Chapter Seven
Kami
“ O h, c’mon, it’s not that bad,” Kiera defends herself after I point out she has more stuff now than when she moved in. Boxes upon boxes that take up over half her room and some of the hallway. Her compact car is holding a third of it all.
“It is if you can’t fit it all in your car,” I point out.
“You’d be having the same problem if you were me, little Miss Shoe Whore.” She sends me a dubious stare.
She has a point. “That’s fair.”
She shrugs her shoulders. “I expected to make multiple trips anyway.”
This time with her, though sweat-inducing, is bittersweet. To think she’ll be moved out by Wednesday is hard to believe. But as sad as it is to see her go, I know she’s happy being with the love of her life.
“I’m going to miss my bestie living with me.” I pout, pulling her into a tight hug.
She sniffles. “I’m going to miss you, too, but I’ll only be fifteen minutes away, and you’ll see me at work. It’s not like I’ll never see you again.”
“True. It just won’t be the same.”
“Agreed. It won’t.” She gives a teary-eyed expression before turning her focus back on her things. “I’m starting to think I have more clothes than the average celebrity.”
“Don’t worry; we’ll figure it out.”
“Speaking of figuring things out, Mia tells me she saw you and Ian were deep in conversation at the party. What’s happening there?”
I wave off her question a little too casually. “That was nothing.”
“Nothing” is the understatement of the century right now. After last night, I’m embarrassed to say the least. Instead of the face-off like I was planning, he disarmed me in a matter of a few words and caresses. What is that? How does he keep doing that? What’s even worse is that I can’t help but imagine him when using my battery-operated boyfriend. I’m losing my grip, and he knows it.
Maybe some more time avoiding him will help straighten things out.
“I don’t know. He kept a watchful eye on you during the party,” she reminds me.
He did?
No. Stop getting distracted. I try to stop myself from blushing. “That still doesn’t change anything.”
Kiera sends a knowing glance. “Then what happened between you two in the kitchen? Mia told me the conversation looked…cozy. Whatever that means.”
My mind rushes back to his gentle caress over my face. His large hands around my waist. That same warm flush sizzles through my veins. Can’t my libido quiet down for one second?
I’m about to give Kiera the same spiel I did last week when I hear my phone ring. Plucking the phone from off the kitchen table, I look at the caller ID. I don’t recognize the number.
“Huh, must be a telemarketer,” I mutter, rejecting the call.
I start to walk off when I hear the phone ding. Whoever this person is, they left a voicemail.
Out of curiosity, I open my phone, scrolling to the most recent voicemail. I play the message, and press the phone up against my ear.
“Hey, Kami, it’s Ian.”
What the hell? How did he get my number?
“Just letting you know your mom called, and if she asks, we’re together, in love, and coming to Abilene for Thanksgiving. Good luck!” The message ends, and I stand there frozen in shock.
Mom? Together? In love? Thanksgiving? The realization hits me like a truck the moment I process what he just said. Oh, my god. What did he do?
Somewhere between panic and rage grows inside me. Did he do the very thing I think he did and told him not to do? I clench my hands into fists. “I’m going to kill him.”
“Who are you killing?” Kiera asks as she walks into the kitchen. “Kami, you don’t usually condone violence after five thirty,” she jokes.
I hand her the phone. “You asked what was up between Ian and me? Well, get a load of this.”
As she listens, I watch her go wide-eyed. “Guess that explains why Jonathan asked for your number.”
I shoot my bestie a shocked glare. “You gave Ian my phone number?”
“Not directly, but yes. I had no idea something like this would happen. Why would Ian say to your mom he’s in a relationship with you?”
Why would Ian lie to my mom? How did she contact him? I sigh, starting to put two and two together. “It’s because he’s covering for me.”
“Why would he be covering for you? What for?”
I spend the next few minutes telling my bestie about the phone calls with my sister and mom last night and how Ian heard everything.
“I lied to my mom about being in a relationship. She probably saw your post on Insta with all of us, including Ian, and must have connected the dots from there since she knows about everyone else but him. Exactly why he went along with it…I don’t know. I wish he hadn’t.”
“So he heard everything?”
I nod. “Even offered to help, but I told him no.”
Kiera chuckles. “The balls on him.”
To anyone on the outside looking in, it’s obvious he’s got tenacity for what, or rather who, he wants. But that doesn’t help me in my current situation. “Stupid is what he is.”
“I think it shows how far he’s willing to go to get your attention,” she states. “It’s almost…romantic.”
“He’s being an idiot.”
“If it’s any consolation, he did give you a heads-up.”
“Yes, but now he’s put me between a rock and a hard place.”
If I don’t take him home, she’ll know something is up. But if I do bring him, when I still can’t figure out how I feel, I don’t know if I can control myself from tackling him onto my bed and have him thrust balls-deep inside me again.
I shiver in delight at the possibility. Feels so good, but so… No, wait, stop it, Kami.
I’m about to open my mouth to protest when I hear my phone go off again. It’s my mother. I groan. Can this day get any worse?
He did warn you…
I accept the call. “Hi, Mom.”
“ Mija , I just got off the phone with Ian. Why didn’t you tell me about him sooner? He’s such a gentleman. A keeper, for sure. Six months, and you two didn’t post once about your relationship?” I hear the smile in her voice.
I do my best to hide the anger, gripping the phone tighter. How easy it would be to discredit him yet so damaging to me as well.
“I wanted to make sure it was serious between us, but yeah, he’s so…wonderful. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without him.” My voice is cheerful, but my facial expression remains flat.
“And just so you know, you might be ending this Thanksgiving with a little souvenir on your finger.”
The hell I am. Who does he think he is for giving my mother false hope for a proposal?
“Time will tell.” That bozo has a lot of explaining to do.
“Trust me, I have a good feeling about this one. Let me know soon when you plan to drive down here.”
“Will do, Mom. Talk to you soon.” I end the call and turn to Kiera. “I’ll be right back.”
I must look like I want to kill something because then she grabs my arm. “What are you going to do?”
“I won’t be gone long. I just need to go kick Ian’s ass and give him a piece of my mind.”
I pull from her grasp, not looking back as I grab my purse and keys.
I drive into the Brick’s parking lot a few minutes later. I storm inside the building, and quickly spot Ian behind the bar. I make my way toward him.
He stares, smirking. “Sweetheart, to what do I—”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I yell at him, not caring about the confused stares from other customers.
“Why don’t we talk about this somewhere more private?” He indicates the door leading to an office.
I let him escort me inside the cramped office, and he shuts the door behind him.
“Are you fucking crazy?”
“For you? Most definitely, but not usually.”
I scoff. “Don’t be cute.”
He crosses his beefy arms over his muscular chest, every ridge and vein prominent. My mouth waters at the sight.
“I’m being honest.” His expression is casual.
“Being honest? Okay, then please explain to me why you told my mother you were my boyfriend.”
“I only told her what she wanted to hear.” He smiles smugly.
I shake my head. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
“And what, out your little lie? I didn’t think you’d appreciate me doing that.”
“Look, I appreciate you covering for me, but why did you say you were my boyfriend?”
“Because I like you. Why did you lie to your mom?”
Because I was tired of being lectured about my fertility. Because I’d rather lie to her than admit I don’t want to end up like her. There are too many reasons for me to lie. In fact, she is the very reason I’d rather be alone for the rest of my life. He wouldn’t understand.
I shake my head. “You’re an asshole, you know that?”
“Maybe so, but for the next month, I’m your asshole.”