He’s confused. I worked throughour breakupwith Ben & Jerry’s nightly. I stare at Cody unsure what to say. Sure, I’m still a bit bitter about the whole cheating aspect — who wouldn’t be — it was a traumatic time. But most of my internal comments are more for my benefit than actual hatred toward him. In fact, in this exact moment as I stare at the man I would have happily married, I realize I’m not even upset anymore.
There’s a small piece of me that will always hold love for Cody, but I’m not in love with him any longer. It’s been less than a year, but it feels a full lifetime ago. At first I thought he’d destroyed my world, but today I realize he set me on a better course. Marrying Cody would have been a big mistake.
I smile up at him, my entire body lighter with the recent revelation. “It’s been a hell of a year, huh?” I laugh a little. "But I’m doing well and I hope you are too.” My smile grows with every word. I’ll probably always have a snarky comment to make about Cody when the time calls for it, but he’s not a factor in my current life. I don’t even picture him with devil horns any more. Well not all the time at least. It’s a start.
“Really?” he asks a little tense. Maybe he remembers the threats I made against him after I saw the pictures… oops.
“Yeah, really. Hey, did you ever land the account from the guy in New York?” Cody put a lot of overtime in schmoozing with their fund manager. It meant a big pay raise for him but more late nights too.
He finally relaxes and takes a sip of his coffee. Colombian roast with no sugar but a splash of cream. “Of course. Did you think anything less of me?” He laughs at his boast and leans over the small table getting into the conversation. "I saw Aspen in the paper with Finnegan McRyan a few months ago. What happened there?”
I openly laugh at Cody and his question, finally composing myself enough to answer without spitting on him. “Remember the nerdy neighbor she’d been crushing on?” I wait for him to nod. “Yeah, billionaire video game designer nerdy neighbor. She moved in with him last month hence my new digs.” I point upstairs.
“Ahh. This place makes sense then.”
Less than ten minutes of our meeting have passed and I’ve barely sipped on my coffee, but I’m happy and ready to go. I’m about to make my good-byes when the door dings behind me and Cody blanches.
Oh no.
“Marissa, there you are, Kitten.” Ryland pulls up a chair to the table placing himself between Cody and me. For someone always concerned with staying incognito, he’s doing a horrible job of it today. His dark wash jeans are normal enough, but the official team jersey and United hat declare him at the least a rabid soccer fan.
“He calls you Kitten?” Cody asks, his face full of shock and disbelief.
“Of course I do because she’s my little bitty kitty. Right, babe?” Ryland leans over to me and tries to snuggle into my neck but I push him away rolling my eyes and scoff at him.
“What do you need, Ryland?” I ask as I continue to push him away from my chair even though he doesn’t budge.
He looks into my coffee cup, lifts it but after getting a smell places it back on the table. “I came to join the conversation. You know how I hate being away from you.”
“Uh-huh.” I sip coffee as both men glower at one another, each putting up a nice display of male arrogance with their stiff backs and unblinking eyes. I could sell tickets to this little staring contest.
“So who are you dating now, Cody, the same girl from last year? I’m sure Marissa remembers what she looks like from the pictures, but I haven’t asked."
“Ryland.” I place my balled up fist on the table, a sign of agitation, but he doesn’t pick up on it. The couple at the table behind me get up to leave and I'm forced to slide my chair in closer to let them pass. Doing so jiggles the table and Ryland reaches out to grab my coffee before it spills.
Then he has the balls to give me his best innocent face, one eyebrow raised in question like he can’t figure out what the problem is. “I think it’s important you remember the type of guy Cody is behind the tie.”
“Enough.” Where the hell is the butter knife I wanted earlier? I have a new target in mind now.
Cody straights the tie in question. “Emily is a coworker. We had post work drinks.”
“You have a thing for coworkers, huh?” Ryland’s lips part a fraction—widely enough I could probably shove a biscuit in there to shut him up.
“Don’t answer, Cody,” I jump in to try and save us all. If my eyes had lasers, Ryland would be dead from the way I’m glaring at him. Rather than shriek in pain, he doesn’t notice. His head’s turned toward Cody like a predator waiting to leap in and deal the killing blow. “Ryland's acting like an ass. Aren’t you, Tiger?”
My thick-skulled landlord finally turns toward me, a stupid grin on his stubbled face. His lips change direction when we make eye contact.
“You call him Tiger?” Cody asks, more than likely remembering how I refused to give him a nickname arguing their ridiculousness.
I roll my eyes and lift my head, taking a play from Ryland and silently praying to the ceiling. It doesn’t help. They’re both still here when I check. “Well, Cody, this was…… an experience, but I need to finish up laundry and send hate mail to my landlord.”
I stand up from the table leaving my mug behind, and Cody throws down a few ones as a tip. “Right. Well, I’ll see you around, Marissa.”
“No you won’t.” Ryland places a ten-dollar bill on top of Cody’s.
Please. Please someone help me make it to my apartment without killing Ryland. It would not be a good idea to maim him in public. I should do it behind closed doors. Less witnesses.
Cody stands with us, but when his look filters my way, he leans forward like he’s trying to give me a hug or some other touchy good-bye with Ryland in between us. Apparently both men are morons. I’m surrounded by them.
“Have a good weekend. Good luck with the New York stuff, Cody.” I wave and head toward the door fast before we find out Ryland’s reaction if Cody tried to touch me.
Ryland keeps in step holding the door to leave. By the time we reach the first step in the apartment building lobby, he’s actually whistling a tune like he’s on cloud nine and completely unaware for what’s in store for him. Dumbass.
