Page 47 of Pelvic Flaws

“We could try,” she said, her voice hitching on a sharp breath.

I pulled her closer and kissed her temple. I hated seeing her that way, but I wanted to do things right by both her and Katie, especially Katie after our date.

“I’m sorry,” Debbie finally said on a sigh. “I suppose it was hearing you say you had feelings for someone else. It hurt. A lot.”

I laughed quietly and hugged her.

“I care about you too, Debbie. It’s just this woman…” I paused to think what it was about that woman. “This woman is like no one I’ve ever met before. She’s funny and cute, has no fucking filter on how to be around a man she’s attracted to, and she’s sexy without even realizing it.”

“Way to make a girl feel good, Dex,” Debbie said with a hint of a smile.

“I can tell you because you’re my friend. And this, what you’re feeling, well I reckon you’re just scared because this means you might have to actually put some work in to look for a guy. Because, let’s face it, I did all the fucking work to get us to that place.”

“Huh,” she snorted, slapping at my chest. “You just didn’t recognize my best flirting moves. It took a session and a half before you even cracked a smile.”

“That was me playing mean to get you keen,” I said, leaning back and looking at her. “So, you okay now?”

Debbie nodded and reached up to kiss my cheek. “Thanks Dex. And, you’re right, I’m just being stupid.”

Flinging her arms around my neck, Debbie hugged me tightly and kissed my cheek again. As I hugged her back, the shop door opened and in walked Isaac. Our eyes locked before his gaze swept over Debbie in my arms.

“Sorry,” he said, his voice hard. “I thought I’d come in and see you, but I can come back another time.”

As he rushed out of the door, I pulled away from Debbie and chased after him, hoping I hadn’t fucked things up with Katie before they’d even began.

Dex

“Isaac, wait up buddy,” I called, jogging up behind him. “I need to explain.”

Isaac stopped and turned to face me, shaking his head. “Nothing to explain, Dex,” he said. “You’re busy, I’ll come back later.”

“I was saying goodbye to her, is all.”

“Seriously Dex, it’s none of my business. You really don’t need to explain yourself to me.”

He said the words, but I could sense he thought I was being disrespectful to his mom. The grin of the kid I’d met a few nights ago wasn’t there. He was stiff and was not giving off any vibe that he actually wanted to talk to me.

“Your mom knows who Debbie is, she’s kind of an ex and she just came in to see if I’d changed my mind, about ending things with her.”

“Why are you telling me this, Dex?”

I pushed my hands into my pockets and looked down at the sidewalk. “I’m telling you this because I like your mom, Isaac.” I looked up at him and gave him a tight-lipped smile. “I want to keep seeing her and maybe see how things progress. That’s why I ended things with Debbie, because I want to do things right with your mom.”

“So you were seeing that other lady when you asked Mum out?”

“Nope. I ended things before I even asked your mom out on a date.”

“You finished with your girlfriend before even knowing Mum would go out with you?” he asked incredulously, his eyes going wide.

“She wasn’t exactly my girlfriend,” I replied, cocking a brow.

Isaac looked at me and frowned, eventually a smile enveloped his face as realization dawned.

“Ah okay,” he said. “But it’s definitely over now?”

I nodded. “Like I said, she wanted to know if I’d changed my mind and when I said I hadn’t, she got a little upset. I gave her a hug and that’s what you saw.”

Isaac’s mouth formed a tight smile. “Okay.”

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