I narrowed my eyes at his nosy ass. “You stalking me now?”
“No.” He reached for the rag hanging from the fridge and threw it at my head. “You just don’t get out much, so it’s the only place you’ve been besides work, dumbass. When you seeing her again?”
I gulped back the rest of the milk and played with the glass in my hands. “I don’t know,” I answered honestly.
He turned around. “Dude, man.” He walked toward me, carton of orange juice in hand. “You dating this girl exclusively?”
“Me?” I asked, reeling back. “No.” I replied, remembering Stiff. “She has her sights set on some other dude.” A loser, who was too good for her, but there was nothing I could do to change her mind.
“Whoa, man, kinky shit you got going on there.” Trey chuckled, gulping down the juice from the carton. Gross.
“Bro,” I huffed, “ever heard of a glass? Use it. Anyways, she doesn’t like me like that. She doesn’t want anything serious.” I tried to shove out any unwelcome disappointment. I knew what I was signing up for here.
Trey’s wheels started turning. “So she’s giving you free sex for nothing in return?”
I sighed. I didn’t need to go into how I was supposed to play her boy toy to get Stiff jealous. He didn’t need to know about that part of our relationship. “I don’t know. All I know is she’s not looking for commitment. Not from me anyway.” It was the truth.
He squinted and let out a low laugh before he punched me in the shoulder. “Man, that lady just made you a deal of a lifetime.”
“Yeah,” I answered. So why the hell was I so down about it?
***
KENDY
After Brian and my sexcapades last night, my whole body ached, but in a way that could only be cured by him. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I’d see him soon. I needed to get my Brian fix.
I rubbed my index finger against my bottom lip as my mind flickered to memories of last night. This slow growing addiction was a little frightening, but it was nothing I couldn’t control. We were both in this relationship for the same thing—fun.
I squinted at my phone ringing beside me on my side table and turned onto my stomach to reach for it. The clock read twelve-thirty in the afternoon. And right on cue, my stomach grumbled, clueing me in to feed it.
On the third ring, I picked up the phone, my face already lighting up when I saw my mama’s face on my screen. “Mama!” I yelled. “Mama, Mama, Mama.” I paused and uttered again, “Mama, Mama, Mama.”
I rubbed my eyes with the heel of my palm, erasing any remnants of left over makeup. Now wide-awake, I smiled as her laughter echoed over the phone. I repeated her name over and over again, like I was six years old.
“Stop it, Kendy,” she said, but her laughter continued, warming me like a down jacket in below zero winter cold.
“I miss you,” I finally let out as I took in the picture of us together on my nightstand. I was in my cap and gown, and had just graduated nursing school. What I’d give to wrap my arms around my mama and pinch her side pudge, because I knew she hated that.
“I miss you, too.” The sadness in her tone matched mine, causing a lump to form in my throat.
I was supposed to move her out of Bowlesville. I had worked hard during college to become a nurse, and I had promised her I’d get us out of that god-awful town. Then, we could finally start our lives somewhere new, and she’d forget about my father and the heartache he’d caused.
Who knew she’d fall in love with Hank, her boss, the guy who owned the diner she worked in?
He had moved to Bowlesville from Seattle. His wife had died two years earlier, so he’d taken his retirement money and bought Elk Diner, a local hangout my mother had been working at for years. He’d courted her for months and, after a bit, she’d finally let up and given him a chance.
I knew when I took my job in Manhattan that she wouldn’t be coming. She and Hank had been slowly getting serious, and I was ecstatic for her. But I still couldn’t hide the disappointment that someone else was creeping into our space. Still, I needed her happy.
“Tell me, how’s work?” Mama’s sweet tone oozed into the receiver. “I only have fifteen minutes to catch up before I have to get back to work.”
“Mama, don’t play,” I teased. “You’re boom-booming the boss. Don’t try to pretend you work there.”
“Kendy!” she exclaimed. I could picture her cheeks flushed pink, almost as red as the apron she always wore at the diner.
“Just kidding, Mama.” Even though it was funny, teasing her about screwing her boss made me shift with unease on my bed.
It was weird thinking she was doing it when she hadn’t done it since Dad had left. At least, not that I knew of. Hank probably had to dust off the cobwebs up in there.
I shook my head at the visual. “Work is fine. My apartment is fine. I met a doctor who’s more than fine, fine, fine,” I cooed as a small smile crept up my face.
The only time I mentioned a man’s name to my mama was when it was serious. And to me, getting Dr. Hot Pants’ attention was serious.
“Kendall Lynn Miller, you better be working, and not working that doctor you got your sights on. You can get in trouble and lose your job over that.”
I bit the inside of my cheek and twirled a blonde lock around my finger. “Mama, there are no rules that say I cannot date any doctors.”
“You and your boy toys,” she chided with a motherly sigh. “Do you know there are still young men calling here asking about you?”
My eyebrows shot to the ceiling. “Who?” Everyone I had dated usually called my cell phone. “Who?” I asked again. I was beginning to sound like an owl. Who, who, who . . .
“Kyle and Brad Barsell. Did you date those brothers?”
“Nope. Only Brad. Though Kyle was truly trying to get what Bradley was getting.”
“Kendy!” she exclaimed again.
I chuckled. I enjoyed making my mama squirm.
“Mama, tell those boys I’m never coming back to Bowlesville. You’ll crush their hearts,” I smiled big, knowing my mama was rolling her eyes at the drama in my voice, “but it’s better than them hoping and dreaming for something that’ll never be.”
“Go back to work, Kendy,” she chided with a light laugh, “or whatever you’re doing tonight.”
“Okay, Mama.” I laughed along with her, missing her so much it was almost hard to breathe. “I love you like a love song.”
“I know, dear,” she said warmly. “You, too.”
“Kisses and hugs to Hankie Pankie.” I smiled, pressing end on the phone. Man, how I missed my mama bear.
I released a heavy sigh, feeling lonely all of a sudden as I glanced at the picture on my nightstand again. I really needed a dose of my mama soon. I’d have to check my calendar at work. I needed to see her, even if it was just for the weekend.
There was nothing left for me in Bowlesville except my mama. I wished I could bring her to New York with me. I could’ve shipped her in a box and written on the packaging ‘handle with care’.
But I knew she’d never leave.
Deciding I couldn’t wallow all afternoon, I got up and reached for my phone again, this time sexting my new best friend—Brian.
Me: Hola! Did your dick fall off from last night? Want to do a late lunch?
I didn’t have to wait even a second before his answer pinged right back.
Brian: Sure. Where at? What time?
Me: Clyde Diner at 2?
Brian: See you there.
Me: Sweet.
Brian: And Kendy? My dick is still on.
Me: Oh boy!
I got all giddy at the thought of seeing him again, and I replaced his name in my phone with ‘Booty Call’. But when I pressed save, a sinking sensation spread in the pit of my belly. I blinked at the phone as a heaviness knotted my insides. What was wrong with me?