Page 6 of Stay Awhile
“It’s a date. I love a good window-shopping type of situation. These days, that’s all men are good for. No offense,” I added.
“Trust me, I get it. You get home safe, Skye. We will definitely set something up,” he said, then gave me a hug before heading to his car.
I shook my head with a smile, then looked over to see my family in the window, but they tried to scramble away the moment I noticed them. I swore these folks were going to be the death of me.
I laughed and slipped into my car. My soft bed was calling my name after a night like this.
A MONTH LATER…
I saton the terrace of the bistro that Chyna and I frequented. It was our weekly meet up, and I couldn’t wait to tell her ass what my parents and Reign had pulled. It still made me laugh to think about it. If I didn’t find the comedy in the situation, it would send me into a state of depression and that was not what I wanted for myself.
It wasn’t my damn fault that even the folks around me were just as bad at picking men for me. I was sure Jim would have been great if he hadn’t been interested in men and had no desire to be with my ass.
But since that dinner, he had really become a cool person to get up with. We shared a lot of similarities, even in the men we liked. I guess that was why I wasn’t too upset either. All they haddone was get me another friend, and I was no closer to finding a husband. I’d mentally decided that trying to find a husband would no longer be my main concern. I would live life and my good thing would find me.
The server came back over to the table to see if I was ready to at least order a drink. I had sent her away a few times, wanting to grab my drink at the same time as Chyna, but at this point, she was running later than she usually did. I didn’t complain because usually it was me who didn’t do right.
“Ma’am, are you sure you don’t want to at least put a drink in?” she asked.
I picked up the menu again. “Yeah, I guess I might as well get started. My friend is running a little bit more behind than usual.”
Although that was a slight lie. Since she had gotten engaged, sis had been almost nonexistent. Most of my texts went unanswered for days or meet ups like today just didn’t happen. I hoped today was not one of those days.
“I’ll have a strawberry margarita with an extra shot. Thank you,” I told her.
She smiled, then walked off toward the bar. I picked up my phone at the unanswered text I had sent to Chyna when the picture of her and I popped up on my screen to alert me of her call. I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that I wasn’t going to like what she had to say, but I tried to push that thought away as I answered.
“Hey, girl! Where you at? I tried to hold off on the drink, but I can order yours if you’re close when she comes back by—” I started when Chyna interrupted me.
“Skye, slow down. I hate to say this, but uh, I was getting ready to head out, and I couldn’t find my phone, right?”
“Right,” I responded, already knowing where this conversation was getting ready to go.
“Anyway, I was yelling all throughout the house trying to find Ryan to ask him about my phone, and there’s a trail of rose petals leading to the garage, so I follow the petals and my driver side door is open. Anyway, there’s a note inside, almost like a scavenger hunt. On the note, it says something about I have your phone but place this address in your car GPS.”
I wanted to roll my fucking eyes. Not because I wasn’t happy for my girl that she was being treated the way she should, but that she felt the need to give me this whole spiel to tell me she wasn’t fucking coming. I had been sitting out here for over an hour.
I didn’t mean to be rude, but I was slightly pissed. I knew this waiter thought I had been stood up or forgotten, and her ass would be right. Although it wasn’t Chyna’s fault, Ryan had been around long enough to know when we had our weekly brunch. But I guess that shit didn’t matter, but again, this was the kind of shit that happened when someone was in love, I guess.
“So, I follow the GPS and it takes me to an airstrip. Girl, he is flying me to Hawaii. The plane is getting ready to take off, but I’m going to pay for your lunch. Sorry. I’ll make it up to you—” she said between giggles.
Clearly, I could tell Ryan’s ass was over there doing something to her. I had to appreciate the fact she called before the plane took off.
“Enjoy your vacation, girl. I’ll see you when you get back,” I told her.
I really wanted to curse her ass out, but I knew it was my feeling of being left behind that was running havoc on my emotions. When the server returned with my drink, I finished it and placed an order for me to do a to-go lunch. In no way was I going to sit here another minute longer. I was already embarrassed that this mysterious person that I told her was coming never showed.
It wasn’t long before the server returned with the tab and my to-go order. I paid and gave her a good tip. She had given me my drink for free, I was sure out of pity that I had essentially been stood up.
The moment I got back into my car, I made a call to my office, letting them know I was taking the rest of the day off. I could hear the concern in my assistant’s voice. I was sure it was because I never took any time for myself, for the most part, and that was a problem.
I drove to the nearest grocery store to grab a bottle of wine and a tub of my favorite ice cream. I had declared to myself that I would pamper my damn self. It was time I started appreciating myself, anyway. I parked my car and went into the store to grab just two things, but by the time I got to the register, I remembered I needed about ten other things.
I stood behind a woman whose cart was more packed than mine had been. I glanced over to my right, and a travel magazine was on the rack with the tagline promoting the best places for vacation. Intrigued, I picked up and copy then placed it into my cart. It seemed as if the time I took to do that it was my turn to check out.
By the time I left the store, my backseat was filled with things I was certain I didn’t need but didn’t care because I wanted them. The drive home was short. I parked in the garage, then unloaded the many bags I had acquired.
After removing everything from the bags, I set up my self-proclaimed pamper section in the living room. I had a foot spa I didn’t know a damn thing about using. I decided at that moment that company just might not be a bad thing, so I picked up my phone and called Jim.
