Page 39 of Mr. Charming

“Next time, don’t tell me things like that.” I hate that I’m taking it out on Decker, but I don’t want to know that Tweetie wants me happy. It just makes everything harder.

“I just?—”

I shake my head. “Let’s just get tonight over with.”

I watch Tweetie pick up Bodhi, swinging him around, and I ignore the pull in my ovaries that says it could’ve been our son he was swinging around the room after a great game, but that wasn’t our destiny, and it never will be.

Twenty

Tweetie

I got outvoted. Of course I did, because all these couples want a chill night at Peeper’s Alley rather than to go to a club.

Which leaves me in the back room, sitting at a table and watching Decker and Tedi play darts against the reigning champs, Jade and Henry.

There are pitchers of beer on the table and glasses of wine sprinkled around. It’s casual, and no one is getting drunk.

Tedi winds her arm around Decker’s neck, hugging him to her body, and the urge to grab a bottle of whiskey and find a dark corner is greater than ever.

Ruby comes in and eyes me sitting here and not really talking, but she detours over to the smaller tables, picking up the empty cups. Decker is in her way, and she stops and glares at him. “Why are you here?”

He laughs and draws back. “I’m Decker,” he says, holding out his hand.

She just stares at his outstretched hand, then looks at me, then at Tedi before her gaze settles on Decker only. “I know who you are. That wasn’t my question.”

“He’s my boyfriend,” Tedi answers for him, leaning her head on his shoulder.

She used to do that to me all the time, and it sometimes made me feel like a childhood stuffed animal she could never part with.

“Boyfriend?” Ruby clarifies.

Tedi nods. “Do you want me to help you clean up the empties?”

“Be nice, Ruby,” Kyleigh singsongs from next to me.

Ruby can be protective. She knows who Tedi is to me. I got drunk one night and spilled my guts to her about the one who meant the most to me, who I couldn’t keep. So when Tedi showed up here, Ruby already knew who and what she was to me, so her back was already up. I almost feel sorry for Decker. Almost, but not quite.

“I take offense to that, Kyleigh.” She never looks in Kyleigh’s direction, keeping her eyes on Decker. “You’re the new guy, so you get to help me clean up. Take some glasses.”

Decker glares at Tedi, and she looks back at him somewhat sheepishly. What the fuck? I hardly ever got that look from her.

“I’ll help,” Tedi says.

“No, you won’t. He plays the hot spot well. He can surely handle a few glasses.” Ruby turns around without saying anything else.

Ruby is like a bossy grandma, and it’s just easier to do what she wants than to argue. Decker must realize that, so he picks up the empty pitchers and a few glasses, following her out.

Tedi watches him as though he’s on his way to the electric chair. What the fuck is that about? He can handle himself. She doesn’t need to baby him.

“Come and sit here,” Eloise says, patting the spot next to her at the table.

Tedi grabs her glass of beer and sits down, purposely avoiding any eye contact with me, though I know she can feel my gaze on her.

“So, tell us a little about you. You live in New York?” Eloise leans back, allowing Kyleigh into the conversation.

Soon, Jade kicks Rowan out of his seat, and the four women are all talking to one another.

This is the problem with the back room. It’s too quaint, too close of quarters, so now I have to hear about Tedi’s life as an eavesdropper rather than her telling me alone over an intimate dinner like it used to be.

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