Page 47 of A Simple Love
I think about Hayley’s statement. I mean, I guess I can see where she’s coming from. I let Ben in, as much as I could anyway. I kissed him when obviously he wanted more. I honestly wasn’t upset about it and just wanted to move on with my life with Mike once I ended things with him. I shrug her off, not wanting to give him any more thought or energy until he walks through the employee entrance and behind the bar for his shift.
Red. All I see is red. And fire. And lava. Holy anger! Is this what rage feels like? I didn’t think I was that upset until I physically saw him. What a dick! After the chance I gave him? After how vulnerable I was with him? All for him to turn around and act like an ass because I rejected him. My eyes wander over to Mike, whose face instantly changed at the sight of Ben as well.
“You know what, Hayley? Maybe you’re right. Maybe I do need to say my peace.” I stand, bracing myself for my next move.
“Didn’t get mad until you just saw him, huh?” She pries nonchalantly while taking a sip of her drink.
“Yup. Excuse me, I’ll be right back.” I stride across the room, holding my hand up to Mike as I see him reach out for me.
“It’s okay, Mike,” I assure him once he gets close enough. “I just need to wrap up some loose ends.” I offer him a smile, then turn my attention back on Ben. By this time, he’s fully aware that Mike and I are standing just a few feet away from him, and he freezes, anticipating my next move. Truth is, I’m not sure what that is yet. And then I think back to the words he used in his fight with Mike, details I asked him to tell me the night we confessed all of our stories to each other. And then it comes to me. The nail in the coffin.
“Excuse me, Ben?” I ask politely, feigning innocence, which I’m sure he can read.
“Uh, yeah? What’s up, Vic?” The confidence he exuded before is nowhere to be found right now.
“Can I have a glass of water, please?” I bat my eyelashes at him for effect.
“Uh, sure.” Ben walks away to fill a glass for me and slides it across the bar to my hand.
“Thank you.” I take a quick sip, then examine the glass, pausing for emphasis before throwing the contents across the bar and right into Ben’s face.
Ben’s face scrunches up immediately, his eyes sewn shut from the water seeping down his skin and over his eyes. Peering through the moisture, Ben wipes his face clean before grimacing back at me.
“There. That’s better, don’t you think?”
“What’s better?” He questions through a clenched jaw. He knows better than to pop off at me right now. He’s lucky that a face full of water is all I gave him.
“Well, now everything BUT your dick is wet. Asshole.”
I twist back to my friends as Mike rushes over to my side. “Damn, that was sexy, Vic,” he growls in my ear.
I grin over at him then rush his body, forcefully attacking his mouth, not caring at all about anyone watching. I’ve waited so long to be able to love him in front of everyone. I don’t care who has a problem with it. I’ll kiss him any time I want. It’s just that simple.
Chapter 27
Mike
It’s the night of Victoria’s class Christmas performance. For the past four weeks, all I’ve heard about is rehearsals and costume fittings interspersed between the end of the grading period and decorating art projects for the gifts her students will give their families over the holiday break. My poor woman has been running herself ragged, but after tonight, she’ll finally be able to relax for a few weeks and celebrate the gift I’m giving her this evening.
It’s been difficult to keep my plans from her, particularly because we talk to each other about everything. We’ve established a routine at the end of our day when we’ve finished eating and we lay on the couch. We tell each other every detail that happened while we were apart, all while I rub her feet and she runs her fingers through my hair. Victoria is not just my girlfriend; she’s my best friend. I never understood what Dean meant by that when he was describing his relationship with Pauline not too long ago. But now I get it. Having a person who you can be yourself with completely, that accepts you for all of your faults and shortcomings, but also makes your toes curl at the end of the day… yeah, there’s nothing like it.
I convince myself then that all the scheming and secrets I’ve been keeping from her will pay off tonight when I finally get down on one knee and propose. Victoria moved in with me that week after Labor Day, and she hasn’t left since. We took Lilly trick-or-treating on Halloween together, spent Thanksgiving at her parent’s house where my mom and Pauline and Dean joined us, and now hopefully we’ll be spending our first Christmas together engaged.
“Hey bro,” Dean greets me from behind, holding Axel in his arms dressed in a Santa onesie, his dark hair covered by a matching hat. “Everything ready to go for tonight?”
My stomach is in knots, not over the nervousness of asking Victoria to marry me, but more so over the fact that I have to rely on a handful of first graders to do their jobs.
“I hope so. Little kids are so unpredictable. I hope they remember their cues.” Just as I say the words, Jacob tumbles around the corner of the stage to deliver the first note to Victoria.
“Well, looks like things are underway. I’ll see you when it’s over,” I inform Dean, placing my hand on his shoulder before I duck to the back of the room. I’ve chosen to hide out in the lobby between the front doors and the doors leading into the multi-purpose room where the performance will take place. Parents are seated along the benches, and little kids are running around frantically hyped up on sugar from the cookies and hot chocolate offered for sale near the back of the room. A sizeable portion of the town has appeared tonight to support our elementary school and the beloved Miss Baker.
When I was thinking of how I wanted to propose to Victoria, I knew I had to incorporate her students somehow. That woman loves to teach, and her students are such a monumental part of her life. They’re a part of mine now too. Even though I don’t see them every day, I feel like I know them just based on what Victoria has told me. The heart and soul she pours into her job is plain as day to anyone who watches her, so I knew that they had to be involved when I offered her my heart and soul.
Jacob hands Victoria the first piece of folded paper and a pen while she eyes him suspiciously. I watch her, peering around the wall so she hopefully won’t see me. Her shaking hands unfold the note, her mouth smiles wide, and then her eyes glimpse around the room for me. Her search is short, given the million other things she’s responsible for tonight, but she checks the box and hands the note back to Jacob before she’s distracted by another teacher.
Jacob scurries down the stairs and delivers his note to me.
“Thanks, buddy,” I say as I ruffle his hair and send him back to the stage. Checking her answer, I glance over the note.