Page 5 of Whatever He Wants
This is my first time as a teacher.Half of me thinks I’m doing great, the other half convinced I’ll say something wrong, and one of these guys will call out my fuck up.I was the little shit who did that to an instructor once.
Break time rolls around and I head to the cafeteria.Weston and Caleb, the only two people I know at the conference, are already at a table.Weston subcontracts for a renewable energy firm while Caleb does industrial electrical installations.They wave me over to sit with them.
“Settle a debate for us,” Weston demands.“Do you think the UFC rigs fights?”
I nod.“Some of them.”
“That’s exactly what I said,” Caleb says, chuckling.
“Well, you’re both wrong.”Weston jabs his finger at us.“Look at that fight with McGregor and Khabib.Why would the UFC let their starboy lose?”
“What about McGregor’s comeback fight with Cowboy?”I say.“Come on.Cowboy didn’t even try, and it was over in under a minute.”
Weston inhales as if he’s gearing up to deliver another argument but then shakes his head and takes a sip of his drink.He sets down his glass with a thud.
“We’ll have to agree to disagree on this one.”
Caleb smirks.“You know what we can all agree on?That blonde McGregor’s with is hot.”
Weston nods, then leans forward, a conspiratorial smile on his face.
“Speaking of hot blondes, we should hit up a bar tonight.Isaac will be the bait.”
“Bait for what?”I ask, taking a bite of my sandwich.
“A good looking guy like you will lure the fishies over,” Caleb says.
I snort.“I’ll pass.You two have fun.”
“Come on, man,” Weston says in a whiny voice.“We need you there.I need to get laid.You too.I haven’t seen you with anyone since—”
“Shut up, West,” Caleb orders, frowning.“He said no.Leave him alone.”
“Fuck.Sorry,” Weston mutters.“I didn’t think.”
The mood around the table has gone south even though Camille’s name wasn’t mentioned.This is why I don’t like talking about women or dating.Those roads inevitably lead to uncomfortable reminders that my wife is dead.
I wave away Weston’s apology and change the topic, telling them I’m thinking of trading in my car.Weston lights up again, peppering me with questions and suggestions.The awkwardness around the table disappears.
In the back of my mind, I still consider Weston’s suggestion about hitting up a bar.It would do me some good.A new relationship would help me heal from the tragic way the old one ended, and rid the inappropriate feelings I have for Denise.
But every time I think about meeting someone new, I remember that I don’t deserve to be with anyone since I failed to protect Camille.That’s why I’m cursed to want a woman I can never have.
“Nature’s callin’,” Weston says, getting to his feet.
Caleb leaves shortly after to grab a smoke, and I take out my phone.There is a missed call from an important client.I ignore it, tapping on the notification from one of my interior cameras instead.
I installed hidden motion detection cameras for security, but I’m liking their other use now.There’s a series of thirty-second clips of Denise walking around in my house.She’s nervous, her movements slow and careful like she’s afraid of disrupting anything.It would’ve been nice if I’d been there to show her around, make her feel at ease.
In one clip, she fishes out her hair tie from my sofa.I smile, amused yet a little embarrassed.The hair tie was on the floor beside one of the patio chairs when I found it a few days ago.Instead of returning it like I should, I became a fucking creep, pressing it to my face to inhale her scent, then keeping it as a keepsake of her.
My smile vanishes when I tap on the next clip.It’s one of Matt.He’s in my living room, touching my stuff, and in the next few clips, he’s on the second floor.My anger turns into cold fury when in another clip, he and Denise are making out on my bed.
There are a couple more videos after that one.I don’t dare watch them.I’m already too close to snapping my phone in half with my bare hands.
My bad mood persists the rest of the day and through the entire work trip.When I finally return home, my first thought out of the car is to confront Denise.She has alternating days off on Wednesdays, and she worked the one last week.She should be home today.Probably that fucker too since he’s always between jobs.I’ll go down there and...what?Yell at them?Kick Matt’s ass?
What’s the point.
