Chapter 2 #2
“Pull up a seat,” Laike insisted, making sure I understood Collin and I were part of their tribe for the night.
Fuck, I sanded my teeth with the grinding that I couldn’t help. It was a habit as a kid that I’d gotten rid of by the time I was in seventh grade. For it to reappear so abruptly was astounding. I wanted it to stop already.
“If I wanted to hang out with you guys for the night, I would’ve invited you out,” I fussed, pulling out the chair next to Ken to sit.
There was no way I was allowing Collin to take the seat. I preferred it if he pulled up a chair next to Luca. He was somewhat safe over there.
As I rested my bottom in the chair, I could feel Ken’s eyes staring daggers into my cheeks. I could also smell the fresh wood and amber on his skin. He smelled like a slice of heaven, one that I’d never have the opportunity to indulge, but I was okay with that, finally.
“Are you okay?” I leaned over and whispered in Collin’s ear. “They can be a little overbearing.”
“It’s fine. I’m a big brother. I know how it goes. I can handle myself.”
He had no idea, but I’d allow him to think he did.
Luca was hell but Laike was hell on wheels.
And, Ken, he was down for all the shit that Laike forgot to get them into.
The trio was a train wreck waiting to happen.
With them was not how I planned to spend my night, but I’d happily drink until I forgot they were even in the place to ruin my date.
“Let me know if it begins to be too much,” I advised.
“Over here,” Collin beckoned for the waitress with his hand in the air.
I watched Luca watch him as he watched the waitress making her way over to us.
“What will you be having, baby?” Collin asked, gently rubbing my knee.
“Grilled chicken pasta, a glass of water,” Ken started.
“And a dirty martini, extra dry,” Laike concluded.
Collin nodded, impressed with their accuracy. I cringed inside, suddenly hating that they all knew me so well. Prior to tonight, it was adorable. Now, it seemed downright childish. Since my birthday last year, I'd been obsessed with dirty martinis.
As violent as they were in my mouth, I just couldn’t stop ordering them. They made me feel like the rich bitch that I’d always dreamt of being. And thanks to being my family’s accountant along with a select few of their business associates, I had become her.
“She’ll take exactly that, and I will have your parmesan chicken over the bed of rice with a side of broccoli and cobbed corn. To drink, I’ll take a bottle of Opus One.”
“Opus One? The entire bottle?”
“The entire bottle, sweetheart,” Collin clarified.
The eleven hundred dollar wine he’d just ordered would cost him at least fifteen hundred dollars solely because we were at a bar where all the prices were increased by at least twenty percent of retail value. It only increased from there.
“Good taste,” Luca commented, tilting his glass in Collin’s direction.
“Okay. I’ll start working on that right now.”
His orbs were still on me. I could feel his eyes all over my body as my palms became clammy and wet.
I’d clenched my toes to the point of pain – and was ultimately forced to release them.
Every other second, I swallowed a new knot that formed at the back of my throat, refusing to get caught slipping or soundless when it was my turn to speak.
It was detrimental to my pride that Ken understood he hadn’t fazed me with his silence after I’d poured my whole heart out to him.
The lack of reply stung for a bit, but I shook back.
“I’m going to the ladies’ room while we wait for the food,” I announced.
Scccccccrrrr.
Every chair at the table slid from underneath it, each man standing to their feet. With a shake of my head, I watched as they all looked at each other for a solution. Everyone had intentions of seeing me to the restroom, but I didn’t need an escort. Not from the three amigos at least.
“I don’t need an escort to the restroom,” I assured everyone.
Still, no one budged as they waited for me to make a choice.
“Either you’re choosing or we’re choosing for you,” Luca explained.
“Collin,” I said lowly, pulling his hand in the direction of the restroom.
Silently, I rushed through the small crowd to get to the ladies’ room. Once there, I was relieved to see that the line that was usually there wasn’t. I rejoiced as I dropped Collin’s hand and headed inside.
I secured the lock of the single stall restroom and unlocked my cell. Because Ever was one of the only people I communicated with, it wasn’t hard for me to find her contact in my call log. She’d already called me twice, and I’d missed both calls.
“Hey,” she answered.
“Hey. Are the girls asleep?”
“Yes. Everyone is sleeping, and I’m up getting some alone time. Did you get my messages?”
“Yes. I did, and–” I paused, running my fingers through my hair.
I began pacing the small restroom in an attempt to calm my raging heart. The walls felt like they were closing in on me as my temperature began to rise and breathing became a bit more difficult.
“Annnnnnnd?”
“He’s here.”
