Page 47 of Seventeen Years Ago

Caydan looked surprised, then looked at Aiza and nodded. “It’s about time someone put him in his place. I wish I had been here to witness it.”

“I was just asking him how a man like him could lose to me?” Aiza asked.

“What was the bet?” Caydan asked.

I knew where he was going with this but it was too late. The question was out there. All I could do was hope he took my answer and dropped it.

“Loser cooks for the winner,” I said.

Caydan made a face and asked, “Is that it?”

Aiza added, “And gives the winner a massage”

“Hell yeah. That’s the kind of card game I enjoy playing with Allyson. You don’t lose no matter what. Yup. I see why he’d let you win, Aiza,” Caydan grinned.

You’re not fucking helping me, Caydan. You’re making this worse.

“Not me. I’m not his type,” she said. “Now if you two will excuse me, I’m going to bed.” She stomped out of the room and went back to the bedroom she was sharing with her grandmother.

Caydan cocked a brow as he watched her leave, then a weird grin appeared on his face.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I asked.

He shook his head, smiling. “I thought Allyson was joking when she told me what Aiza said. Guess she wasn’t.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I snapped. I was frustrated and tired and didn’t need his bullshit. Aiza hadn’t mentioned anything to me. Whatever Caydan thought he knew, he didn’t.

Caydan could barely control himself as he said, “She told Allyson that you’re gay.”

“What the hell did you just say?” I snapped, hoping I heard incorrectly.

“She thinks you’re gay.” He no longer contained his laughter and I wanted to knock his ass out. I was glad he found this humorous, because I didn’t.

Asshole.

I couldn’t process this. It made absolutely no sense. “No fucking way did she say that!” He had to be trying to prank me, but his expression said he was enjoying delivering this news way too much. He didn’t make this up. Aiza really said that to Allyson. I just had no fucking idea why. And if she thought I was gay, why put the massage as the wager? Was it a test? Aiza didn’t strike me as a woman who’d play such games. And again, how would it have benefited her?“Caydan, get that smile off your face before I remove it,” I warned.

“Sorry. Just the look on your face when I told you, was priceless. I don’t think I've ever seen you look so shocked.”

“No shit. You would’ve been too.”

“True,” he said. “So why do you think she said it?”

The million-dollar question.“I don’t think I've ever said or done anything that would’ve given her that impression.”

“Maybe it’s what you didn’t say or do. But don’t ask me. No one has ever said anything like that about me, so I have no advice to give,” he said. “Unless you are gay, at which point I want to know why my wife had to be the one to tell me and you just met her a week ago?”

“Fuck you, Caydan. You know damn well that I’m not gay.” Before Caydan had found Allyson, he and I had been to several nightclubs together. Neither of us went home alone. And neither of us had the same woman on our arm more than once.

“I know, but I love your expression every time I say it.”

“Then it’s time you leave,” I stated.

“Sorry. As you were saying. You did nothing,” Caydan said.

“No. I just...have kept my distance, physically at least. If you remember, I’m supposed to be here on business. Besides that, I don’t know what I did,” I said, running my hands through my hair in frustration.

“Well from where I stand, you have two choices. You either prove to her you’re not or ask her why she thinks you are. One is much more fun than the other,” Caydan laughed. “Maybe I should go and let you two ‘talk’about it now.”

---