FADING (A novel)(10)

I’m working in the back, restocking supplies, when I hear Roxy shout for me from up front. I stop what I’m doing, walk to the front counter, and see Jase. I spoke to him the morning after our night out at Remedy. He ran into Mark out in the parking lot and ended up talking to him for a while and Mark decided to give Jase a second chance.

“Hey, Candace,” he says as he leans in to give me a peck on my lips. “I’ve been trying to call you.”

“Oh, sorry. I was at the studio this morning and let the battery drain on my cell, and I never remembered to plug it in to recharge,” I said. “I’ll go do that now before I forget again.” I run into the back and grab my phone and the charging cord. When I walk back up front, I plug it in by the register.

“So, I wanted to see if you and Kimber could get together with Mark and I later tonight?” Jase asks while he’s leaning against the counter.

“I’d love to, but I’m working late tonight. How about tomorrow afternoon?” I ask. “We can do a cookout at our house.”

“That sounds great. I really f*cked up with him, and I want to make it right. Plus, I want you guys to meet him.”

Resting on my elbows, I look up at him and say, “Of course, Jase.”

“Great, I’ll call him and let him know,” he says, then leans down to kiss my forehead. I smile up at him as he turns to leave.

I notice my phone automatically turns on once it gets enough life in it. Picking it up, I swipe the screen to look at all my missed calls and texts. I see I have a missed text from Jack, and I tap to open it up.

You free Monday night? Frat house always throws a huge party after the first day of classes.

“What are you reading over there?” Roxy asks as she is steaming some milk for a customer’s drink.

Looking up at her, I say, “I’m reading a text from Jack. He wants me to go to some party, and I’m not sure how to respond.” I look back down at his text and stare.

After Roxy finishes up with her customer, she walks over to me. “What do you mean ‘you don’t know how to respond’? What’s going on?”

I lift my arms off the counter and step away to face her. Crossing my arms in front of my chest, I say, “I need to distance myself from him. I think he wants more than I do. I mean, I don’t want anything, so . . .”

“Just tell him you can’t go. Or go, and tell him later that you just don’t have time for a relationship right now,” she says.

I pick up my phone to respond.

What time?

I walk over to pour myself a cup of coffee when I hear my phone chime.

“That was fast,” I hear Roxy say.

“No kidding.” Walking back to my phone, I set down my mug, and tap on his message.

Pick you up around 10?

Okay, I’ll see you then.

Miss you.

“Shit,” I mumble quietly and set the phone down, wanting to pretend I didn’t see that last text.

“What are you ‘shitting’ about?”

I take a sip of my coffee and then toss Roxy my phone. Sitting on my stool, I watch her closely as she reads through the texts. I notice her eyes get big, and I know she finally reached the text that is starting to make me panic slightly.

“Okay, it’s not that—”

“You know I don’t do well with this stuff. I never make it to date number two and now this guy says he misses me.” I feel my heartbeat start to quicken and, yes, that is definitely panic I am feeling. I don’t deal with intimate relationships well at all. In fact, I’m pretty closed off emotionally with guys. I’ve never had any closeness with my parents, then the one guy I thought at least liked me in high school turned out to be just another *. I feel like I’m emotionally moronic.

I look up to see that Roxy is laughing at me. “It’s not funny!”

“It actually is a little bit,” she says. “Relax, don’t respond. He probably won’t even notice. Guys are stupid anyway.”

I hope she’s right. I hope he isn’t sitting there waiting for me to text him back to say that I miss him too. I don’t like opening myself up like that.

?????

The next day, Kimber and I get ready for the cookout. I’m in the kitchen preparing the burgers for the grill, and Kimber is chopping up veggies for a salad. Jase has never bothered to introduce us to any guys in the past, so I know he must really like Mark. I don’t know much about him aside from the fact that he plays guitar for a local band.

“Hey, Kim, has Jase ever talked to you about Mark before?” I ask as I pound out another hamburger patty.

“Not much. He was pretty pissed off at himself when they broke up, so I figured he had really cared for him but didn’t realize it until they split.” Kimber slides the salad in the fridge then opens a bag of chips to pour in a bowl.

“Hmm . . .”

“What?” She eyes me as she pops a chip in her mouth.

I walk to the sink to wash my hands. “Nothing.” I shake my head. “Just curious.”

“We’re here,” Jase calls out.

I walk into the living room and give him a hug.

“Mark, this is Candace,” Jase says as I pull away.

I turn to Mark, “Hey! It’s great to meet you. Come on in. We’re in the kitchen getting the food ready,” I say as I start walking towards the kitchen.