“Like, nah, I’m just lying here practicing for my funeral,” she spat.
This time, the table roared with laughter. Viper shook his head, trying his best not to laugh. I was sure he knew that if he did, there would be no telling what she would do.
“Baby, it was an honest mistake. You’re normally up before me. How about this? Later tonight, I’ll give you a full body massage and put you to bed early.” He threw his arm around the back of Cara’s chair and leaned in. “How does that sound?” Licking his lips, his gaze became heated.
Cara squirmed in her seat, clearly turned on. She stared at her husband with a meek expression. “I guess I can work with that.” She bit her bottom lip.
Viper leaned a little closer. “Good,” he said before pecking her lips a few times.
“Alright! Enough of that. Please,” Torch begged. He looked like he was ready to barf.
Everyone laughed as Cara and Viper pulled apart. Breakfast went by with light conversation. Everyone was engaging with me except for Tech. I even spoke to him a few times, but he would only give me one-word answers. I didn’t like how he was pretty much ignoring me.
I didn’t want to tell everyone we had been hanging out, but damn, he was acting like he didn’t want me speaking to him at all. After a while, I just stopped trying. Eventually, he got up without a backward glance.
After breakfast, I spent my day at Crystal’s with the babies. I was slightly distracted. All I could think about was how Tech was acting toward me. Blatantly ignoring me like that was hurtful. I thought we were at least friends at the end of the day. There was nothing going on with us. So, for him to act that way toward me was unnecessary.
As I was putting Angel in her crib for her nap, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Pulling it out, I scoffed at the text message.
Tech: What are we eating tonight? I was thinking I could stop and get some Thai.
I placed my phone back in my pocket, not even bothering to reply. Now I had moved from hurt to pissed. How dare he.
I knew that he was working through his emotions, but that didn’t mean I would sit back and allow him to treat me this way. Every man at the table held a conversation with me. He was the only one treating me like I was invisible, as if we hadn’t spent every evening together for the past few weeks.
Once it was time for me to head out, I knew I didn’t want to go home. Tech texted me three more times. His last one asked why I wasn’t responding. As I walked to my car, I pulled my phone out.
Me: Hey, can you meet me at Ollie’s?
Oscar: Hell yeah. We haven’t hung out in weeks. You’re too busy hanging out with your new bestie, Tech.
I rolled my eyes at his dramatics.
Me: Don’t do that. You’ve been with Maurice every night since he’s been back. So don’t even try it.
Oscar: Whatever! My man and I had some catching up to do. What time do you want to meet?
Me: I’m leaving now.
Oscar: OK, see you soon.
“So,he just flat-out ignored you, then tried to text like it was all good?” Oscar asked with a frown.
I nodded as I took a bite of my steak. Ollie's was our favorite restaurant. We normally came here when we wanted good food and good advice from one another.
“Do you think he’s afraid of the guys thinking something is going on between you two?”
“At this point, I’m certain of it. But there’s literally nothing going on. We’re just friends. Or at least I thought we were.” Oscar gave me a disbelieving look. “What?” I asked.
Oscar scoffed and shook his head. “I don’t know who you think you’re fooling, but try again. Your phone has buzzed on this table damn near every ten minutes. That’s not just friends’ behavior.”
Scratching the side of my head, I was momentarily silent. I didn’t know what to say. Tech had indeed been blowing up my phone. I didn’t think he would react this intensely from me ignoring him.
“Okay, I’ll give you that. I think we both know we’re attracted to each other, but we haven’t spoken on it.”
“Will, you need to be careful. You swore after Jeff you wouldn’t deal with a man who wasn’t out.”
Damn, he was coming on strong. He never brought up Jeff. “This isn’t like that, though. I feel like the reason he isn’t out is because of his childhood.”
