Page 47 of The Man I Once Hated

Zach gives an irritated jerk to rid himself of the unwanted physical contact. “My game’s doing just fine, thanks. I’m just… discerning, that’s all.”

“Discerning?” Ethan smiles widely. “Is that what they’re calling involuntary celibacy these days?”

I’m happy for the chance to laugh along with them. For once I’m not the butt of the joke. I can’t believe I’ve given them so much free rein where that’s concerned anyway. It’s about time they get a taste of what they’ve been dishing out.

I target Robert next.

“And what about you, Big Daddy?” I waggle my eyebrows at him and he immediately gets his back up. “Are you just going to leave your daughter motherless forever?”

I hit a nerve with that one, but Robert takes it like a pro. “Didn’t you know? I’m waiting for you to finish up with blondie so I can take her home.”

And just like that the arrow snaps back in my direction, starting a new wave of jabs and laughter. The drinks help to mellow things out though, and soon enough the night just becomes like every other hang with the guys. Nothing serious, everything in good fun. They even let up about Cara eventually, once I convince them that I’m still the same Edward they know and love. That there’s nothing of importance between her and I.

The night drags on. We eat, we drink some more, and then Zach comes at me.

“Three o’ clock,” he nods his head in the direction of the bar. “If you really want us to buy this story about you and blondie, then you’re going to go over there and ask that woman home with you tonight.”

I scoff loudly. “Whatever happened to getting their number first?”

“Nope, not this time, Bear,” Zach shakes his head. “First of all, that’s never been your MO, second of all, she’s been looking over here at you all night. I’m serving you this dare on a silver platter.”

“Silver platter.” Robert holds up his shot glass and the others, even Ethan, salutes with him.

“Are you kidding me?” I try to stall, feeling the heat rising up the back of my neck. “You seriously want me to prove it?”

Sure, I can do what they say, no sweat off my back. I’ll leave with her and then just dump her in a nice hotel with some cash and tell her it’s our little secret. Not like I haven’t done anything like it before.

But, and it’s not without some semblance of reckoning that I realize this, I’m getting kinda tired of the games. I don’t want to have to look in Cara’s face and lie about shit like this. I don’t want to have to jump through hoops to keep up a facade that I’m not into anymore. Ethan and my father, they’re right. I have to grow up some time, and it’s starting to feel like that time is here.

“You’re slipping, man,” Ethan says with a warning whistle. “It’s starting to look like you’ve been doing nothing but lying through your teeth.”

Zach adds his opinion, as always, and says, “Let me put it this way: If you don’t go over there, then there’s no redeeming yourself. We’ll know the truth, no matter how much you deny this thing with blondie.”

As if that’s the worst thing? I don’t know why it bothers me so much what they think of me and Cara. And Ethan, of all people, who’s been begging me to find true love since he got married… Even he’s pushing me about this. For a second, I find myself entertaining the option to just come clean about all of it. Let them have their moment and then I’ll be free to do whatever the hell I want in peace.

But it’s only for a second.

After that, I’m on my feet, albeit a little unsteadily thanks to the stream of whiskeys we’ve been plowing through. Making my way over to the hot redhead leaning on the bar. I know she’s been checking me out–I may be caught up in Cara, but I’m not blind–so I know she’s easy pickings. Not that it’s ever been a concern of mine.

“Hi,” she beats me to the punch. Holds out her hand to me, the back of her palm ready to be kissed, just like in the old days.

It’s endearing, and I oblige. I take her hand gently and bend down to kiss the back of it, lingering a little longer than I should. Might as well give the guys a show worth watching.

“Hey, yourself,” I reply, moving to stand beside her. I make it so that my back is facing the others. I don’t want to have to look at them while I do this.

“So your buddies finally convinced you, huh?” she asks, batting her lashes.

They’re fake. Just like her rack, lips, and upper arms, from what I can tell at a glance. I’m sure a closer inspection will reveal more. It’s never bothered me. Let them do what makes them happy. With my track record, all I cared about was that they looked good. I didn’t need to know how that happened.

But standing in front of her now, there’s an instant lack of interest. In comparison to Cara, who’s all real and breathtakingly beautiful, it’s no competition. Not the point of the exercise, I hear Zach’s deriding tone in my head, and bring my attention back to her green eyes. Murky from the tequila she’s been downing.

“Those guys?” I hike my thumb over my shoulder. “Never met them before in my life.”

Once a charmer, always a charmer, I guess. She laughs, dipping her head shyly. They weren’t kidding about the silver platter, that’s for sure. Something twists uncomfortably in my gut and I suddenly feel the urge to just walk out. Leave her and the guys and just go the fuck home. I’m not into this.

“You’re funny,” she says then, seductively groping my upper arm. “Why don’t you take me back to your place and tell me more jokes?”

I swallow hard, smiling through my instant aversion to her touch. Shit. How the hell am I going to handle this? On cue, my phone rings, making me jump to grab at it. I answer immediately, seeing my mother’s name. But as I move away from the bar, I mouth ‘work’ to her and give an apologetic shrug. And as my mother’s inviting me to dinner, I turn to the guys and do the same. They can’t give me shit about it if I have a work thing. They know what I’m dealing with.

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