrong but I refused to be ridiculed for a situation I walked into blind. “You want to stand here and throw insults, maybe you need to analyze yourself a little closer. If you were doing everything you should, if you were satisfying your man then he wouldn’t have to go elsewhere to get what you”re lacking.”
Her eyes widen, and I know I’m wrong, no one can control the actions of another, but I refuse to be attacked any longer. I also know with her actions and her need to verbally assault seems off.
“Come at me again, and I can promise you this, I will not be so kind.”
With that I turn and walk out of the department store.
Hailing a cab, I give the driver the address and grab my phone and type out a message to Taylor.
Me: I’ve had enough. This shit ends today!