Page 79 of Best I Never Had

I canhear her smile, a small breath filtering through the phone as I imagine that smile spreading across her face. “Um, so what did you have planned for Friday?” she asks.

I hear the opening of her door followed by her shoes clacking, most likely being kicked off as soon as she walks through her door. It’s late, nearing nine p.m., and she’s barely making it home from work. She sighs, following the clanking of her keys hitting her kitchen counter.

“Dexter invited me to this party. I guess one of his coworkers rented out a club to throw some big costume bash, so he asked if I wanted to come,” I say, my voice cautious. “And I got the night off so…”

“Oh, so it’s a Halloween party?”

“Yeah,” I answer.

“Well, it’s a good thing that I have my Playboy bunny costume hidden in the back of my closet,” she answers through a breathy laugh. I chuckle too, waiting for her answer. “Oh, but Carmen’s off that night. I think she wanted to do something.”

“Bring her,” I offer. “And David too,” I add.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” I assure. “Dexter’s got a hand in the guest list, so I think we could invite my entire extended family and yours and get away with it.”

She giggles from the other side. “Okay,” she answers through a yawn that ends in a deep sigh.

“You sound tired.”

“I am.” Her voice stretches through another yawn. “My boss wanted to get started on this big project for a prospective client, and we had to stay late working on a pitch for the morning.”

“I…” I want to offer to come over to her house as soon as I get off work. To prop her feet on my lap while I rub out all the calloused tension. To bring her takeout while I silently listen to her talk about this big project that I’m sure she’s going to kick ass in.

But I don’t, of course. “I’ll talk to you later then. So you can get some rest.”

“Yep,” she answers through another yawn. “I’ll see you Friday, Marshall.”

“See you Friday, Marquez.”

Friday night comes and I’m sitting at home, anxiously waiting for Natalia to arrive with Carmen and David. Dexter is in his room, getting ready, while I stand in front of our kitchen counter, already dressed and ready to go an hour ago.

After some minor back and forth with Natalia, we settled on a matching-slash-couple’s themed costume. Something so that the other wouldn’t feel so out of place. We finally decided on the most relevant and allusive costume for us two: Hugh Hefner and a Playboy bunny. And while she confessed that she didn’t actually have a Playboy bunny costume, I’m looking forward to this party and seeing her in what will further deepen my attraction to her. I mean, Iamstill a member of male species with typical heterosexual tendencies.

I sigh, shake my head, and roll my eyes in one sweep.Great. What a way to set myself up.

I open the fridge for a bottle of water and then change my mind. I open the cupboard where I thought I had a stash of Reese’s peanut butter cups. When I come up empty-handed, I go back to the fridge for a beer. I’m restless. My fingers mindlessly tap on the counter, strumming along to the seconds ticking on the clock. When Dexter walks in, dressed in a flight suit jumper and aviators tucked into his collar, he sees me pacing the small area connecting our kitchen to our living room.

“What’s with you?”

“Huh?” I jump, swiveling to face him.

“Whoa,” he replies. “Easy there, big guy.”

My body slumps, leaning against the counter, and I drink the cold beer gripped in my hand. “What are you supposed to be?”

He straightens, smoothing out the material running down his chest. “Maverick.Top Gun?”

I nod, wrapping my robe over my bare chest a little tighter.

“Do these ants in your pants have anything to do with how ridiculous you look in a silk robe? Or is it about Nat coming out with us tonight?” he asks, referring to my costume while flicking at the captain’s hat sitting on the top of my head.

I side-eye him, almost slamming the amber-colored bottle onto the counter.

“It is, isn’t it!”

“No, Dex. It isn’t,” I deadpan.

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