I step out into the hallway and wait for Aaliyah to join me. Once she’s at my side, we walk back towards the patio just as Aaliyah’s phone starts ringing in her purse. Answering it, she gestures for me to go on ahead while she hangs back to take the call. Reluctantly, I begin to walk back alone. Even though I’m a strong woman, I still don’t like the idea of facing the impending disaster that may or may not be back at our table.
“What the hell is your problem, man?” Eric says just as I’m about to round the corner. Stopping, I lean against the brick wall and wait to hear who he’s talking to.
“You don’t get it,” Rex hisses. “There is more shit between me and her than you could even try to understand. I fucked shit up once. I’m not going to do that again. And that includes you and your damn hands on her when your divorce isn’t even final yet.”
I hold my breath. My heart rate quickens. A tiny sliver of hope fills me, but I quickly shut it down.
“Seems to me if she wanted to be here with you, Roberts, she would be. But she’s not. Gwen’s with me.”
“Not if I can help it.”
I smile and stifle a laugh. Men can really be so ridiculous, but hell if it isn’t the best thing in the world to know two fine-ass males are fighting over you right around the corner. I wait to hear what comes next just as a waiter walks past me with drinks he’s bringing to the patio.
“Screw you, Roberts. I knew getting into business with you and Michael was a bad idea. Too bad I already signed those damn contracts. You couldn’t even be opening this club if it wasn’t for me. Maybe you should show some more damn respect.”
“We don’t need your money, asshole,” Rex quickly interjects. “And I sure as hell don’t need you stalking a girl I’ve known three times as long as you’ve known your soon-to-be ex-wife. There is history there, Eric. Shit I’d thank you not to mess with.”
His words pierce like daggers through my heart. A heart I’ve hardened over the years so I wouldn’t have to feel again the way Rex Roberts easily makes me feel. He’s right. Some shit you don’t mess with. The history we have, the feelings, the pull, the spark we give one another is irreplaceable.
“We’ll see about that,” Eric says. “She’s able to make her own choices, and it looks like she didn’t choose you.”
I hear a loud thud followed by a grunt and a gasp as I pull myself back tighter against the wall.
Did Rex just hit him?
“Asshole,” Eric’s muffled voice grits out a second later.
“You’re right,” Rex hisses. “Gwen can make her own choice, and it will be me. You can bet your two-timing ass on that, Maxwell.”
I hear footsteps and straighten myself up as I walk a few steps down the hallway and into the courtyard. Eric comes around the corner holding his nose. Blood stains his hand. His face is etched with hatred as he looks up and catches my eye.
His face never softens as he comes closer, and I grow nervous, not knowing what I should say. Should I act shocked to see his face? Should I let him know I overheard everything? How do I make sure he knows where I stand? Or rather, where do I want to stand? With him? With Rex?
“What happened?” I say, taking the first option and acting shocked to see his condition.
Eric rolls his eyes and takes my hand as he wipes a little blood from his nose. “I think I’m going to call it a night, Gwen. Is it okay if I call you tomorrow?”
I nod once. Then stand silent, unsure what I am supposed to say, or how I am supposed to act. It’s then that I realize, I have no feelings for Eric. Not after what I just heard.
“Are you okay to get home?” It’s probably a stupid question. He’s a grown man, and I don’t know my way too well around New Orleans, even if he did say yes.
He shrugs. “I’ll be fine. Are you going to be staying?” he asks. I know what he really means is, am I going to be staying here with Rex?
Should I lie? Should I tell the truth? Even if I am going to stay, would that piss him off and make him want to stay longer, too? I don’t want to sit this night out in a ball of tension with these two brooding men. Life is too short for that. So, I shrug and take a moment before responding, looking to the floor and stumbling over words that won’t come, I say, “I dunno. Maybe. It all depends on Aaliyah.”
He shakes his head in understanding a few times before leaning in and kissing me on the cheek. “I’ll call you later,” he mumbles as he backs away and walks towards the exit.
I watch him disappear through the doors and wonder how I’m even supposed to proceed with the night now that I just heard and witnessed something between him and Rex that was meant to be private.
With a heavy sigh, I turn and walk into the courtyard. As I round the corner, I notice Rex standing close by and leaning against a light pole. The night is completely dark now, and the patio is lit with string lights, making it enchanting and romantic. I pause briefly before I continue my approach. Rex hears my footsteps after a moment and turns. His eyes hold intense longing as they lock with mine. He smiles before standing straight and letting his gaze roam the length of my body.
“Good thing I didn’t hold my breath until you returned,” he says as I approach.
My heart flips and flutters as I come to a stop in front of him. How will I ever be able to resist this man? The pull between us always makes us do as it wills. But the past still weighs on me too heavily to bend right now, even if I wanted to. There is too much between us. I don’t know if we will ever be able to wade through it all.
Still, after hearing his comments to Eric, I should ease up on him a little. After all, our history deserves a little respect. Lord knows if things were different, I’d be climbing in his arms, in his bed, and never wanting him out of my sight ever again.
“No one asked you to wait, Roberts,” I smile. “Don’t you have anything better to do than wait around outside the girl’s restroom? Or is that your secret to scoring so many ladies?”
