More Than Friends Page 7

  “Well, I was hoping you would have replied to my texts from earlier about lunch, but you left me hanging so I’m putting you on the spot. What do you say?” He looks hopeful. I look at the ground and worry my lip. His large index finger reaches under my chin and lifts it to meet his burning gaze.

  “Chloe, it’s just lunch, sweetheart. I don’t want more than you’re ready to give. Well, I do but I’m not the asshole that’s gonna push you into it. I may test the limits but I will never do it to make you uncomfortable. Have lunch with me. Just friends. You and me. A guy and a girl. Say yes.” The butterflies in my stomach are going bat-shit crazy.

  “All right.” The word comes out a whisper but his smile tells me he heard me.

  “Come on, let’s get back and then we’ll decide where to go. Sound good?” he asks.

  We walk out of the playground side by side and he says, “Well, let’s go pokey.” I nod and we pick up our pace, jogging back to my place.

  Neither of us says anything on the way home. I catch myself looking over at Skye on several occasions. He notices as well. “Hey! Quit eye-fucking me! You’re making me self-conscious!”

  My jaw goes slack and my steps fumble. I can feel my face turn crimson. “I was NOT eye-fucking you!”

  “You so were! And just so you know, you can eye-fuck me anytime you want.” He winks and I roll my eyes, picking up my speed and leaving him behind me by a couple of steps.

  We resume our comfortable silence and stay like that all the way to the apartment building. When we get to the door I look at Skye. “Um, my friend Sara will be here so just be prepared for anything. She’s kind of unpredictable that way.”

  “It’s cool.” He shrugs and we enter the building.

  Running with Skye was pleasant. He ran quietly beside me, content with just being there. I actually enjoyed his company, which isn’t surprising since he’s so laid back. Wearing nothing but his running sneakers, sweat pants, and a smile, Skye is gorgeous. I want to lick every inch of his hard, well-defined, and sweat-covered body.

  We enter the building and walk the three flights to my door. I hear a muffled voice singing through the wooden barrier. “Reckon she’s up,” I say as I open the door.

  The smell of coffee and the sounds of cabinets being opened and closed come from the kitchen. I’m not a coffee drinker, but I keep some here for Sara and Tom. “Sara!” I shout.

  “Yo,” she responds.

  Skye closes the door as I walk into the kitchen. Skye trails behind me and gives her a friendly smile. She returns the gesture.

  Sara is unusually quiet as she rounds the bar and moves to the living room. This usually means she’s plotting something and the thought makes me uneasy.

  As if she hears my thoughts, she yells from the living room, “Chloe?”

  “Yeah?” I shout back.

  “Are we dead? Is this heaven?”

  And there it is. My mouth drops and I’m sure my eyes are as big as saucers. “Why the hell would you even say that?” I ask her. Laughter explodes from Skye’s chest and my insides tingle a little bit.

  “Well–” she says, like it’s completely obvious and that she’s not clinically insane, “–you can’t tell me you don’t see that angel standing beside you.” She points at Skye.

  “What the fuck are you on? He is definitely no angel. This is Skye.” I turn to a still laughing Skye. “Skye, this is my nut job of a friend, Sara.”

  He composes himself enough to tell Sara, “hey,” and then plops down next to her at the end of the couch.

  Sara, never being one to hold her damn devil tongue, looks me dead in the face and says, “This is the same guy from last night, right?” Immediately my face goes red. I hate her.

  Skye laughs again and looks at her with a grin that I wish he would reserve only for me. “I sure hope so. If not, I don’t think my ego would be able to handle it.” He looks at me and winks. I definitely need new friends.

  Skye seems amused by the conversation. Rolling my eyes, I turn to go shower because I know that delving into this topic further is going to be a bad idea. “I’m going to take a shower. Skye, you’re welcome to wait here.” He smiles and says he’ll wait.

  The minute I’m out of sight, my good-for-nothing friend opens her big ass trap. “You have a nice ass. I bet you’re a stud in bed.”

