Authors note: My apologies for the delay in this and the rest of the story, it has been a long time coming for sure so long a lot of you have probably given up hope of it ever coming. I actually wrote this and the next two chapter's right after it seemed popular that I continue the story, but I hit a wall trying to write the ending then walked away from writing for a while. I pondered posting the next few parts without the end, but I didn't want to be one of those authors that writes a bunch of a story but never posts the end. Better to leave it as a standalone short story than a longer story unfinished I figured. I was inspired to take up the tale once again recently though and now that I have a finished product to post I will post it now. Sorry for the delay, I hope you enjoy it. PS
Thanks HJF for editing.
*****
Jeremy awoke the next morning to someone talking on the phone. It took him a few seconds to remember where he was and why he was in a strange bed. As the events of the previous night came back to him he smiled. However, his joyful recollection was interrupted by a raised voice in the other room.
"Mother, would you back off about that damn card already! It's a fucking response card. I think they know I'm coming, and if I don't why should they notice? It's just poor Alicia the girl they used to get what they want." There was a paused, then, "Well, how else am I supposed to take it Mom? My boyfriend dumps me for my spoiled cousin and everyone looks at me like I have three heads for being upset about it! God forbid Jane not get what she wants." Alicia sighed and said in a resigned tone, "You know what, Mom, I'm not having this conversation again; if you choose to side with your niece over your own daughter, then maybe I'm better off not going at all." There was another pause and then Alicia sighed and said, exasperated, "Of course you promised Aunt Carrie I'd come, and no, I don't want to make you look bad. One question, though, Mother, if they already know I'm coming then why are they asking for the response card?" Alicia asked in a surprisingly calm tone. "A date, for me?" Alicia said then after a very long pause she said, "No mother, I don't have time to find a date because believe it or not I work for a bitch who is even more spoiled and self-centered than Jane is." There was another pause, "No Mom, no promotion, yes you're right I should change jobs, no I'm not moving back," she said seemingly flustered by the rush of questions for the other end. "Look Mom, I don't want to discuss this now, I have a lot of work I need to do. I'll send the card soon, I promise, and I'll see you at the wedding." She sighed and then said, "I love you too, Mom."
Jeremy heard the phone get turned off and Alicia let out a cry of frustration as she slammed it down, grumbling something he could not understand but he imagined referred to her mother, boss, cousin, or all three. Not wanting her to know he had overheard the conversation he slumped to the bed and pretended to be asleep, curious what Alicia's next move would be.
He was shaken awake and he opened his eyes to find her dressed in what he assumed were her workout clothes. He turned and went to pull her on the bed, but she resisted.
"Look, Jeremy was it?" she said and he could tell she was purposely acting as if she did not know his name, but he nodded. "I want to work out and then I have a lot of work to do today so if you could get dressed and go I would appreciate it."
Jeremy looked at her confused and said, "Just like that? After last night?"
She rolled her eyes and said, "Don't get all girly on me. Don't get me wrong last night was fun and I appreciate the help with the pass and with my dress, but I've got no time for anything serious right now. I work too much."
"For a woman whom you're stealing from," he thought, also recalling it was a Saturday and the fact that she had just last night told him how much she was going to enjoy vegging this week while the new guy struggled to do a job he was not qualified for. "Yeah realll busy," he thought to himself and smiled. She had to know he knew she was lying. Did she want him to call her on it? To call out her falsehood and demand she strip and spend the remainder of the morning in bed with him?
He gave it a shot, "Okay, but its Saturday, can't it wait a few more hours?" He then looked her in the eyes and said, "Come here and let's give you a workout of a different sort and then since you treated me to dinner I'll treat you to breakfast, or depending on how much of a workout we have, lunch."
She turned her gaze away from his but not before he saw the hint of longing in her eyes. Deep down they both knew she wanted nothing more than to do what he had just said, but something stronger overrode that urge and she said in a feeble tone, "I can't, I have to work out...and I really have work to do." She then left and as she walked away her voice got stronger, "So please get dressed and leave."
