Because I’m a pussy, she thought. Too scared to have one little talk. She didn’t answer and Neil gave a disgruntled snort and walked to the kitchen. “I’m going to talk to him.” He took two beers, snapped off the lids, and walked outside.
Tyler looked up when he heard the door open, but it was only Neil. “Hi,” he greeted.
“Hi.” Neil handed him a beer. “Thought you might need this. Being exiled can work up a thirst.”
“Thanks. How much Rohypnol is in here?”
“Not one drop…more than the recommended dosage.”
Tyler chuckled as he took a sip. “Your friend is a sadist. She likes watching me suffer.”
Neil shrugged and sat down on the lawn beside him. “You hurt us pretty bad. I’m a lot more forgiving, though. I can move on even though you’ve completely ruined Patrick Swayze for me. I can’t masturbate to him without thinking about you anymore.”
Tyler’s face scrunched with disgust. “I’m not sure if I should be flattered by that.”
“You should.” He took a swig of beer. “Jordan is hurting and I guess…she wants to hurt you back.”
“It’s working.” He shook his head with a deflated groan. “Women are frustrating, Neil.”
“I know,” he said, nodding in agreement. “That’s why I like dudes. Speaking of which…Now that you’re single…”
A hearty laugh bubbled out of Tyler. He’d been deprived of her silliness and it was the first time he’d laughed in weeks. It felt good. “My answer is still no.”
“Oh, c’mon. You said you have aslightaversion to penises.”
“I was trying not to hurt your feelings.”
He looked back to the door when he heard it open again. It was odd. Every time he saw her, his heart swelled and ached at the same time.
Jordan walked down the pathway leading to the gate.
“Hi,” he greeted softly.
She stopped and looking into her eyes was like staring at one big brick wall. “Stalk much?”
“It’s become a recent hobby of mine.” He smiled. “You coming back to work?”
“Nope.”
“You ready to talk to me?”
“Nope.”
He always needed to be careful when he spoke to her these days. He tried not to say too many words. It would give too much away. It was an effort to keep his voice steady and he always needed a deep breath so that he actually sounded like he was composed. He wasn’t. “Okay,” he whispered.
She turned on heel, walked down the pathway and out the front gate.
Neil left after an hour, complaining that the hard ground would inevitably lead to piles. Tyler pulled his cap over his face and dozed off, trying to catch up on the sleep he’d been losing. Hours later, he heard the gate creak open.
“What are you still doing here, Tyler?” she asked, making her way up the path towards him.
He sat up with a groan and dropped the cap on the floor. “This is getting a bit ridiculous,” he said, raking a tired handthrough his hair. His eyes met hers. Still a brick wall. “Why do you keep doing this to me?”
She shrugged as if his suffering meant nothing and headed for the door. “You did this.”
“Jordan.” She stopped and turned to face him as he slowly stood up. “It was two dates.”
“And if Trisha came back after those two dates, you would be with her right now and not sitting out here on my lawn.”
