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Fuck—the last girl I went on a few casual dates with took our breakup so badly. She went around town saying she left me because I kiss like a bearded toilet plunger. I still haven’t lived that shit down.
None of it was fair. Not to me. Not to Stella. Not to whatever woman was trying to squeeze a commitment out of me at the time. That’s why I won’t do it again.
Do I sometimes crave female companionship? Of course.
Do I sometimes wish I had a steady reliable woman in my life? Yes.
And sex? I miss sex so fucking much. I haven’t had a woman in my bed since the last time my ex-wife dropped into town over a year ago to get her rocks off. I let my guard down and let Lilian in. Then she left again the next morning.It fucking sucked.
All of it sucks.
But I would make all those sacrifices over again and again to provide stability for my daughter.
I don’t need the headache of a relationship. I’d rather just focus on my kid and my bar.
Ronan is not too happy when he realizes that I’m not changing my position on this. “Wow. So you really learned nothing from almost losing Inez in this whole reality show mess?” he prods, wagging his head left to right and eyeballing me down.
Felix leans over and whispers like a ‘helpful’ classmate giving me the answers to a pop quiz. “I think the moral of this story is, don’t just sit around like a stoic dumbass and watch the woman you want run off and get engaged to another man, you idiot.”
Mason shrugs. “A bit of an oversimplification but that’s the gist of it.”
“You realize that another guy will be trying to scoop her up in no time, right? Are you really going to sit back and risk the same thing happening all over again?” My twin asks. “You’re prepared to let Inez slip through your fingers for a second time?”
A second time? Inez was never mine to begin with. I can’t claim ownership over the woman on the basis of an innocent, little, unreciprocated crush. These guys are delusional.
“Look, you bastards can keep running your mouths. I know what my priorities are. And I’m sticking to them.” On that note, I tune out my brothers, ignoring their arguments. They continue to yap away as I coolly sit back and sip my beer and supervise my employees from a distance.
Suzy spends the rest of the night shooting dirty looks in Inez’s direction. She’s being downright hostile at this point. Bumping into her. Talking back. Being a jerk. I’m not sure what this girl’s deal is.
If Inez notices or cares, she doesn’t let on. But it sure grates on my own nerves.
And twenty minutes later, when Suzy changes the channel on the televisions around the bar, I know she’s doing it intentionally.
Now, one of those celebrity gossip shows that falsely labels itself as ‘news’ is playing on all my big screens.
The catty bartender sneers in Inez’s direction as all eyes in the room swing to the pre-recorded interview currently playing. Vance Cavendish is front and center as a bold yellow ticker tape scrolls across the bottom of the screen. “Heartbroken: America’s Jilted Groom Tells All.”
Oh, fuck.
I watch in disgust as Mr. Golden Boy breaks down crying on cable television, blubbering into a soggy tissue about his broken heart, and about how Inez betrayed him.
My attention follows the closed captioning rolling across the screen and I’m ready to claw my eyeballs out.
“...She was the love of my life.” Sniff. “I put everything on the line for her.” Sniff. “But she…she just stomped on my heart.” Sniff. Sniff. Sniff. “I have to wonder if any of it was real, or if Inez just played me from the start.” He blots his eyes and blows his nose. Then he stares directly into the camera and delivers his next line with dramatic flair. “I may never be able to love anyone again. Not after this.”
More sniffing and nose-blowing.
Sabrina, the TV host lady, sits across from him, blotting her tears and sniffling, too.
I roll my eyes so hard it gives me a headache.That guy is such an actor. Somebody, give him an Oscar already, so he’ll shut the hell up. These people will do anything for their TV ratings.
But then my attention shoots across the bar, which is now painfully silent. You could hear a pin drop.
All eyes are focused on one person.
Inez keeps her head down. She stubbornly refuses to look up as this horror show plays out on the TV. She just stirs-stirs-stirs the rum and coke she’s mixing together. But the splotches of red creeping up her face completely give her away.
Fuck. She’s humiliated.