Jeremy understood and knew that pushing her would do no good. This was the doing of Joe and Jane; they had hurt Alicia and bad, more than even Alicia would probably admit. She too had enjoyed last night and had felt the same connection he had, but unlike him she was afraid of it. Joe had ripped her heart out of her chest and stomped it to pieces, with the help of a family member no less. The betrayal and pain Alicia must be feeling were too immense. This would take care and time, neither of which, it seemed, he had. Pressing this one would only cause more harm.
He was all too familiar with this act she was pulling; he had done it himself using coldness and lame excuses to prevent himself from getting hurt. He always played it safe. He never took the crazy risk or let his emotions get the best of him, that is, until last night. He had let an impulse lead him to a sexy young woman and it had been the best night of his life. He definitely wanted to see her again, but he had a problem, she was about to shoo him out of her life for good.
It was then he remembered that he too had a bit of a social bind; he smiled to himself and rose from the bed. If openness and understanding would be met with coldness he would play cold too. He would make a deal that would benefit them both in the short term and hopefully buy him the time he needed to soften her defenses. He put on only his underwear and walked out of the bedroom to find Alicia waiting impatiently.
"Why aren't you dressed? I really need to go."
"Because if I get dressed you'll leave and I don't want that until you've heard me out Alicia."
"There's nothing to discuss as I said last night was..."
"I'm not talking about last night." He said cutting her off, "Which was amazing you're right. No, I'm talking about a deal that I think will help us both. You need a date for your cousin's wedding."
"I need no such thing!" Alicia interjected, but Jeremy waved her off.
"Oh, no, not at all," he said sarcastically, "Then that wasn't your mom I woke to you screaming into the phone at. Face it Alicia you rolled the dice on a promotion and failed, so now the best thing you can do to save face is get a date on short notice, and given your height and preference of not being taller than your date, that doesn't leave you with a lot of options. I think we proved last night you and I can certainly get along for an evening and wouldn't it be better to have someone else along that isn't on Jane's side? Face it Alicia, you need me." He then paused and said, "Besides we both know the reason that response card is not filled out is you were holding onto hope that you'd have someone to take with you. I've done it myself several times before finally breaking down and admitting I'm going to another wedding dateless." Alicia gave no objection and looked a little sorry for him to his surprise.
"Now that that is settled, I need something in return for going. I myself am in a social bind of sorts. You see I organized a guy's camping trip with two of my friends awhile back. After talking with another of my friends I decided to invite him, too, which my friend Sam then took as a license to invite his girlfriend along. I should explain that Sam and Beth, his girlfriend, both live at home so he's obviously doing this to get laid, but I digress. Anyway knowing I would object Sam told Tim, the other friend I originally invited, that Beth was coming so he should invite his wife Erin. They have a newborn and somehow got a sitter for the weekend so of course Erin is coming. Upon hearing that Beth and Erin were coming I had to tell Ryan, my third friend, that his fiancée Amber was invited and of course she is now also coming.
"So now my guy's trip is suddenly me and three couples and I can't pull out because they need my car and gear for the trip, so without me Sam doesn't get a night alone with Beth, Tim and Erin are getting a sitter for nothing, and their weekend away from the baby is shot, which would be just cruel after we dangled it in front of them. So in other words I'm stuck."
Alicia took all this in and said, "Let me guess, a weekend with your friends camping for a weekend of wedding with my family?"
"Yep that's about it, and don't worry about not knowing anyone, Ryan's met Sam and Tim once and Amber knows no one but me so it won't be too odd. I plan for us to all get together next Wednesday to discuss food and other stuff before Friday when we leave."
Alicia stared at him, seemingly thinking, and said, "I'll think about it while you get dressed."
He got dressed and when he finished she said, "Look, I still need to think on it. My mind is in a hundred places right now."