  That’s it. I can’t take it anymore and I don’t give a shit how childish attacking my friend will make me look. She has to shut her damn mouth. Before she can see it coming, I get a running start and dive on her.

  Digging my fingers into her ribs, I scream at her. “Why do you always have to run your damn mouth?” She’s laughing and screaming for me to stop and, remembering Skye is sitting next to us, I let her up.

  The smug look on Skye’s face tells me he is about to comment on what just took place. “Please don’t stop on my account. I always did love a good tickle fight. What’s next? Pillow fights in our underwear?”

  Sara and I burst out laughing. “Okay, you idiots,” I say. “I’m going to shower. Sara, keep your dick sucker shut while I’m gone.”

  “Yes, boss.” She mimes zipping her lips and throwing away the key. Nothing good can come of them being alone. NOTHING!

  I have to hear what they say about me, so I run into the bathroom and cut the shower on. I run back to my bedroom door and quietly sit on the floor, pressing one ear as close as I can to the cold wood and plugging the other with my finger to block out other noises. Sara probably knows that I’m sitting here listening. She may be mental, but the girl knows me better than anyone else.

  I hear her warn him not to hurt me and my heart swells with love for her, but Skye interrupts my fond thoughts of Sara. “First, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted her. Second, you tell me who mistreated her and I can guarantee they’ll never do it again.”

  Oh, Sara. Please don’t do it. “Todd,” I hear her answer.

  When Skye finally speaks, his voice sounds menacing. “Well, I’m not him. I know how special she is. I’ve loved her since eleventh grade. I don’t plan on doing anything other than loving her with everything I have, and he will never get close enough to her to hurt her again.”

  Say what? Where was I? Love was not the vibe I was getting in eleventh grade. As awful as this sounds, I am so glad he never approached me with that back then.

  “Can you give me a little back story?” I hear Skye ask Sara. Oh God. I pray she doesn’t say anything and just lets the past stay there. Why is it that I’m trying to move forward and everyone keeps pulling me back?

  “I can’t tell you all of her past. That’s for her to share with you, but what I can tell you is that her mom was shit, her dad was shit, and every asshole boyfriend she’s ever had was shit. Now things aren’t so shitty for her, so don’t play games with her and fuck that up, mkay?” I inhale sharply at her crass words.

  I think I'm in the clear until Mouth of the South speaks again. “It really is a sad situation,” she tells him. “And I’m glad she’s gotten herself out of it. I just wish he would move on. He really scares me. I’ve been trying to get her to move in with me forever, but she insists she’s fine and wants to live on her own. She’s so fucking stubborn.” She and I are going to have to have a little talk about boundaries.

  I spend the next twenty minutes listening to Skye tell the highlights of his life and then the room goes quiet. I hear footsteps coming down the hall and they stop right outside my door. “Chloe?” Skye’s voice breaks the silence.

  “Yeah?” I answer on my way back to the shower.

  “I’m going to run to my place to take a shower and I’ll be back in say...thirty. We’re still on for lunch, right?”

  “Yeah, that sounds good. Tell Sara to lock up if she leaves, please.” Honestly, I don’t want to go anywhere for lunch. I’ve lost my appetite, but I keep that to myself.

  “See ya in a little bit,” he says to the closed door.

  I hear the front door open and close again. I take my time going
through my shower routine since I have someone to primp for. I want to make sure I do it right.

  Chloe finally leaves the room to shower. Sara and I sit side by side, neither of us saying a word, but when we hear the shower running, she turns to me.

  Pointing a red manicured finger in my face, she says¸ “Be careful with her. Chloe acts like a hard-ass, but she is the sweetest, most caring person I know. She’s been dragged through the damn dirt from here to hell and back. I know what happened with y’all last night at BAR and she doesn’t ever, ever do stuff like that, so you better treat her like the fucking goddess she is.”

  I know Sara isn’t directly upset with me. She’s just looking out for her friend. I haven’t seen Chloe in a long time, but she’s always been kind and generous. I want to ask for more information but first I need to explain my side of this story. “First, you have no idea how long I have wanted her. Second, you tell me who mistreated her and I can guarantee they’ll never do it again.” I already know the answer to my question before I ask it.

