Next to Me (8 page)

“So you’re saying you would want to go out with me again?” He glanced at her sideways, hoping he knew the answer.

“Yes, I would go out with you again.” He was happy and walked her to the door when they got back to the house. She stood on her tiptoes and lightly brushed her lips against his. The giggles that erupted inside told him her roommates had waited up on her, and he laughed as he told her good night.

His father wasn’t much better when he came in to find him waiting up for him.

“So how did your date go?” Dustin leaned forward on the couch. He was eating something out of a bowl and
Tremors
was on the TV.

“Are you eating popcorn? Did you pop popcorn to talk about my date?”

“No, the popcorn is for the movie.”

“It went well, Dad. I really like her.”

Dustin perked up. “So I can start planning for grandkids?”

“Dad, come on, let’s not jump the gun. There’s plenty of time for you to have grandkids.”

“You’re my only chance at them, Son, keep that in mind.” Zane chuckled as he left his dad to his tremors.

Whitney woke up on the floor beside her couch. As usual she had gotten blackout drunk and let some random barfly take her home and spend the night. She was embarrassed and angry at herself in the morning, but couldn’t bring herself to text Zane and apologize.

She had to go to work today too, and that was not going to be a fun time at all. She checked her stash and decided she better save the last line for when she got home and could enjoy it. Checking her phone, she saw a text from Walter.

Thanks again for last night. Can’t wait to see you again soon.

She wrinkled up her nose. He sure was a strange one. He intrigued her and confused her all at once, but she still couldn’t deny that she wanted his attention. When she got to work the girls would all be waiting to ask her about him. They had been nice enough not to mention the incident at Lisa’s party, but they would be nosy about if he was still being strange. Now she wished she hadn’t bragged about him to them and how wonderful he was until she really knew he was that wonderful.

She couldn’t stop thinking about how she acted in front of Zane and his date. What had gotten into her? She was sure all the vodkas on the rocks hadn’t done her judgment any favors. Zane deserved a good girl, she just always thought he was in love with her, and he would never stop. It kind of hurt to think he could find someone else, but even she realized that was her being self-centered and ridiculous.

She would let him calm down and then visit him when he wasn’t as mad. Now to get this random dude out of her bed so she could go to work. She didn’t feel a bit guilty about him. It wasn’t like Walter was her boyfriend, and he certainly didn’t act like he was. Hopefully Zane would forgive her eventually. When she couldn’t wake the dude up, she finally just left him in the bed and headed into work. It wasn’t like she had anything he could steal.

The car fought with her for a little while as she sweet-talked it into starting. The guy in her bed of course woke up and came out, making his way to the car. Man, what had she been thinking? Was that a mullet? Finally, the car started up and she backed out of the driveway. The gentleman she’d shared her body with the night before threw his hands into the air and started to chase her.

“Sorry, I can’t take you anywhere. I’m late for work. You should have gotten up, buddy, call someone.”

She was pretty sure she heard him say he didn’t have a phone, but she couldn’t really make it her problem at that point.

Whitney thought she would get to go back to work on the floor. She was able to try and cover up the black around her eye with concealer, and she felt like she looked a lot better. When she got to work and started to count down her bank, Hannah came out and put a hand on her shoulder.

“Listen, you don’t get along with the waitresses. I’m going to keep you in the kitchen for another week and we’re going to have a meeting next Friday to nip this in the bud.”

“Hannah, the only way I make money is from tips. If you don’t let me wait tables, I won’t make any money.”

“I understand that, Whitney. Your paycheck will come out on Friday. Don’t you have any savings?” she asked.

Whitney had maybe twenty dollars in change in her bedroom and living room if she searched. She was worried about having to owe more money to Thor when she got what she needed. There was no reason for her to argue, because Hannah could have fired her just as easily. It was really hurting her pride that she wasn’t able to wait tables, and she knew the other girls were loving it. This had to be the worst couple of weeks of her life.

