Chapter 59
Fifty-Nine
Tedi
There’s a knock on my door, so I stop in my second bedroom and peek my head in. “Are you ready?”
“Just grabbing my lip gloss,” Lyric says with a smile. She looks beautiful in the dress that Eloise picked out when I told her Lyric was flying in from New York to be Tweetie’s date to the gala.
“You look great. I’ll get the door.” My heels hang off my fingers as I pad across my apartment and open the door.
The girls all thought I was crazy when I first mentioned Lyric being Tweetie’s date. Tweetie isn’t exactly on board either, but he needs some kind of cover after he put that picture of my tattoo on his socials. And Lyric is my best friend in New York, and I trust her implicitly. She knows my past with Tweetie, and I’ve filled her in on everything going on. She’s more than happy to help us.
I swing the door open and have to hold back a gasp. Tweetie looks so handsome in his tuxedo. His normally wild tresses have been slicked back off his face. He takes his time taking me in, his eyes slowly roaming over my body and back up.
Then his smile drops. “I don’t like this.” He steps into my apartment.
I look down at my dress. “That wasn’t exactly the reaction I was going for.” I blow out a breath, shutting the door before a hand pops out and stops it.
“He made me wait down the hall because, to quote him, ‘I wasn’t gonna see his hot-ass girlfriend before him.’” Decker steps into my apartment, shoving his hands into his pockets.
“Thank you again for doing this,” I say to Decker, then eye Tweetie, who shakes his head. His mouth is a tight line.
“Sure, and don’t worry, I was already given the rules on the way up,” Decker says.
“What rules?” I ask, looking at Tweetie again.
“No dancing. No touching. Definitely no kissing. Not even on the cheek. Honestly, I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to act like we’re two awkward teenagers at a church retreat.” Decker looks at Tweetie. “Did I cover it?”
“Tedi,” Tweetie whines.
I walk over to him and wind my arms around his neck. “You look very handsome.” I kiss him.
Tweetie unwinds my arms, taking my hand, and tugs me down the hall. He doesn’t give an explanation to Decker as he leads me to my bedroom, shutting the door behind us. He sits on the edge of my bed. “I don’t like this.”
I sit next to him and place my hand on his thigh. “It’s one night, and it’s not like we’re not going to be together. We can be the foursome who are stuck together like glue.”
“Do you really expect me not to touch you?” His eyes narrow. “And seriously, look at what you’re wearing. My dick is already at half salute.”
I giggle, and he growls. “It’s kind of a turn-on when you get all broody. I think it’s because you’re usually not like that.”
He stands and shakes his head. “Please, Tedi, let’s just say fuck all this and run away together.”
I meet him in the middle of the room. Picking up his hands, I place them on my hips and fiddle with his tie. “I’m yours. Just remember that tonight. I’m coming home with you. You’re going to be the one who unzips this dress. The one who watches it fall to the floor. The only one who will know what my skimpy black thong looks like. You’ll be the one who gets to kiss every inch of my skin.” I rise on my toes and kiss him. “Only you.”
He blows out a breath and seems to calm a little.
“Now, how do I look?” I do a little twirl.
“Breathtaking.”
I smile and tilt my head. “There you go. Thank you. Come on. Let’s just get this thing over with so we can come back here.”
“How skimpy is the thong?” he asks when I open the door.
“Would you rather I go without?”
“Fuck no, because then I’ll out us before we even get into the venue.”
I laugh and take his hand, pulling him across my apartment.
Lyric is already out of the bedroom. She and Decker stand awkwardly by the kitchen island.
“Okay, Tweetie, here’s your date and my friend, Lyric.” I bring Tweetie to my side and display my hands like Vanna White. “Lyric, Tweetie Sorenson.”
Tweetie gives her a nod. “Don’t touch me tonight.”
“Well, this is going to be fun.” She eyes Decker before grabbing her coat off the hook by the front door. “At least I got a great dress out of it.” She shoots me a reassuring smile.
I gave her the whole lowdown of how Tweetie’s not really on board with this fake date thing so she could be understanding when his rare bear side emerges.
I slip my shoes on, and Tweetie grabs my coat, holding it out for me. “Thanks.” I give him a smile.
The entire time walking out of my apartment and climbing into the car Tweetie ordered for us tonight, Tweetie is tense. His back is straight, and he’s not nearly the charming guy he normally is.
Part of me feels guilty. “If you’d rather not do this?—”
He holds up his hand. “It’s fine. You’re not going to lose your job because of me,” he grumbles.
“I’d rather lose my job than make you this uncomfortable.”
He takes my hand and squeezes it. “It’s one night.”
I look at Decker. “Keep Lyric company if this one abandons her”—I nod in Tweetie’s direction—“and I get pulled off to chat about something work-related, okay?” I don’t want her to have a shitty time. Plus, maybe Decker and Lyric will hit it off.
Decker nods, a half-smile forming as though he might like that idea.
We pull up to the venue, and I give Tweetie one more long kiss, then rub my lipstick from his lips. “I love you.”
I move to get out of the car, but Tweetie tightens his grip on me. I turn around and he releases a long breath, then lets go of my hand. “I love you so much.”
“I know,” I say.
The door opens, and I accept a hand from the driver and step out of the limo. Decker steps out after me, and I hook my arm through his, the two of us walking into the venue.
We manage to get through the doors and check our coats before someone grabs my hand and turns me around.
“Saige!” I smile at my oldest friend and look around, noticing the rest of our friends from Florida.
She tugs me away from the group. “Yeah, yeah, you can say your hellos after you tell me what the hell is going on.”
“Tweetie!” the Florida guys all shout.
I take one glimpse over my shoulder to see he’s left Lyric with Decker, and he’s being swarmed by all of his old teammates. Then my gaze snags on Kane and Jana, standing off to the side and watching it all. I really hope they can mend this rift at some point.
Saige tugs me away from the group. “What is going on? Please explain to me why Tweetie is posting a picture of your tattoo. Are you guys back together? I’m assuming no since he showed up with some blonde on his arm?” She crosses her arms, her eyes spitting fire.
“You look gorgeous,” I say.
She nods, then glares. “Start talking.”
I laugh and tell her we’re back together and everything that happened to get us there. Then I explain the Bud thing and how I don’t want to lose my job.
I don’t bring up the fact that if Tweetie continues to play, there’s really only one way we can be together. I might have a tough decision to make. There’s no way I’m doing long distance again.
“I cannot believe you made him bring a date.” Saige rolls her eyes. “Tedi, all that shit that you went through.”
I shake my head. “I know. But honestly, I can’t explain it. Maybe I’ve matured, or maybe it’s because there’s been all this time…” I would never betray Tweetie and tell anyone about his past or his journals. But that was a huge part of why I’m okay with this plan. I don’t think he’d ever jeopardize us. “I think this is it for us. It’s our time. I don’t have those insecurities anymore. I know that man is as committed to me as I am to him. We just have some things we have to figure out before we can tell the world.”
She pulls me into an embrace.
“You’re going to mess up my hair.” I tighten my arms around her, and we hold one another for a minute.
“I’m so happy for you. I’m happy for him. I’m happy for both of you.” She pulls back, tears in her eyes.
Someone clears their throat next to us.
We both turn to see Tweetie.