Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
DEIDRE
I can’t believe that I was drunk texting Luke last night.
My stomach flips as my eyes read the different messages that we sent.
There were a few times when it seemed like I initiated flirting.
Luke was deliberately doing it back. I’m so confused right now.
What I want is changing and it scares the crap out of me.
The attempted rape is taking on new meaning for me and what I want for my app users and business.
The trick is getting my marketing team to understand and take action sooner rather than later.
As the next few weeks pass, I’m either at an event for work or traveling to and from one.
Tony seems a bit more attentive to my safety, which makes me wonder if he knows or suspects something happened.
Being around strangers, particularly men, is easier, especially knowing that Tony is only a few feet away.
The oddness between Luke and me seems to fade with distance and time.
We’re back to our normal conversations that can range from something in-depth to something that would make no sense to outsiders.
There are a few times I think he’s flirting, but I could be wrong.
We miss each other for several weeks. There comes a point where I toy with the idea of going up to visit him.
I think better of it, not wanting to be around an area that has so many bad memories.
Going back to visit, and someone seeing me, would not be good.
I need my friend, but there’s another part of me that wants to see if there could be something more.
Flirt continues to increase in users and profits as Victoria has me partake in two different social events to boost attention this week. I make a few suggestions to Victoria regarding making alterations to marketing or the kind of events and parties I attend, but she ignores me.
Anytime I leave the house, Tony is with me.
We’ve found our groove, which is great. While at a restaurant with my Dad and Irene, who I haven’t seen for almost six weeks, I start to have a panic attack.
Someone recognizes me. It’s not long before people are coming at me in every direction.
It all becomes a blur. It’s not until I’m in the car, trying to control my breathing, that Tony inquires about what happened.
I brush it off as having watched a scary movie recently.
This isn’t the first time I’ve been sought after in large or small areas.
Hating what this is doing to me, I ask Tony for any recommendations on where to learn self-defense.
He presses to know the reason for my sudden interest. I state that aside from it being a skill that I should have, it’s also a good workout.
Plus, I’m trying to decide if there’s a way we can connect self-defense and the app for our female users.
Tony’s expression is skeptical, but he doesn’t push and makes several suggestions.
No one other than Luke knows about my attacker at the party.
I know I should confide in a female about this, especially Mandy, but I’m not sure how to bring it up.
She would freak out at the fact that it happened, and I didn’t tell her right away.
She’d also say something to Tony, Victoria, and my dad.
When I start my first private self-defense lessons, the relief sets in. It’s like the instructor can tell there was an incident and knows just what to say or do to help me establish control and confidence. I’m sure that what helps the most is that my instructor is a woman.
By our third week of training, she has one of her male teachers assist. When the male instructor moves to pretend to come after me, I freak out.
My teacher gives me a break, and not long after a few gulps of water, she inquires about it.
From the way she speaks, it’s as if she already knows what happened to me.
She shifts training tactics, easing back into a male being my attacker for me to feel safe.
Right as my current lesson ends, my phone vibrates with a text message.
Hey, Tyson.
Hey, Busta.
Have any plans this weekend?
My heart skips a beat while dread simultaneously creeps in due to it being that time of the month as of yesterday. I need to keep this relaxed and not weird.
Maybe
I’m coming down for work.
Really!
Mental note: I need to sound less excited.
Yep. You free?
I’m sure I can get myself out of an event.
Good. I’m all yours.
How long?
There he is with the possible flirting thing.
How long are you staying?
The weekend. But….
But?
I’ll be back every weekend for at least a month or two.
Me: Really?
Yep. See you in a few days.
See you
“Good news?” Tony asks with a smirk.
“What? No.”
He chuckles and opens the car door. “Your smile says otherwise.”
“Shut up.”
He closes the door and gets behind the wheel. “Is Luke coming back?”
“I don’t pay you to be nosey.”
“Yes, you do,” he laughs. “Especially when it pertains to where you are and who you’re with.”
I don’t comment, knowing he’s calling me out. My head bobs once, and Tony’s smirk widens.
