Page 25 of Deeper

“I’ve been thinking about you these last couple of weeks,” Rod told me. “I throw myself into my work and at the end of the day, I have nothing to show for it, no one to talk to, no one to take trips with, no one to share my life with.”

He hung around bachelors, something that had been a prominent issue in our relationship. With all the women hanging around them, flirty and willing, Rod always had had a problem with saying no, with not going for something new.

“The grass isn’t always greener,” I responded.

He was quick to agree. “Heard you. I talk to my family and they even talk shit about my losing you. I’m thirty years old; that going out all night and partying shit has gotten old, Bia. Granted, it’s my job and I’ve got obligations, but I know I don’talwaysgotta be out there. Sometimes I feel like I’m out all night just to avoid coming home to no one.”

Rod sounded sad and like he’d really seen the error in his ways. He was growing up.

“Yeah?” I challenged.

Rod didn’t back down. “Yeah, I mean it. I’m done playing games and being that guy I used to be. I want something solid, something stable, something worth it, and I know that’s you.”

Hope made my heart anew and I couldn’t stop myself from lightening up, from becoming less guarded.

It seemed as if Rod had finally,finally, changed for the better.

“Good afternoon, I’m Marion. I’ll be your server for the day,” a man with dark, floppy hair that was parted down the center came and stood at our table. His order pad was out of his waist apron and he was politely smiling from me to Rod. “Can we start you off with some water? Unless you’re ready for drinks?”

Rod paid his pleasantries no mind as he skimmed the drink menu. “What would you say is your best wine?”

Marion rocked on the heels of his polished dress shoes. “I’m not big on wine, but I can show you our wine room. There’s a wall of all our bottles. We might be able to squeeze you two in there.”

Rod was intrigued as he stood up from his chair. He faced me. “You coming, Bia?”

I shook my head. “No, I’ll just decide on what I want.”

He came by me, caressing my shoulder before leaving the area with Marion.

It was when I sat up and gathered my menu that I noticed it. Across the table, Rod had left his phone.

Blinking, I tried to ignore it and focus on my search for my meal. It was all so redundantly fancy.

A tick went off in me and once more my gaze flickered over to the abandoned cell phone.

Could I trust Rod?

It had been four months since our breakup, but I still knew his passcode after countless times of catching him putting it in,1130, for his birthday, November 30th.I’d never been invasive or nosy before, but Rod was a habitual liar.

I chanced a look over my shoulder, finding Rod nowhere to be found. Marion was probably wowing him with the restaurant’s wine spread.

I let out a breath, telling myself if I found nothing, I’d hear him out, if I did…

I grabbed his phone and punched in his code, not surprised it still worked.

Most of his apps, especially those linked to social media, held various notifications on them. Rod was a highly sought-after man.

My finger hovered over his text message app, questioning the sanity in doing something so intrusive. I thought of all the times he’d hurt me and I caught him in a lie and I went ahead and clicked on the app.

The screen brought up his most recent text thread, one that was anything but RSVPing a location. The contact’s name wasMiami305.

imy

You know I miss you too

Come show me

Handling some business right now. Ima slide thru when I’m finished

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