  “Todd,” Sara says, proving my intuition right.

  My teeth and fists clench to the point of pain. “Well, I’m not him. I know how special she is. I’ve loved her since eleventh grade. I don’t plan on doing anything other than loving her with everything I have, and he will never get close enough to her to hurt her again.”

  Sadness takes over Sara’s demeanor. “Good luck with that. The chick is one hard nut to crack. You may have gotten in her circle, but getting into her heart will be the hard part. Todd did a number on her and I don’t know if she’ll ever get over that.”

  “Can you give me a little back story?” I don’t want Sara to betray Chloe by telling me stuff she shouldn’t, but I need to know.

  “I can’t tell you all of her past. That’s for her to share with you, but what I can tell you is that her mom was shit, her dad was shit, and every asshole boyfriend she has ever had was shit. Now things aren’t so shitty for her, so don’t fuck that up, mkay?” We both stop talking and look at the other, silently confirming the low, muffled hissing sound coming from down the hall.

  Sara smiles and continues, “It really is a sad situation, and I’m glad she’s gotten herself out of it. I just wish he would move on. He really scares me. I’ve been trying to get her to move in with me forever, but she insists she’s fine and wants to live on her own. She’s so fucking stubborn.” She stops talking and I think she may say more, but she doesn’t. I can’t help but feel disappointed.

  We are both quiet for a while. I realize this is where I need to put myself out there. If anyone can help me get close to Chloe, it’s Sara.

  “My parents were like that, too. My dad died and my mom became a fuckin’ junkie. Eventually that’s what killed her. But before my dad died, he was an asshole. In public, he was a devoted husband and father and my mother was Suzie-fucking-homemaker. Behind closed doors, though, he used her like a punching bag and she just took it. I’m nothing like them or Todd. I will protect her with every last breath I have. I love Chloe. Always have; always will. Whether she knows it or not, she’s a part of me. I loved her when she was overweight and I love her now. All I want is to be with her every second of every day for the rest of our lives.”

  Tears are forming in Sara’s eyes. When the first one slides down her cheek, she leans over and hugs me tight. “Where the fuck have you been all this time?”

  “Savannah,” I say jokingly.

  She laughs and says, “Well, I’m glad you’re back and I’m so happy you’re in her life now.”

  “Me, too,” I sigh.

  “Well, enough of this sappy shit,” she says. “Are you going to be at BAR tonight?”

  “Yeah, we’re playing again.”

  “Good, maybe you can get Chloe on stage. I love hearing her sing.” I give her a confused look but she doesn’t elaborate. “I guess I’ll see you there, rock star,” she says as she walks to the kitchen.

  I decide to shower at my place and let Chloe know my plan. Her door is closed and I’m positive she was just sitting on the other side of it listening to us. After a moment, I hear the shower curtain rustling.

  “Chloe,” I say as I knock on her bedroom door.

  “Yeah?” she calls back.

  “I’m going to run to my place to take a shower and I will be back in say... thirty. We’re still on for lunch, right?”

  “Yeah. That sounds good. Tell Sara to lock up if she leaves, please,” she replies.

  I leave the hall and enter the living room. “I’m gonna head up to my apartment and grab a shower. You gonna be here when I get back?” I ask Sara.

  “Yeah,” she simply states.

  “See ya in a few then.” I leave the apartment and jog up the few flights of stairs to my own apartment. I’m excited about spending more time with Chloe, even if I am in the friend zone. I can deal with that, because sweet Sara, my new best friend, just gave me a small sliver of hope.

  I jog up the flights of stairs taking two at a time. I feel like I’ve been in this stairwell more than I’ve been home. I hope that Tom’s not at the apartment again. I think about the conversation he and I had when I came home last night. There’s something going on with him and I don’t know if I want to be anywhere near what he may have going on. I relive the conversation between the two of us searching for any clues as to how deep this dude really is.