The next three weeks were great for Zane, and he was starting to feel like he had it all together. He and Lila saw each other almost every night, and he was really starting to like her. Everyone was thrilled he was seeing someone. The guys at work loved torturing him about it, and his dad wanted to know every detail.

On Saturday, when he was talking to her on the phone, he brought up something he had been thinking about. “I want you to meet my dad tonight, if you will. He talks about you nonstop, even though he doesn’t know you from Adam, and it would thrill him.”

Zane had shared everything about his father with Lila. She loved that they had such a good relationship since the one with her parents was strained. Both her parents were workaholics and alcoholics, which was why she had moved out of their house when she turned eighteen and started to make it on her own. She had a trust fund from a loving grandmother and used it to take online classes and rent the house she lived in. She worked at the library for spending money, because as she told Zane, she didn’t want to be bored and jobless.

“I would love to meet your father. What time should I be there?”

“Show up around six-thirty. I’m about to get him up from a nap and tell him the good news.” She laughed and agreed to show up around that time.

Dustin woke up to the news that Lila was coming over. “What should I wear? Does she like plaid?” He was immediately concerned, and Zane suspected it was because he had told him she had a little money.

“Dad, just dress normally,” Zane said.

“We should have gotten a cheese tray or some nuts to put out.” Zane knew he was serious, but it took a lot for him not to laugh.

“No, we are just going to have a normal dinner, no appetizers.”

Finally, he convinced his dad to wear a normal shirt and not try to put out grapes and Triscuits, and it was time for her to arrive. Someone knocked on the door, and his dad practically squealed with excitement. Zane went to answer it and found Whitney standing there smiling at him like nothing had happened.

“You have the worst timing.” Zane wasn’t really happy to see her, which was not what she expected after they hadn’t spoken in about three weeks.

“I just came by to say I’m sorry, and I want us to start over.” She stood awkwardly on the porch, and Zane knew his dad was listening.

“We can’t start over, Whitney, there have been too many times. I think we’ve just finally grown apart.” He looked down at the ground as Lila’s car pulled up.

“Is that your girlfriend?”

“I told you, you have the worst timing.” Lila walked up and smiled widely. Whitney nodded at her, and he kissed her hello.

“Wait for me inside, I’ll be right there.” He shut the door behind Lila and turned back to her. “It’s too late for us now, Whitney. I hope you find whatever it is you are looking for.”

He walked into the house without another word and left her standing on the porch with her mouth open.

Dustin was funny and Zane could tell Lila was really enjoying herself.

“I feel like Zane had to raise me these past four years, and I should have been the one raising him.” He smiled at his son and gave him a thumbs-up while Lila grabbed some water from the sink. He approved of Lila, and Zane knew he was glad to see his son happy.

“Dad, you raised me my whole life, after Mom died. I think I can handle helping you out a little.” He wanted to lighten the mood, because it was always a sore subject with his father that he had to take care of him for so long, but he seemed to be in good spirits tonight. After dinner they all helped each other clean up, and Zane put on a pot of coffee.

“I’m going to retire and let you kids have some time together.” Clapping his son on the back, he walked over to Lila. “It was a huge pleasure to meet you, and I hope you will come back soon.”

“I’m actually going to go back to her house and hang out for a while, Dad, if you want to watch SportsCenter.” Lila lit up and talked to Dustin about football for another twenty minutes before they headed out.

“I fell in love with her even more, Son,” he told him as he went out the door. “I won’t wait up.” They stopped at his truck and he kissed her softly before following her to her place and walking up to the door. He was about to open the door for her when she stopped him. She looked up into his eyes, placing a hand on his arm.

“Do you love her?” He didn’t have to ask who she was talking about. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the top of both her arms gently.

“I did, but I don’t anymore.” He meant it. Looking into Lila’s eyes, he had to be honest with himself, and her. He didn’t love Whitney anymore.

She smiled at him, pulling him down for a kiss and taking him by the hand, leading him into the house, which was surprisingly quiet.

