Walking down the hallways, I weaved through looking for the ballroom. Finally finding it, I searched for my designated table. Stace was there, waiting for me.
“Over here, babe!”
I made my way to her, smiling brightly. After we were all seated, they started the event. I’d heard rumors there was some contests going on. After quieting the crowd, Julie, one of the event coordinators, walked up on the stage.
“We have a few contestants reading aloud tonight. Our first is Mary Watkins,” she announced, cheering and waving Mary forward.
She read her story, bringing tears to everyone’s eyes including mine.
The next two readers read their stories. One was comical. He didn’t get the contemporary part of the reading, yet the shits and giggles were well worth it.
“Multi-purpose dildos…” He did an Oprah impersonation, “You get a dildo! And you get a dildo. All of you get dildos!” he bellowed with smiles, throwing a box of gelantinous, veiny-colorful dick props into the crowd. He was my spirit animal.
Tears pricked my eyes and more than likely everyone else’s. This dude was my spirit animal. I absolutely loved his personality.
The announcer came forward once more. “We had a last-minute entry, and I have it on good authority he’ll turn some heads.”
Why did my gut squeeze and tell me that this would change my entire night? Don’t be silly. I shook the eerie feeling and waited for the next person to come on stage. My stomach always knew things I couldn’t explain.
To my shock and disbelief, Coen walked on stage. Strutted confidently was more accurate. He wore swimming trunks with hunk-man lollipops, and the betrayal smacked me crudely. Stace must’ve got them for him. As I perused his muscular legs up to his tight t-shirt, something caught my attention.
The shirt read “My girlfriend is a smoking hot writer.”
A felt a blush creep up my neck and warm my cheeks. His muscular abdomen made the shirt appear like a second skin, and his tattoos peeked out.
“He’s hot as hell,” an author by me whispered to Stace.
“I want him on my cover,” another one proclaimed.
He’s mine. I wanted to scream. I wanted to lick his face and claim the lick it so it’s mine rule.
“Hello.” Coen’s husky voice brought shivers to my body. It felt like forever since I heard his deep voice, and fuck, did I miss it.
“My story is about a boy and girl who couldn’t get the right timing. Everything seemed against them, but one day, they realized no matter what came between them, fate would have them together at last.”
All the women “oohed” and “awed,” but my stomach lurched in apprehension. Is it bad to be turned on by his simple words? To wanted to tear off his clothes and worship him in every way?
What the fuck is wrong with me?
Coen
My throat felt extremely dry seeing her facial expressions. I watched her, unable to look away. She shifted in her seat, probably uncomfortable with what I was about to do. With shaking hands, I swallowed back the anxiety and read my short story.
* * *
Bo and Cara lived in a small town. They met each other early on and became fast friends. When Bo lost his parents, Cara soothed the ache in his heart. She became his world all from one of the hardest losses of his life. When she held him while he cried, he realized his heart found hers in the darkness. He clung to the hope that they’d be together forever, if not lovers than maybe just close friends.
Time passed, and he watched her grow into a beautiful young woman. Her hair billowed in rivulets around her heart-shaped face. Her pouty lips were sweet and plump, and those goddamned eyes took everything in while hiding so much. She developed insecurities, hating the body she had, telling everyone how ugly she believed she was.
Truly, it broke his heart seeing her devastated about her self-image, but to him, she was the single-most beautiful thing in his world. She owned every part of his heart, and he wanted nothing more than to tell her. Every day, he called her princess, telling her that she was stunning in every way. He wanted her more than the next day of his life. His jealousy grew because she didn’t see him. He was jealous of the air she breathed, the clothes she wore, and the smiles she gave away because he wanted so badly to have the nearness they did.
He imagined a life with her, marrying her and having kids one day. The day he decided to tell her all the love in the world was hers to have, she found another.
It destroyed what little hope he had, and it took every ounce not to tell her that he was the one. She wouldn’t believe him anyway.
Bo watched her from afar, admiring her in every way.
One day, Cara decided her friendship with Bo would ruin her new relationship, so she broke off their lifelong friendship. Despite their distance, he saw her in every passing moment. When a girl had beautiful, blue eyes, his heart would race, remembering Cara. If a redheaded woman wore sundresses, the ache would knock him off his feet.
Years later, the woman he settled for who looked nothing like the love of his life cheated on him. She got pregnant with another man’s baby and claimed it was Bo’s baby. He fought her tooth and nail for a paternity test and learned she wasn't just a cheater but also a liar.
Going to a club, he found his red-headed beauty. A man was forcing his tongue down her throat against her will. It killed him. After stopping the man and nearly ripping his head off, he made sure Cara was okay.
They danced the night away, and he recognized that fate wanted this for them.
The first night they made love, he knew in his heart that she was his lifeline, his forever kind of love. They were perfect together. They made sense, and he’d fight until the end for her love and their happiness.
Bo got into an accident, a bad one that could cost his career. While in surgery, Cara didn’t know he was even hurt.
But Bo’s ex ruined it all with explicit pictures while he was under anesthesia. They were all a crux, and she was arrested for her betrayal, but the love of his life, Cara, ran far away. She broke something in him, and until he had the will to fight back, he plotted a way to fix it all, while staying true to his kind nature.
One day she’d see the fallacies of his ex’s plans, and she’d pick him over her tendencies to be scared of commitment. She’d maybe overcome her fear of love and realize how much happiness he’d bring her.
She’d see that love was worth every risk and that they’d be having babies in their future. The ball was in her court now.
* * *
Feeling choked up, I stopped reading, the thickness in my throat and heart palpable. Everyone wiped tears. Rebel's face was tear-soaked, and she seemed hurt.
“One day, a woman could wreck your life, turning it upside down, and spinning until you were literally twisted in knots. Then, she’d rip out your heart, taking it with her and possibly never giving it back.” My voice shook as I breathed as deeply as possibly. “Love can fuck you beyond repair, yet we all search for it, seek for its deathly embrace. Bo dared to love, and now, he waits for his happily ever after.”
Walking off the stage, I didn’t know where to go. As cheesy as it was, my heart only wanted her to run after me. I needed her love, for her to pick me. She was so fucking loved, and she didn’t even see it.