  I enter the apartment and my eyes scan the living room. I quickly recognize Tom sitting on the couch. “Sup, man?” He jumps slightly and peers up at me. His eyes are bloodshot. He’s wearing the same rumpled clothes from last night and his hands are shaking in his lap. His entire demeanor is off and all my red flags are flying.

  “Hey, man. How’s Chloe?” he asks.

  “She’s good, man. Why? What’s up?”

  “I knew this shit would happen.” He runs his hands over his face, through his hair, and sniffs the air. What the fuck is he talking about?

  “What?” I question him.

  “Nothing, man. Just thinking out loud.” Tom stands.

  “Na, man. Say what you were going to say.”

  With a heavy sigh Tom says, “Well, Todd’s been stalking her for a while. I usually run interference before he gets close to her. I knew it was a matter of time, though. All I can see when I close my eyes is the look in her fucking eyes when he had her by the arm. Fuckin’ kills me.”

  “Does she know he’s been stalking her? What’s their story, anyway?” I ask.

  “No, I don’t want her to worry so I haven’t told her. She’s been through enough. And no offense man, but that’s her story to tell. Just know it’s not a good one.” When he says this, my chest constricts and my fists ball with fury. Whatever happened between them isn’t good.

  “Well, I’m going to try to talk her today to see if she’ll open up. If he’s been stalking her, you need to let her know. Maybe we can talk her into getting a restraining order or something.”

  “That would probably be for the best.” He looks at the floor, then back to me with deep, concerned eyes. “Not to change the subject, but I wanted to ask you something personal if that’s cool.”

  “Yeah, man. What is it?” I ask, holding his stare.

  “Well, I saw y’all together last night at BAR. Then you didn’t come back after you walked her home. What’s up with y’all?”

  That’s the million-dollar question.

  “I walked her home and hung out for a while. I just left.” I look at my watch and see that it’s almost four in the morning.

  “That’s cool, man. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

  “Yeah, everything’s cool.” The constant sniffling and clearing his throat is throwing up all my red flags. Being the product of a drug addicted mother and an alcoholic father, I can spot the signs from a mile away. I wonder if Chloe knows about his little habit.

  “Is everything good with you?” I ask. He just nods and stuffs his hands in his pockets, glancing at the floor.

  �
�Yeah, I’m good.” That is the most generic statement I have ever heard.

  Not wanting to pry, and having had enough of this awkward and semi-robotic conversation, I say, “All right. Well, I’m headed to bed. You’re welcome to stay, but if you leave make sure you lock up.”

  “Actually, I’m going to go. Got shit to do.” He walks to the front door and grabs the handle.

  Without turning around, he says, “Chloe is a good girl. Life has dealt her a shit hand. Take care of her, man. She doesn’t trust easily. If you’re playing games with her, then walk away. She doesn’t need any more heartache.”

  “I don’t know what’s going on with us, but playing games with her is the farthest thing from my mind. She fucking owns me. You’ll never have to worry about her when she’s with me.”

  He takes a deep breath, nods, and walks out.

  I enter the apartment and it looks just as I left it earlier. Packing peanuts and pizza boxes litter the counter and floors.

  Brady exits his room right as I’m entering mine. I can tell it had been a long night for him. Running his hands through his hair and down his face, he says, “Tom gave us the job.”

  “Yeah, I heard. That’s great man.”

  “Yeah. We celebrated last night but you were MIA. What happened to you?”

  “After everything with that dick, Todd, I decided to stay with Chloe until she fell asleep. When I came back everyone was in their rooms and Tom was watching TV on the couch.”

  Brady nods and asks, “What’s that Todd guy’s deal, anyway?”

  “I don’t know, man. All I know is he’s Chloe’s ex and a piece of fucking work.” I don’t want to tell him her business. He would never say anything, but I don’t want to disrespect her.

  “I saw that. I thought you were going to fucking kill him before I dragged him out of there.”

  “I would have if Chloe wouldn't have been there.” I finally notice Harley and Kasey at the bar in the kitchen, drinking coffee and listening to our conversation. Nosy fuckers. I look at them and they turn their heads, acting like they weren’t eavesdropping.