Meant to Be (9 page)

“And I’ll prove you wrong. I’m a patient man and I have time.”

And I didn’t expect that comment either.

The waiter brought the pizza and set it on the table. Flynn stared at me the entire time, like my face was a TV screen. When the waiter was gone, we ate our food quietly. I was starving so I ate faster than I normally did.

“You’re actually eating,” he noted.

“I can only survive off rabbit food for so long.”

He ate with grace. Crumbs didn’t drop and he didn’t change his posture. There wasn’t a single smudge on his mouth. Me, on the other hand, I was so hungry I didn’t give a damn how I looked. I just trained for ten hours and all I had was water for the entire day. “I think the dancers should eat more. But what do I know?”

Yeah. What do you know?
I ate two slices and wanted to eat a third but I knew I shouldn’t. My stomach would show tomorrow.

He wiped his fingers with a napkin. “Are you enjoying the production so far?”

“I love dancing. And I love getting paid.”

Flynn finished another slice then pushed his plate away. “You don’t like the other girls?”

“They are bitches.” It flew out of my mouth before I stopped myself. “What I meant to say was…”

He laughed, a deep sound coming from his throat. His eyes were bright and wider than they normally
were. “No need to retract. Your secret is safe with me.”

I hoped he was
a man of his word.

“And for the record, they are bitches.” He winked at me.

“You sure don’t seem to mind it when you’re on top of them.”

“I slept with two girls because I liked them—at the time. When I saw how they treated their “friends” I lost interest. I’m looking for a good girl, someone who’s mature and understand
s when to separate themselves from work and their personal life.”

I picked at the crust so I’d have something to do
with my hands. “How did you land a position as the assistant director?”

“I know people,” he said with a shrug.

“Do you have any experience?”

“I do.” He eyed me for a moment. “I can tell you have no idea I wrote the play.”

No, I didn’t.
“Oh. You did?”

He nodded. “Which is why I asked if you liked it.”

“I mean, it’s great. But honestly, I love dance. I couldn’t care less about the story.”

“Well, at least you’re honest about it.”

“So, who did you know to get this gig?”

“Tim Robbins.”

One of the most famous playwrights of our generation? That Tim Robbins?
“How do you know him…?”

“I call him dad.”

My blood pounded in my ears. “No wonder all the women throw themselves at you.”

He laughed. “You finally figured it out. It’s not because of my looks or personality. I wo
uld much rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I am not. And you seem to dislike me pretty strongly.” He still had a playful look on his face.

“Does nothing ever offend you?”

“My dad taught me to never take myself too seriously. I’ve taken that advice to heart.”

“Well, that doesn’t mean you should accept every insult that’s thrown at you.”

He drank from his water. “Believe me, I don’t let just anyone get away with it.” He gave me a knowing look.

I was starting to think this guy kn
ew more about me than he let on. He seemed like he’d been paying attention to me for a while.

“I like that you’re honest. When you don’t like someone, you make it pretty clear. You don’t socialize with anyone from work because they all suck. You glared at me this afternoon like you hated me. There’s no beating around the bush with you.”

“Then why did you ask me to pizza?”

He shrugged. “I guess I thought you would change your mind. I’m actually a pretty cool guy when you get to know me.”

“Conceited much?” I asked.

“I’m just confident. There’s a big difference.”

“The line looks the same on either side.”

He finished his water the returned the cap to the lid. “So, you still dislike me?”

“I still don’t know you…”

“Would you like to get to know me?”

Was he asking me on a date?
“Um…”

“Come on. I promise you’ll have a good time.”

“There’s that cockiness again.”

“Confidence,” he said. “And I know you have a lot of that too.
Another reason why I like you. So, let’s get ice cream next time. You need to fatten up so you don’t die.”

After the incident I had with Kyle last week, I was convinced I wasn’t ready to date. Just a simple text message brought me to tears. I would always be hurt for being abandoned, for being replaced so easily. And I didn’t know if I wanted to date Flynn anyway. He was obviously hot, witty, smart, and playful but—”

“Stop thinking and just say yes.”