“He’s where? Where are you?”
“Oat + Olive. And he’s here… with Luca and Laike.”
“Didn’t you have a date with Collin tonight? How’d you end up with Luca and Laike?”
“I am on a date with Collin. We walked in and there they were, with the nerve, to be sitting at the table I reserved for us.”
“Oh my God. They’ve met him?”
“Kind of.”
“What? That’s not fair. I haven’t even met him. What did they say?”
“Laike hates him.”
“Laike hates everybody.”
“Luca is still observant.”
“And Ken?”
“He said I don’t like this nigga before we could even sit down.”
There was silence on the line before Ever burst into a fit of giggles.
As upset as I wanted to be, I couldn’t help but join in.
I had to laugh to keep from crying because seeing Ken made me want to.
My emotions were getting the best of me, but I didn’t have the courage to display them. He didn’t deserve that.
“I’m so sorry, Lyric. I don’t mean to make a mockery of your situation but Ken has no filter. Whatever comes to that head of his comes straight out of his mouth.”
“And to think that’s one of the things I love about his black ass the most. UGH!” I groaned. Why is he here?”
“Maybe to celebrate his release? He did get out today.”
“I knooooooow,” whining, I agreed, “but, why here? They could’ve taken him somewhere else.”
“Oat + Olive is kind of a ritual now. Face it.”
“I’m falling in the same boat as you,” I joked.
“You kind of are, though. The love of your life was just released, you two met up at Oat + Olive, and now you’re in the bathroom. Maybe he will come snatch you up like Luca did me.”
“Can you believe that when I told them I needed to come to the restroom, they all stood up at once? What kind of fuckery is this? And, that’s not the love of my life. I gave him a chance and he blew it.”
“Then, why are you in the restroom whispering on the phone to me instead of standing your ground out there? It’s Ken. A family friend. You’ve been around him all your life. Why are you bothered, suddenly?”
“Shut up.”
“I’m just pointing out the facts, Lyric. It’s okay. Feelings don’t just dissolve because you don’t get a reply to a message. They sit and they fester, and they build even more. When it’s time, you’ll know exactly where to place them.”
“He doesn’t want me,” I reminded her.
“Has he told you that?”
“He didn’t have to. His silence did.”
“You’re reading too much into it.”
“He didn’t give me anything else to read, so he left me no choice but to draw my own conclusion.”
“That’s fair, but I think it’s the wrong conclusion.”
“Well, it’s too late for all of that. Collin has been hinting at us making things official.”
“It’s only been what… a month?”
“Ma’am, let’s not talk about timelines. If fate would’ve had it, you would’ve been pregnant with Luca’s kid after the first time you two fucked. A month is enough time to decide if you want to make things official with someone you’ve been seeing consistently.”
“So, yeah. You got me there.”
“Mrs. Two years, two children.”
“Be quiet!”
“I’m just saying. Anyway, I need to get back out there before they come looking for Collin thinking he’s kidnapped me.”
“Call me in the morning?” Ever asked.
“Yeah. I’ll call you in the morning.”
“I love you, and I know you’ve got this.”
“I love you, too. Kiss the babies for me.”
I cleaned my hands and made my exit. Collin was standing in the hallway waiting patiently for me. When he noticed me approaching, his lips curled into a smile.
“You ready?”
“Yes,” I answered, taking him by the hand and leading the way again.
When we arrived at the table, our food and drinks had come.
“That was quick,” Collin praised, obviously impressed.
“Would you like for me to open your bottle,” the waitress asked. The bucket of ice sat in front of her and next to Collin.
“Please,” he insisted.
It was always between pasta and wings for me. On a decent, chill night I would’ve chosen the hot wings over the pasta, but tonight was supposed to be date night. Oat + Olive’s pasta had been on my mind all day long. Without hesitation, I dug into my helping.
I wasn’t sure if I was on beat and neither did I care.
The liquor was flowing through my system, and I was having the time of my life.
Collin stood closely behind me as I grinded my bottom into his slacks.
I couldn’t miss the knot that hardened as the songs continued to play and my ass continued grinding into him.
We’d traded our seats at the table with the three musketeers for two seats at the bar so that we could be alone.
Between Laike’s lack of couth and Ken’s unwavering gaze, I couldn’t catch a break.
Though I didn’t want to leave altogether, I had to put some distance between us all.
The second I finished my serving of pasta, I demanded Collin and I relocate.
“You’re barking up the wrong tree,” Collin leaned over and whispered in my ear.
Turning around and wrapping my arms around his neck, I teased. “Am I?”