“Has he kissed you yet?”
I point my finger at him. “That is an inappropriate question from someone who works for me.”
“It’s not inappropriate. If you’re interested in him and want to hide such a thing, you’ll attempt to sneak off.”
I scoff. “I’m not a child.”
“Your safety is my priority, Deidre. That includes any guy, asshole or not. Women do rash things when emotional.”
“We do not,” I balk.
He closes the car door without another word.
As Tony drives, I scour my phone for options for things to do with Luke.
While doing so, I concoct several excuses that could get me out of at least one of the promotions Victoria wants me to attend.
I try to coordinate if there are any festivals or small events that I think he’d enjoy, as well as what’s happening at any of the locations that he marked on Flirt that he wants to see.
I know that there’s a good chance that we will not see everything, but I’d rather know our options.
Luke’s pretty easygoing. My search for things to do continues well past me getting home.
“What’s up?” Mandy asks, plopping on my bed as I stand with wet hair and only a bra and panties on.
“Nothing. Why?”
“You’re planning outfits,” she says. “So I know there’s an event, a cute guy you want to impress, or both.”
“No. I’m just seeing which things I’ve bought from your store that I haven’t worn yet and should.”
“Stop lying to me, bitch,” Mandy laughs. She looks at Vix, who’s chewing on her bone. “Mommy thinks I’m stupid.”
“No, I don’t,” I reply, watching her through the mirror.
“Then, tell me the truth.”
I hesitate for a second, not sure what to tell her.
“Holy fuck!” she exclaims. “You’re going home to surprise Luke!”
“No,” I laugh.
Mandy ponders while I remain quiet. “He’s coming here!”
“Yeah,” I say quicker than I’d like.
“Oh, you like him,” she goads. “You so like him more than you’ll ever admit.”
“No.”
“Bullshit, bitch,” she taunts. “Luke and Deidre sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g.”
I throw a shoe at her. “Shut up.”
“More like f-l-i-r-t-i-n-g.” She wiggles her eyebrows. “Are you going to finally pop the friend cherry?”
“The what?!”
“The friend cherry…as in have sex with him,” she explains.
“No.”
“You want to,” Mandy speculates. “It’s obvious.”
“It’s nothing like that. Besides….”
“Besides what?” Mandy asks when I hesitate.
“Even if I did consider it,” I start, cutting her off before she gets to say anything. “It’s not like it could happen anyway.”
“Why not?” she whines.
I glare at her.
“Dang,” she huffs. “When did it start?”
“Two days ago.”
Mandy sighs. “That means mine’s starting soon.”
“I’m feeling extra bloated this time,” I mention, looking at myself in the mirror.
“So you do want to impress him.”
“No,” I lie.
“See if he’ll stay a few days extra. You know…so you can have lots more fun together.”
“You’re nasty.”
“You like it,” she taunts. “And you want him.”
“Do not.”
“First of all…I know you’ve considered it,” she claims. “And second, Luke totally wants you.”
“No, he doesn’t.”
“Dei, have you not seen the way he looks at you?” she asks. “Luke can barely take his eyes off of you when you’re in the room. He’s got the look of trying to fight off a constant boner.”
As much as I want to confess to her that I want to sleep with Luke, I can’t. Mandy has a big mouth. I know she’d just make it weirder between Luke and me if he’s here. She’d even slip and say something to my brother the next time I’m on video chat with him.
“When’s he coming?” she asks.
“Tomorrow.”
“So eager to get back to you,” she teases. “The man has it bad. He wants to dip his stick in you.”
“You’re gross.”
“And you get hot just thinking about it,” she goads.
“Do not,” I lie.
* * *
It’s odd how the inspiration can come all of a sudden—from a workout, the need to avoid something, or your period.
I text Victoria that I can’t make it to the party tonight.
She calls back immediately, but when I tell her what I’m doing, she grants me the time to finish.
It’s a little white lie. She thinks I’m working on the app that will work in tandem with Flirt .