He shattered my thoughts. “But I—”

“Let’s just get some food together—as friends. That’s all I’m asking. You can calm down and not have a panic attack now.”

“I’m not having a panic attack,” I said defensively.

“Hazel, I can see every line of your face. You definitely had a little fear there.”

Hazel? It was weird hearing him say my name. I was so used to being unnoti
ced. He pulled the drapes off and exposed me to the sunlight. I had nowhere to go and nowhere to hide.

He smiled. “Saturday, it is.”

12

Scarlet

Ryan was nervous. He rubbed his palms together then moved his hands through his hair. He almost wore a suit but I talked him down into something more casual. He didn’t need to pretend to be something he wasn’t. Janice loved him for who he was, the hoodie and jeans with a basketball in his hands. If she wanted a pretentious jerk, she would have bagged another Sean.

When we arrived at the townhouse, he didn’t get out of my BMW. Driving in the city w
as always stressful. The drivers were crazy and caught off my soccer mom mobile every chance they got. Ryan usually screamed at me for being a terrible driver but he was quiet today.

He stared out the window like he was a cop investigating a homicide.

“Come on, Ryan,” I said gently.

“What the hell do I say?” he asked. “I just…go for it?”

“Well, say hi first.” I smirked. “Don’t just blurt it out.”

“What if he says no?”

“Ryan, you met them before and they like you. They aren’t going to say no. I know they’ll be very excited.”

He sighed as he watched the house.

“Well, I’ll meet you at the door.” That was my gentle way of kicking him out of the car.

He cursed quietly then got out.

We headed to the front door then stood still. Ryan stared at the piece of wood like it was a spaceship. I knew my brother was terrified so I didn’t tease him. He put his hands in his pockets then pulled them out again.

“Do I look okay?” he asked, feeling his sweater.

“You look great.”

“Maybe I should have worn a polo shirt or something…”

“Ryan, you look fine,” I said firmly. “Now do it.”

“Easy
for you to say. You never had to ask for permission.”

I raised an eyebrow. “So battling Diane left and right was easier than this?”

“Good point…”

“That’s what I thought.”

He took a deep breath then raised his fist to the door. It shook for a second before it finally collided against the wall. He stood back then straightened his back and shoulders. The pragmatism fell on his face, and the calm determination shined in his eyes. I patted him on the shoulder for comfort.

The door opened, and Janice’s mom appeared in the doorwa
y. The same blonde hair and blue eyes that matched Janice’s met our look. Her smile stretched wide.

“Ryan?” She moved into his arms and hugged him tightly. “Long time, no see.”

He flinched for a moment before he returned her embrace. “How are you, Jasmine?”

“I’m wonderful.” She pulled away and kissed him on the cheek. “Is my little girl with you?”

“Actually, it’s just me...”

Her eyes softened and she covered her mouth as she gasped quietly. “Oh my god…”

I smiled as I watched the interaction.

Ryan’s cheeks tinted. “Is her father home?”

She fanned her face as her eyes welled with tears. “Oh my god.”

Even though I was ignored in light of the moment, I smiled. The happiness on her mother’s face went straight to my heart. They loved
my brother. He didn’t even need to ask for permission.

“Come in, come in,” she said quickly. She stepped
inside and chauffeured him in the entryway. “I’ll get Tom.”

I rubbed Ryan’s arm as he took a deep breath. “You’re doing great.”

“Thanks for coming with me.”

“I would have butted in anyway,” I teased.

He smirked while he looked at me.

Jasmine and Tom came back. Judging the smile on Tom’s face, he knew exactly what Ryan wanted.

He extended his hand. “How are you?”

“I’m well,” Ryan said as he shook it. “How are you?”

Wow, my brother had manners when he really wanted to.

