TJ pantomimes zipping his lips. “I guess Cam and I will be drinking this delicious champagne alonesies.”
“I hate you right now.”
“You already said that. Is this how you’re going to act for the next seven months? Geez-Louise, if so bring on the bread. So, Cam! How are things with you?”
“Things are good. I was just telling Kiki we’re thinking about opening up another location. I’m actually going to call Connor and see if he’ll partner with us on it. Think he’d be interested?”
“Totes! Oh my god, Cam, I know he would. So exciting! Can I plan your opening?”
I look over at Kiki who is giggling. “Uh, let’s find the location first and then we’ll talk.”
“I’m thinking glitter, lots of it, an explosion of glit—”
“So, how’s Lisa? You didn’t bring her to the band’s new record release the other weekend,” Kiki pipes up cutting TJ off from any more party-planning talk or god forbid, glitter.
I sigh. “Lisa is no longer.”
“What? Why?” Kiki whines. “Dang it Cam, I really liked her!”
“She was adorbs. She always gave me fruity Mentos when I’d see her.” TJ sadly nods in agreement with Kiki.
I cut my eyes at him. “You want me to stay with Lisa because she gave you fruity Mentos?”
“I mean, is that asking too much?” TJ looks up hopefully.
“Right?” she frowns. “Why does he always do this to us? Especially to the ones I actually like!”
“I don’t know. I just wasn’t feeling it,” I say as the waitress sets my lunch down in front of me and winks. “Thanks.”
“That’s because you’re secretly gay,” TJ whispers loudly.
“For the millionth time, I am not gay, TJ.”
“It’s okay, I’ll wait for you.”
“Uh, hello?” Kiki says. “You’re married to Connor. Have you forgotten about that gorgeous man?”
TJ sighs and rolls his eyes. “I could never forget about him, Kinky. Puhlease, that man pushes all the right buttons. But I did tell Connor before we got married that if Cam decided he’s gay, I’d drop him like a hot potato and never look back.”
“What?! TJ!” Kiki shoves him playfully, laughing.
“Besides, Cam’s my celebrity crush. I’m sure you have one, right?”
“Uh, I’m not a celebrity.” I smirk.
Kiki looks over at me and laughs. “Uh yeah, he’s called my husband.”
TJ fans his face. “He is pretty smokin’. That would be the other guy I would leave Connor for.”
“Hands off my man.” Kiki giggles as she pinches him.
“Okay, okay.” These two are starting to give me a headache. “No one is leaving anyone for each other’s husbands or for me.”
“When did Cam turn into such a fantasy fun-sucker?” TJ mumbles to Kiki.
“Ever since Lisa dumped him, apparently.”
My jaw ticks in annoyance. “Lisa did not dump me.”
They completely ignore me. “She probably took a selfie with his ding-a-ling and it got zero hits.”
“Nope, ugh, no. Too far. I’m not talking about my brother’s penis.”
I grind my teeth. “Lisa didn’t dump me, she wanted to take our relationship to the next level, and I wasn’t ready. I’m too busy with The Social Hour and trying to negotiate all these deals. I’m not looking for anything serious right now.”
What I don’t want to share with these two is that Lisa was pressuring me about marriage and kids. She said her biological clock wasn’t just ticking, it was ringing alarm bells. The next thing I know she’s showing me wedding dresses and wanting to move into my condo. It was too much, too soon so I ended it. Devastated was an understatement. She showed up on my doorstep crying on several occasions or would drunk text me at all hours of the night. So yeah, I’m definitely not wanting to jump back into a relationship if that’s how it’s going to end.
“Cameron Forbes, is that you?”
I look up at the brunette who has suddenly materialized at my side. She’s an attractive woman wearing a black shift dress and heels. I try to wrack my brain where I’ve met her before, but I have no idea who this woman is.
I smile at her and stand up. “Hi, how are you?”
She wraps me in a tight hug as TJ and Kiki look on. “Oh my gosh! It’s been forever! Still hot as ever.” She leans back and smiles at me, winking.
“Uh…yeah. How are you?”
Who are you?
She playfully slaps my chest. “Oh my gosh, silly, you’ve already asked me that. How are you? What are you doing here?”
Okay, someone from my past from California…
“I’m good. I live here now…so…”
Kiki coughs into her hand and TJ snickers. Assholes.
“Oh my gosh, what a kawinky-dink! Me too!” She laughs as she starts to rummage through her purse. “Here, um, let me give you my card…oh dammit, I brought the wrong purse.” She grabs the receipt the waitress left for us and scrawls her number on the back.
“I’ve got to run, but call me! We could…hang out like old times.” She winks at me as she taps her manicured fingernail against my chest.
“Sure, okay.” I smile uncomfortably back at her, but she doesn’t seem to notice.
She stands there with her eyebrows raised waiting for me to say something, hopefully not her name.
“I’ll call you.” I give her my charming smile and kiss her cheek.
“Okay!” She quickly waves hello to Kiki and TJ and then flits over to her table on the other side of the restaurant where her girlfriends are waiting. She points over to me and I give a halfhearted wave as they all smile and giggle and wave back.
“Who the fuck was that?” Kiki laughs.
“Definitely not Lisa,” TJ surmises.
“I have no fucking clue.” I look down at our receipt as I sink back into my chair and cringe because she only left her number and a heart. I show it to TJ and Kiki who start cracking up.
“Real smooth, Casanova.” Kiki smirks. “Real smooth.”
Chapter 3
Andie
I plop the laundry basket on the floor next to the couch and flip on the TV. I’m exhausted after running errands with Enzo all morning. I tried to clean up my house while he napped, then I took him and our puppy Darth Vader for a walk before making myself a small dinner.
I flip through channels, but I’m not really seeing anything, my thoughts are elsewhere. I click the TV off and turn on some music instead. I’m feeling restless and I’m not sure why. I pour myself a glass of cheap red wine and head back into the family room and curl up on the corner of my couch.
A lone tear slides down my cheek and I’m surprised by it because I didn’t even realize I was that sad. But I am. I’m sad and I’m fucking lonely. I swipe the tear away as I take a large gulp of my wine. Why am I wallowing, what’s wrong with me? I have a beautiful baby boy, a roof over my head, a car that runs.
The truth is, I’m exhausted. Beyond exhausted. I’m zombie-walking exhausted. The kind where your head tilts to the side, drool comes out of your mouth, yet you keep on walking because there are brains to be sucked, or whatever zombies do. My brain has definitely been sucked. Enzo is my zombie keeper, and I am a slave to his bidding. He’s an easy-going, amazing kid, but he’s still a toddler and he’s into everything. And he thinks he’s kin to our puppy Darth Vader. I’ve caught him twice now trying to drink out of the dog bowl. I should be concerned that he acts more like a dog than a kid, but I’m too tired to be.