Page 12 of Reclaiming Love

Melissa turned to Matt. “This is Nadine’s boyfriend, Ethan.”

“Hi.” A monosyllabic response. Typical.

“Maybe we should all hook up sometime. The four of us?” suggested Ethan. “Sounds like we’d need more manpower to help Nadine relax.” He winked at Melissa, who wanted to smile back, but didn’t.

“See you around,” she said instead.

“Bye,” was Matt’s only response and Melissa prayed that Ethan hadn’t noticed anything untoward in this exchange.

Matt took Melissa’s hand as they waited silently for the elevator.

“It would be nice, going out with them,” said Melissa.

“Who’s he?” Matt asked once they were in the elevator going down.

“Nadine’s boyfriend, I just introduced you.” Her body tensed in preparation for his onslaught. He was in a mood for it, she could tell, could almost pick up on his negative vibe. It was odd how she’d suddenly become so in tune with Matt’s mood swings.

“You seemed very friendly with him.”

She jerked her head towards him. Up until now she’d been staring miserably at the closed doors, waiting for him to start something. “He’s a friend.”

“A little too friendly for my liking.”

“He’s Nadine’s boyfriend. He’s someone I know through her.” A shot of anger sparked through her, yet fear kept her response neutral.

When the doors opened, they walked out, hands apart. Melissa gave the security guard a friendly nod of her head on her way out.

“Do you have to be so friendly with everyone?” They stood in the dark, outside the gleaming, shiny, lit-up office building, which looked like a beacon reaching towards the midnight blue sky.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she shot back, unable to keep her anger down. She was part liquid, part fire with him, most times. She’d analyzed things between them enough to come to this conclusion. She was fluid, doing, going, bending to his will, without even being conscious that she was doing so. He’d find a way to always get what he wanted. And occasionally, the part of her true to herself, the essence of who she was, wouldn’t lie still. And she’d bite back.

“Don’t talk to me like that,” he warned.

“And don’t you talk to me like that.” It was the first time she’d ever challenged him so directly and with such vehemence. Fighting to dull her anger, her mind raced ahead to the remainder of their evening.

More hours of misery loomed.

Not a good way to start if they were meeting Heather at Zoot, a new bar a few blocks away. She attempted peace, and placed her hand tenderly on his arm. “Ethan is with Nadine. We were only talking. You’re the guy I’m dating.” He tugged his crossed arm away from her touch and looked out on the road. But she was desperate for this evening to go well. His immediate agreement had been a total shock when she’d made the suggestion to him that they meet her roommate.

“I’m sorry.”

She attempted to gently uncross his arm. He turned to her slowly, with an empty stare. “I don’t want to lose you, Mel. But sometimes, you make me so mad.”

She slipped her hand down until she met his and held it.

“I don’t want to be jealous, but I can’t stand to see you with someone else.” His voice was flat.

“It’s okay.” She couldn’t give him any reassurances when she didn’t feel them herself. But it touched her to see him, someone so arrogant and so sure of himself, crumple as he had before her. Why was he so insecure?

“I’m crazy about you,” he told her.

“Me too,” she replied, because there were no other words she could pull out of the air at this moment that would sound genuine. He moved his head toward her, and she closed her eyes, letting him kiss her. She pulled back first and looked deep into his eyes.

“Let’s go and meet Heather. She’s looking forward to it.”

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