“I have a feeling I’m going to be over the moon in a second.” Tom smiled at him.

I loved Janice’s family. They adored Ryan. And after the shit my brother had been through, he deserved that familial love. Andrew was the dad I never had. Even Ryan couldn’t give me what he did.

Ryan cleared his throat. “You know I love Janice and I want her to stick aroun
d. I know I’m not a lawyer and I never went to college…”

I rolled my eyes. My brother could be so hard on himself. He never cared what other people thought of him. If they thought he was a loser, he didn’t lose any sleep over it. But when it came to Janice,
he was so unsure of himself. He wanted to be everything she could possibly ever need.

“But I work hard and r
un my shop with everything I got. It’s extremely successful and I make more than enough money to take care of her. If she didn’t want to work, she wouldn’t have to. I’ll spend every day of my life making her happy and keeping her safe. I treat her with respect and protect her every second of every day. And I love her very much. It would mean a lot if I had your blessing.”

Jasmine and Tom kept smiling as they listened to him. Jasmine had her arm hooked through her husband’s, and she was on the verge of tears.

Ryan finished and stood his ground.

Tom opened his arms and brought him in for a hug. “Welcome to the family, son.”
              Ryan was a foot taller than her father, and he had to lean down slightly to return the embrace. Jasmine came behind Ryan and hugged him, making it a group hug. I loved seeing how much my brother was loved. Now I never had to worry about how he was treated. I’m glad he didn’t have to go through what I endured with Diane.

When they pulled away, they shook his hand.

“We’re so lucky our daughter met a fine young man like you,” Tom said.

I knew Ryan would disagree with that, but he held his tongue.

“We know she’ll be in good hands,” Jasmine said. “I’m glad one of my daughters found her Prince Charming. And I’m so happy you guys are back in the city. Only a man truly in love would do that for my little girl.”

Actually, it was for me, but Ryan didn’t correct her.

“So, when are you going to ask?” Tom asked.

Ryan returned his hands to his pockets. “I haven’t decided yet. But it will be soon.”

“I’ll have to dig out my wedding dress for Janice,” her mother said. “I’m sure it will fit her nicely.”

“Do you have a ring?” Tom asked.

“No, not yet,” Ryan said. “I can’t seem to find the right one.”

“You will,” Tom assured him.

“Let’s open a bottle of wine and have some dinner to celebrate!” Jasmine squealed.

“Sure,” Ryan said. “Thank you.”

Her parents rushed to me now that they noticed.

“I’m so sorry for our rudeness,” Jasmine said. “I got caught up in—”

“It’s fine,” I said quickly. “Really. Don’t apologize.”

She smiled. “Hungry?”

“She’s always hungry,” Ryan jabbed.

I narrowed my eyes at him.

Together, we sat at the table and ate eggplant linguine and bread. Ryan loosened up once he had some wine in him. In minutes, he was acting himself, telling embarrassing stories about Janice while they lived together. I wasn’t as talkative as I normally was because I wanted Ryan to have the spotlight.

I was glad Ryan had a second family. If Janice’s family didn’t approve him, I’d be kicking some ass. Ryan was perfect to Janice—most of the time—and he deserved to be loved for the amazing man he was. Not that I would ever tell him that.

I pulled over to the curb at Ryan’s apartment. “That went well.”

“Yeah. I’m glad it’s over.”

“They love you.”

“I’m not sure why.” He watched the gang of bicyclists move past the sidewalk. There were at least a hundred of them. Living in New York for years made me immune to the odd balls of the city. Ryan was still new to this place.

“Because Janice loves you.”

“Well, I’m glad Jasmine isn’t a bitch like Diane.”

I smirked. “
God, that would be annoying.”

“I would
n’t have the patience like you had.”

“Ha. I
Know that too.”

We sat in the car for a few minutes.

“You going home?” Ryan asked.

“Actually, I’m seeing Cassandra.”

He rolled his eyes. “Could you just mind your own business for once?”

