She smiles, happy with that. “Keep tomorrow evening free. We have dinner plans at La Fresca when your dad gets back.”
“Okay.” I drop a kiss onto her cheek, and her perfume gets on my skin. “Don’t wait up for me.”
I head back outside, jump into my Jeep and my insides are a twisted mess as I drive to our favorite pub. I try to get Maize out of my mind, and brush off the unease in my gut as I walk inside to find Linc and two of our buddies at the pool table. I gesture the server for a round of beer for us all, and make my way over.
“Hey bud, you made it,” Linc says and puts his hand on my shoulder, but there’s a new sadness about him. “How’s the fam?”
I laugh, not wanting to ask him right out what’s wrong in front of everyone. “Same old, same old. You’re invited to the Christmas party this year,” I tell him. “Please come and take some of the attention off me.”
He cringes and I don’t blame him. Mom’s parties are so goddamn pretentious and boring, the only thing I can do is drink copious amounts of tequila to get through them. For a moment, I picture Maize at the party. She’d hate everything about it, and while everyone on the guest list walks around with their noses in the air, Maize is the one who is too good for them all.
“I think I have surgery that day,” Linc says, with a grin that seems forced. Yeah, something is definitely off. “I have to have my spleen removed.”
I laugh and reach for a pool cue as Curtis and Finn come over and greet me. They were both on our high school football team and both now play for Georgia. They’re tight, like Linc and I are. “Dude, it’s been too long,” they both say and take turns shaking my hand and embracing me at the same time, the weird way guys do.
“What have you two been up to?” I ask, and lean against the wall as the server comes with our beers. She gives me a big smile, and while I would normally flirt back, I’m not much in the mood for it today.
She walks away and Finn whistles. “Now that’s some tight pussy.”
I shake my head, offended at his crude comment. “Come on, dude. That’s just wrong. Respect.”
Curtis takes a shot and glances at me. “What’s up your ass, Christian? Last year you said the same thing about our server.” I nod. He’s right, and I hate myself for it. Fuck, things have certainly changed a lot since our last pool game.
“You pussy-whipped or something? Like our man Linc?”
“Don’t be jealous that I’m getting it on a regular basis and you’re not,” Linc says with a grin that doesn’t reach his eyes. Shit, there must be something going on with him and Steph. I can feel it in my bones.
We all laugh, and I take another drink of my beer. “How’s the fam?” I ask him.
“Oh you know, putting their favorite son on a pedestal.”
“Did you hear Chelsea is having a party at the country club?” Finn says. “A reunion of sorts before we all graduate and move on.”
“No, never heard,” I say. “Can’t imagine I’ll be going.”
“One last blowout. Why not?” Curtis asks.
“I have plans,” I say and grin at Linc as Curtis sinks the last ball and wins. “Gallbladder removal.” I push off the wall and look at Linc. “Partners?”
For the next few hours we play, and shoot the shit and a few more of our buddies join us, and so do some of the girls I used to hang with. Linc orders some finger food for us all, and when Chelsea comes in, she gives me a big hug.
“Hey,” I say, as she lingers in front of me, and runs her finger down my chest. “I was talking to Fiona. She said she ran into you at the hospital.”
“Yeah, a friend got hurt.” I inch back, as she pushes against me.
“You’re friends with corn on the cob now, are you?”
Anger sears my blood and I work to keep my cool. “Don’t talk about her like that.”
She stares at me for a moment, and then laughs. “You can’t be serious, Christian.”
“Leave it,” I say and wonder why I ever went out with her, considering that stunt in the closet. She never paid any attention to me until I became a baller. I knew who she was and what she was about, and I guess my behavior says more about me and who I was. I’m not that guy anymore.
She runs her tongue over her bottom lip. “I thought we’d hang out, get to know each other again this Christmas.”
“I’m kind of busy,” I say and move to the other side of the table to take a shot. I don’t need to lift my head to know she’s pissed off and glaring at me. I don’t want to hurt her feelings or anything, I’m not about that, but I can’t be with her. I’m not a cheater, even though Maize isn’t mine. Yet.
I glance at my watch, and put my cue back on the rack. “I have to run,” I say to Linc.
He nods. “Yeah, I do too.”
We say goodbye and walk outside together. “You okay?” I ask when we’re alone. “Did something happen with Steph?”
“Yeah, I gave her a diamond necklace for Christmas, and she gave me my walking papers.”
My heart lurches. “Fuck, man, I’m sorry.”
“I was totally fucking blindsided. Never saw it coming.” He gives a humorless laugh. “I guess you never do.”
My stomach clenches, because he’s right. No one ever sees a break-up coming. Shit, for all I know, this is the end for Maize and me. Christmas was our deadline, and I don’t want to stick to it. What does she want?
“How about you? You okay?” he asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know.”
He puts his hand on my back. “Why don’t you go see