“They are out tonight. I want you to stay.” She led him up to her bedroom, and he felt happier than he had in a while. She tasted sweet and inviting as he ran his lips and tongue over her neck and moved the shirt back to kiss her shoulder. Shivering she brought her arms around his neck and moved closer to him. He took this opportunity to lie her down gently on the bed and kiss her deeply.

It had been a while since he had been intimate with anyone, and he planned on making up for lost time. She reached into the nightstand for protection, showing him that she was ready too, and he pulled her clothes off slowly, kissing every bit of skin he revealed. She was beautiful and he told her she was repeatedly as he examined her body. Returning the attention, she took his clothes off and moved her hands over his skin. Now it was his time to shiver.

After they made love, he just listened to her breathe as she slept and thought she could really be the one.

Whitney had walked back to her car with her tail between her legs, angry that Zane hadn’t wanted to talk to her. She punched in Walter’s number on her cell phone. The past three weeks with him had been fun, and they had started to click better in the bedroom.

She had seen him more often and was really starting to think he liked her. Sometimes he wouldn’t call and would leave at random times. She just hoped it was a strange quirk that he had and didn’t mean anything against her. Hopefully he would want to hang out tonight. She could use the company. When he didn’t answer his phone she put in a call to her old friend Thor. At least coke was always there for her.

She met up with Thor on the highway because he said he had a thing and couldn’t bring it to her. It was a good bag and she did a lot of it in her car before Walter finally called so she could head out to see him. They had strange angry sex against the side of her car, and she knew he was wasted. He wasn’t making any sense. She went inside the house while he adjusted himself and yelled at a dog that had wandered into his yard.

Whitney listened to Walter snore as she sipped on some vodka. She still hadn’t seen his bedroom and it was eating at her. He didn’t feel like explaining it, and even when his roommate had walked by them on the couch in her underwear he insisted they barely spoke. She was really pretty and skinny, which of course made Whiney insanely jealous.

For some reason, she thought Zane would have texted her. It was hard to think that he really meant what he said. How could they have grown so far apart? She loved him. Why hadn’t she ever told him?

He seemed really happy with Miss Perfect, and she was happy with Walter, wasn’t she? Taking another long sip of the vodka, she let it burn all the way down. Finally, she couldn’t stand it anymore, and she snuck into Walter’s room. Her curiosity was killing her, and she had to know what it looked like. He didn’t have a bed, and she suspected that was why he didn’t want her to go in there. She had started to wonder if he even cared that he didn’t have a job, if he wouldn’t even buy a bed. The room didn’t have much in it at all. There was a large picture of a woman on the wall with her tits out and a bong that was almost as tall as she was.

He always had money. If they went out or did something together he paid. There was some way he was making money, and that was why he left randomly sometimes. She suspected he sold drugs, which was ironic because she didn’t share the fact that she did drugs with him. As long as she stayed out of his “work” life she could pretend it didn’t matter. She just hoped the fact that he didn’t have a bed didn’t mean he slept in his roommate’s.

She texted Zane again, wanting to talk to him, but he wasn’t answering tonight. He was probably with Miss Perfect. Despite the fact that she didn’t know Lila, she hated her. Jealousy probably didn’t look good on her, and she couldn’t believe it took him getting a girlfriend for her to realize. They had been friends their whole lives. If only she was a good girl.

Zane woke up the next morning snuggling Lila happily. He had four missed calls and ten texts on his phone, and he knew who they were from, so he ignored them. He didn’t want to get up, but he needed to go home and make breakfast for his dad. He hoped he could get there before he got up so he wouldn’t have to deal with the inappropriate sounds and eyebrow wiggling his dad would do. Shaking her gently, he didn’t want to wake her, but he couldn’t leave without telling her goodbye.

“Hi.” She stretched and snuggled into him, making his desire to get out of bed go down even more.

“I have to go home and fix dad breakfast, but I’m so glad you let me stay over last night. I will call you a little later okay.” She smiled at him and kissed his cheek before lying back down.

“I’m looking forward to it, baby.” He liked the sound of that, and her cute little sleepy voice. Driving home, he thought about the night before and how perfect it was. She was amazing, and he felt so lucky to have her in his life.