Page 14 of Only You and Me

I’m not surprised to hear a bidding war going on for my best friend. He’s a good-looking man. What I am surprised about—a little at least—is when Emily bids one thousand dollars on him… and wins.

Fitz’s face looks shocked as his mouth gapes open, and his eyes are so enormous right now he almost looks like one of those cartoon characters when their eyes spring in and out of their sockets.

When Fitz walks off the stage and approaches me, he’s rubbing the back of his neck and blinking rapidly—clearly nervous.

“What’s that about, Fitz?” I can feel my eyebrows raise and I try, unsuccessfully, to lower them. I’m surprised, but I’m not mad at him.

He slips both hands into his pockets and rocks back on his heels. “Beats me. I’m as shocked as you are.” Then he changes the subject. “Any idea why Ben thought to bid on you?”

I huff. “Who knows why he does anything?” Shit, I shouldn’t have said that. “Well, I guess if Em was gonna bid tonight, I’m glad she bid on you and not some player like Garcia or Jones.”

Fitz and I watch the rest of the bidding and then Finn takes the stage, the final bachelor in the auction tonight. I think we’re all stunned when his winning bidder goes up to eighteen hundred dollars for him.

“Holy shit,” Fitz whispers.

“Yeah.” It’s all I can mutter because I’m too busy watching Shayna roll her eyes and try to appear disinterested. But her pinched expression tells me she’s very much annoyed.

Ten minutes later, I’m irritable as I make my way to the table where I’ll have to endure Ben for the next hour.

* * *

BEN

For the past two weeks, my last conversation with Trina has consumed my mind. How did I miss this for all these years? Sure, when I was twenty-one, I get how my immaturity led me down a path of blaming her for our breakup since she hurt me. When she wasn’t ready to tell people about us after I’d poured out my heart to her—had told her I loved her—my pride took a hit. But how in the hell did I forget her face when I chased her out of the diner that day? How did I not think back to her tears and realize, over these nine plus years, that I broke her?

Without meaning to, I let myself go back to that day while I wait for it to be time for dinner with Trina.

I glance up when the bell on the door of Pat’s Diner jingles, and my breath hitches when I see it’s her—Trina. We haven’t seen each other or talked on the phone in three days. Not since making love, then lying in bed, me holding her in my arms. Everything was perfect. Then, I asked her to come to family dinner at my parents’ house so we could announce to my family that we were dating. She said no. Again.

It was just like our first big fight almost three months ago, the same one we keep having. I want to tell people about us, and she says no. I’ve asked her to explain to me what’s still holding her back, but she never will. She clams up every time.

I can still feel the nausea that roiled through my stomach when I asked her why she didn’t want to go to family dinner.

With downcast eyes, she spoke so softly, yet the meaning behind her words was so loud. “I’m still not ready, Ben. Why can’t we just keep things as they are for a while longer?”

I placed a finger under her chin, so she had to look up at me.

“Trina, we’ve been together almost five and a half months. I can understand why you felt like this when we’d only been together six weeks, but haven’t I proven to you I’m not going anywhere? That I’m all in this?”

When she said nothing but shrugged hesitantly, all my hope seeped out of me. I moved away from her and sat on the side of the bed with my back to her.

“I want to tell my family. I’d like for you to tell Emily and your best friend, at least. Jesus, I haven’t even met Fitz yet.”

The silence that ensued was deafening. Then, after the longest minute or two ever, she cleared her throat.

“No. I can’t. Your reputation?—”

“Jesus, can you give me a little credit, please?” I glanced over my shoulder at her.

Her face was stoic, and she met my stare. She wore that expression I’d seen her get, and I knew she wouldn’t change her mind.

I stood and turned to face her as I grabbed my boxer briefs and slipped them on.

“I guess if it’s such a problem for you to tell people about us, I can solve it. Maybe there shouldn’t be an us.”

I pulled on my jeans and then picked up my sweatshirt off the floor.

“Ben…”

---