Redemption(20)

Annie: You’re kidding me, right? He probably thought you wouldn’t be interested. I never go to these things.

Me: I just don’t want to come off all clingy just because we had sex.

That was probably more information than I should have shared.

Annie: Wait, what? Like recently?

Me: Yesterday was the first time.

Annie: Dan Hadley has been dating you for how long and hadn’t sealed the deal?

Me: Stop. It’s not a big deal. I just don’t want him to think it created a huge shift in our relationship.

Annie: Lissa, if Dan waited at all, it’s a huge deal. I’ll pick you up in an hour.

I sighed and hoped she knew what she was doing. With one final text, I sent her my address and raced to shower and change.

She arrived right on time. I hopped into her SUV and let her lead the way. We made small talk on the drive there, with her telling me how she’d met her husband. I don’t think she thought I really cared by the way she kept glancing at me to see if I were still paying attention, but I wanted to know as much as I could. Not because I was nosy but because Dan loved them. I had heard about Gray the night before and wasn’t surprised she didn’t go into the gory details of their relationship. The only man that woman had eyes for was her husband, that much was evident. Brett didn’t have anything to worry about.

“He and Dan seem like they’re cut from the same mold—but that mold doesn’t exist anymore.”

“Oh sweetheart, Dan is good as gold, but you’re a deviation from the norm. But you know it only takes one woman to change a man.”

I hadn’t heard anything else she’d said in that sentence. All I focused on was being the exception. I was unique in Dan’s life, and I wanted to hold on to that. When we got out of the car, she tried to convince me Brett was a saint, but Annie was a good catch herself. I stopped short when she told me Brett waited over a year to consummate their relationship. I wondered how many more similarities there were between our relationships but didn’t think now was the time to ask. Instead, Annie linked her arm with mine, and we strolled into the YMCA like old friends.

We spent the day pigging out on crappy food that I’d have to run an extra ten miles to work off and yelling at the referees. I was shocked by the screams that came from Annie’s mouth. With one bad call, she was on her feet, yelling in her husband’s defense. He instantly found her in the stands, made eye contact with her, and winked before turning his attention back to the game. Their coach called a timeout, and Brett must have said something to Dan. He stood from his crouched position, found me and gave me a head nod and a quirky smile that set my mind at ease. He was as happy to see me as I was to be here.

When the game was over, I ended up back with Dan, and Brett and Annie went their own way but not before we made plans to attend the finals together tomorrow.

“You like Annie?”

“I do. Kindred spirit. We have a lot in common besides our relationships with you and Brett…which are oddly similar.”

“How so?” He held my hand as we made our way to his truck in the parking lot. He tossed his bag in the bed and opened my door still waiting for me to reply.

I shrugged, not sure I should have said anything.

“Aw hell. The two of you hens got to clucking, huh?”

I didn’t stop the laughter that rolled through me. “What? Clucking hens?”

“I’m from the South. Generations of my family grew up here. Every once in a while, a bit of Southern charm makes its way past the education and through my lips. My mama’d be proud.”

Everything about this man made me grin. He closed my door and walked around the front of the truck. I’d hoped he would let the topic go, but no such luck.

“So, what were you two talking about? Our relationship is nothing like theirs.”

“Don’t get defensive. I meant that in a good way. She just mentioned she had been kind of broken when she started seeing Brett, and that she’d made him wait for over a year to…be intimate. And that he hadn’t really had serious relationships prior to her.”

“Damn, the two of you were comparing serious notes. How on earth did our sex life come into play?” Thankfully, he was humored and not upset.

“Meh, she said you were a notorious man-whore.”

He jerked his head in my direction, and a scowl pierced me.

“I’m kidding. Calm down. That woman sings your praises. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you paid her to talk you up.”

He scrunched his face at my playful banter.

“She sent me a text right after I got home about coming to the game. When I was hesitant to go, she asked why.”

“Not following you.”

“I didn’t want you to think I’d gotten clingy just because we’d had sex last night. She told me if you waited that long, then my going to the game was a no-brainer.”

“Please tell me she did not bore you with stories of my past relationships.”

I laughed as I spoke. “Relationships? According to Annie, there haven’t been any. You’re a serial dater, and she never bothered to even learn your dates’ names because she knew she’d never see them again.”

“You think this is funny?” He thought it was too, he just didn’t want to admit it.

“A little, maybe.”