“Oh, hello. To be honest, I’m not sure if I should be flattered or freaked out by your admission of watching me all day. That feels a little creepy.”
He laughs with no sign of discomfort in his demeanor. “You say exactly what you think. I love it. Too many people are afraid to speak their minds and go after what they really want. Do you mind if I sit here?” He motions toward Rod’s chair.
“Sorry, but that seat is taken. My friend just went to get our drinks from the bar, but he’ll be right back.”
“Yeah, actually I know. That’s why I came over here.” He sits in Rod’s seat anyway, and I instantly feel protective over it. “Hear me out, then I’ll leave if you still want me to. Listen, I don’t know that guy, but I’ve seen him around the hotel a lot. He’s with a different woman every night, and he was with someone else earlier today. You seem like a sweet person who trusts people too easily. I’d hate to see you hurt over a loser like him. The objective of this trip is to help single men and women find someone special, not to be a revolving door meat market. I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but I’d dump him if I were you.”
Over the last several years, I’ve become an expert at hiding my thoughts and feelings. When it comes to allowing myself to be vulnerable to someone else, I shut down rather than deal with the messiness of relationships. This conversation is headed in a dangerous direction. I’m not ready to assess why I’m inwardly jealous over Rod, or why I feel the need to defend him to this stranger.
Time to deflect.
“All right. Well, I appreciate your concern, but I’m a grown woman and I can take care of myself. Not to be rude, but I don’t even know your name, much less anything else about you. However, I have spent quite a bit of time with Rod, so I’m not sure why you assumed your word would be enough for me to turn against him.”
“My name is Thomas Flint. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, and I don’t mean to embarrass you. I’m honestly just trying to warn you about him. Whether or not you realize it, that guy is a total player and not worth another minute of your time.”
“Tom, is it?” The gruff masculine voice at my feet immediately grabs my attention. “I don’t know what your fucking game is, but I’m clearly not the player in this scenario. Now get the fuck out of my seat before they send you back home with every bone in your body broken and no fucking teeth.”
Thomas looks over his shoulder at Rod. “This beauty been alone all day, while you were chatting up some busty chick at the bar earlier. Then you disappeared with her. You’re just out looking for a fuck wherever you can get it, flirting with all the women who even look your way. If you had a clue about women, you’d know at first glance this beautiful little lady isn’t your type. Why don’t you step on, buddy, and find your next conquest?”
The nagging fear in the back of my mind that has been there since the day I met Rod takes front and center. Was Rod flirting with someone else? I mean, I know I don’t have any claim on him, so I have no right to question him about it. But after all the attention he’s given me and time we’ve spent together over the last few days, anyone in my place would’ve thought he wanted more than one night.
Apparently, I’m just a fool. Again.
“First of all, you don’t even know me, so there’s no chance in hell you know what I’ve been doing. Second, I’ve had plenty of chances to hook up with random women, if that’s what I wanted. But I haven’t even spared them a second glance, much less flirted with them. Third, she hasn’t been alone all day. She hasn’t even been out here on the deck until now, so you don’t know what the hell she’s been doing. Furthermore, you don’t even know her name, so you haven’t been paying too much attention.” Rod moves between us and sets our drinks down on the chairside table. “Last chance to get out of my seat before I knock you out of it.”
Thomas stands up and stands toe to toe with Rod before moving to his side. Then he looks down at me. “You come find me when you want a real man, sweetheart. I’ll show you how you should be treated.” He rattles off his room number before he saunters off.
“He’s lying, Daisy. I don’t know why he’s trying to start shit with us, but everything he said is a complete lie.” Rod sounds so sincere, but I’ve been wrong and trusted the wrong guy before. I can’t afford to be that gullible again.
My reply is a simple nod, but I can’t hold his gaze. I drop my eyes to my lap, pick at invisible lint, and brush out the wrinkles in the towel underneath me. The change in the air surrounding us is immediate. One stranger planted a seed of doubt in my mind, and it’s working hard to take root, despite the objections I raised to Thomas.
I want to believe Rod, but I don’t know if I should.
When I finally pluck up the courage to face Rod again, I’m shocked by his appearance. He looks as if he’s mad enough to spit nails. When his hands curl into fists, I follow his gaze across the deck to Thomas, who’s making hand gestures toward Rod as if to say he’s watching him.
“I’m going to kick that guy’s ass.” Rod takes several steps before I catch up with him.
“No, don’t do that. You’ll get kicked out of
