Page 19 of Be My Reason

I can’t decide which emotion to go with.Jealousy? Hatred? Anger? Sympathy? After all, she was wronged and probably deserves my sympathy, but she is the one who got him, even if only for a while when I only had him for one night. I decide on hatred, it is the easiest for me to express.

“Honey, don’t bother asking for a second date,” she says to me with a big smirk on her face.

There is nothing worse than being called honey by another woman, especially one your own age.It drips with condescension. I stare at her right back in the eyes-slash-boobs and without thinking too much about it I grab Nate’s hand, entwine his fingers with mine, place our clasped hands on the table just under her breasts and say, “Don’t count on it, honey. He must like this milk so much that he decided to buy it.” Then I flash my large engagement ring at her.

I think it will take a crane to lift her jaw off the floor.She looks back and forth between Nate and me for what seems like forever. Then she huffs, turns on her mile-high Jimmy Choo’s and walks away.

It takes about two seconds for the other three people at the table to laugh, sputter, and scream in excitement at my decidedly out-of-character outburst.

“Girl, I think I’m in love with you,” Graham says with a wink to Emma.“That was epic! I’ve never seen someone put her in her place like that.”

The guys bump fists and go on and on about how great that was when I realize that Nate is still holding my hand.Or maybe I’m still holding his. I pull it away quickly, shrugging my shoulders when I say, “I just hate it when people call me honey.”

“Duly noted.”Nate leans close so only I can hear him whisper, “Baby it is then.”

I’m about to kick him in the shin when the smile is instantly wiped off his face and he freezes like a deer caught in headlights.Everyone at the table follows his gaze to where we see Claudia across the room being helped into her coat by a very attractive and muscular guy.

“Who is thatguy she is with?” Emma asks Graham.

Graham looks sympathetically over at Nate. “That is Jonathon Cassidy. He’s a pitcher for the Braves.” Then he tries to lighten the mood. “What do you say we kill this bottle of wine?”

I’m not sure why Nate looks so crushed over seeing her with another man.Didn’t he call her a bitch that wouldn’t leave him alone after she sent him a text the other night? He brings a hand up to rub his bicep over his shirt where his tattoo hides underneath and realization dawns.

Claudia.Claudia with the French accent. The writing on his tattoo, it must be French. He got it for her, or because of her. But if he cheated on her, why is he so reluctant to talk about the tattoo?

Then he starts that thing again that he did before with his right wrist, moving it in circles.The wrist with all of the small scars. I don’t think he’s even aware of what he is doing. He is kind of spacing out, looking into his wine glass. Then he runs his hand through is hair, takes a breath and downs the entire glass in one drink.

We get through the rest of dinner but Nate is very quiet and reserved.Graham tells us that we are heading out to Fayetteville Street after dinner. It is a popular nightlife area with shops, restaurants and clubs. I can see Emma squirming in her seat; this is definitely her cup of tea.

Graham pays the check. I don’t even want to know what it amounts to, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it were a few hundred dollars based on what I saw on my menu. Thankfully, Claudia and Mr. Baseball are long gone by the time we hit the parking lot. I find myself actually feeling bad for Nate and I don’t even know why.

On the way to our next destination, my phone chirps and I look to see that Michael has sent me a text.

Michael:Hey sweetheart, have little break, wanted to say I miss you.

I close my eyes and picture his face.

Me:Hey to you too. Miss you more. Heading to trendy nightlife spot right now. Just had the world’s best steak. You would like it here.

Michael:Be safe, Lyn. Don’t drink too much and don’t take a drink from anyone but the bartender. Steak? You? I don’t believe it!

Yeah, I’m not much into red meat.But I thought it was one of those ‘when in Rome’ moments.

Me:Well, when you eat in a place called the barn, you go with the flow!

Michael:Haha. Got to run. I love you. Call me when you get home.

Me:Love u too. Will do. Bye.

I put my phone away as we park the car in a huge lot.I hope someone will remember where we parked. We walk by all kinds of unique shops and restaurants and I wonder if there are any bakeries here. We head slightly off the main drag and arrive at the club. It is aptly named ‘The Architect.’ I stare at the awning wondering about this coincidence as Graham and Nate share a look. I have a feeling this is not their first time here.

Nate snags one of the few tables close to the dance floor.Graham orders a bottle of champagne and when the waitress brings it out and pours it into our four glasses, Graham raises his in a toast. “To new friends.” He winks at Emma and they clink their glasses together before turning to clink ours as well.

Nate leans into me and whispers, “And old ones.” He smiles brightly and then sips his champagne while eyeing me over the top of his glass.

We finish the bottle, order some waters and we head out to dance to the latest top-forty hits. This is okay. I can do this. Group dancing is not very personal and as long as we don’t split up as couples, I can hang in there. I give Emma the stare and she nods her head. I love that we can have an entire conversation with only a look or a movement.

We dance in kind of a square with equal distance between us.This continues pretty effectively for a while and we all have a thin layer of sweat somewhere on our bodies at this point. What is it about sweat that makes guys look more attractive? Someone once told me that when a guy sweats, his body puts out some kind of smell that is genetically proven to attract females. Well, if looking around this club is evidence, I’d say that theory is dead on. Bodies are coming together, grinding and moving as one. Girls are stripping off their outer layers to the excitement of the males around them. Even Graham and Emma are inching closer together and seem lost in their own little dance world.

---