“Ryan, this is serious. I’m afraid if I don’t talk some sense into her, Mike is going to end the relationship. And I love Cassandra for him. I’ve never seen him so happy. If I can say the right thing to fix this, I need to do it.”

“You act like you’re a wise wizard that knows all the secrets of the world.”

“I am.”

“Conceited much?”

“I’ve solved every problem you’ve ever had,” I snapped.

“And I’ve taken care of you every time you’ve fallen.”

I couldn’t deny that. “I have to do something, Ryan. Mike deserves his happily ever after, and I really want it to be with Cassandra. She doesn’t care about his money. She loves Mike for who he is. I can tell.”

“Probably because she won’t marry him. Then, obviously, she doesn’t care about his money.”

“Well, I need to say something.”

He looked at his watch. “It’s getting late. Where’s Sean?”

“He and Mike took Andrew out for some beers.”

“Does he know you’re in the city?”

“No.”

He sighed. “Now it all makes sense…”

“He’s too protective sometimes.”

“Well, you’re a hot mess. You get into trouble quicker than you get out of it.”

“That’s not true,” I argued.

“Whatever. Text me when you get to Cassandra then text me when you leave. Then text me when you get home.”

“Sorry, am I talking to my brother or my husband?” I said sarcastically.

“Just do it,” he snapped. He got out of the car and slammed the door. He glared at me through the window. “I mean it.” He walked off then headed into the lobby.

I rolled my eyes just to spite him.

My phone lit up and I saw the text message Ryan sent me.

You better do it, brat.

You act like you hate me but you act like you like me at the same time.

No, I hate you.

I hate you too.

Good. I’m glad we’re on the same page. Now text me like I asked you to.

Fuck you.

Fuck you too.

I put my phone back in my purse then headed to the bar we were meeting at. After I found parking, I walked inside and texted Ryan like I said I would.

Here.

Where?

The bar.

Be specific, dumbass.

Lucy’s.

Good job
.

God, my brother could be such an ass. I put my phone in my purse and spotted Cassandra sitting alone. I approached her table and gave her a big hug.

“You look cute,” she said.

“Thanks. You too.”

We sat down and I eyed her glass. “What is that?”

“Some red wine.” Cassandra shrugged. “Some guy sent it to me. It’s pretty good.”

I took a sip. “That is good.”

The bartender placed a chardonnay in front of me. “From the gentleman at the bar.”

Cassandra smiled. “We have some admirers, don’t we?”

I peeked at the bar and saw a man in a suit eyeing me. He was actually pretty cute. I raised my left hand where my wedding ring was, telling him I was married. Judging the smoldering look he gave me, he didn’t care.

“I guess I still got game,” I said with a shrug.

“Are you kidding me?” Cassandra said. “You’re gorgeous, Scar. Being married doesn’t change anything.”

“For some reason, I feel old.”

“You definitely don’t look it.” She sipped her wine again. “So, what’s new with you?”

“I was just spending time with Ryan.” I kept our activities a secret so it wouldn’t get back to Janice. The fewer people who knew, the better.

“That’s cute. Sometimes I can’t tell if you hate each other or love each other.”

I laughed. “We can’t tell either.”

“So, how’s married life?”

“Good. I’m very happy.”

“Your father-in-law isn’t spoiling anything?”

“Not at all,” I said quickly. “Actually, we both love having him there. When I’m home all day, I have someone to each lunch with and talk to. It’s nice. And he’s nothing but a pleasure. I’ve actually seen more of him now that he’s getting divorced. I know this is cold, but I kinda like it.”

“That’s not cold,” Cassandra said. “Diane is…something else.”

“There are no words,” I said with a laugh.

“Sean isn’t getting sick of him?”

“No. He loves his dad. It’s hard not to.”

She nodded. “Mike is always excited to spend time with him. He’s his hero. And it’s so cute.” She smirked. “I hope Mike is a cute old man like he is someday.”