The Do Over (20 page)

A couple of days later, I walked into the Wellness Center. I had to give Chris credit. The gym was truly an amazing establishment. The service was phenomenal.

A perky, and might I add, little goddess greeted me. "Good evening, Mr. Marin. So glad you could join us this evening."

"Hello, Stephanie," I responded.
How could I not see her name on her huge rack?

She leaned her tits over the counter, just begging me to sample. "If you need anything, and I mean
anything
, please let me know. Service is our number-one priority." She winked at me as I walked away to the locker room to change.

I wasn't interested in any women besides Daniela, so her offer did nothing for me.

I'd never been a manwhore, and I wasn't about to start. In this day and age, with all the diseases out there, I couldn't be too careful. This was a lesson my father had pounded into my head. I needed to keep my dick clean. It was important to know the female I was fucking. I took it very seriously. I had always been monogamous. This virtue didn't mean that I didn't enjoy a little flirting. I had to admit that I liked turning on women. I liked flirting with them. I liked seeing a woman's pupils dilate, her pulse quicken, and her nipples harden. Shit, I didn't even have to lay a finger on them. I'd go home with a boner and get fucked. It was win-win all around.

According to Madison, this behavior was unappealing to women. I begged to differ, considering the fact that I had never once had any complaints from any women. Sure, some of them called me an asshole, but face it, they were hot and bothered and got pleasure out of it.
So, why am I an asshole? Because I didn't want to fuck some bitch in a public bathroom since she'd creamed her panties from something I might have said or from some look I might have given her?
I think Madison needed to work on her theory with women in general. She did, however, have a point when it came to Daniela. She was in a different league altogether.

That reminded me of how Daniela and I'd met. I had a sale's meeting at the hospital she worked at as a nurse. I was early so I decided to grab a snack at the café while I waited. As I walked in, I noticed this brunette with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, reading on a tablet. I'd seen her before, but she always ignored me. I came up to her table and took a seat. She looked up at me and then looked back down at whatever she was reading. She was a challenge.

Before her break was over, I knew her name, got her to laugh, and put that tablet down. I'd loved flirting with her, and I could tell she'd loved it, too. It was that she-doth-protest-too-much thing. I'd worn her down eventually. The rest was history.

That was Madison's strategy. I had to wear Daniela down until she realized what she'd known all along—that we belonged together.

A towel smacked me across the back, interrupting my thoughts.

"Fuck," I yelled.

"I was just bringing you back to this planet," Chris said, snapping the towel again.

"Lighten up, asshole. I was meditating. Madison suggested I take up yoga. She says it'll help me relax," I fucking lied my ass off to Chris.

"Don't tell me that. Please. I can't handle two of my friends turning into pussies."

"I'm very secure in my masculinity. Trust me, I've never had any complaints."

"What's up with Madison? First the X-rated show at Martini Bar and now yoga?"

"Chris, has anyone ever told you that you're an ass wipe?"

"As a matter of fact, yes, but only my close friends."

"So, who's the other pussy?" I asked.

"I'm ready to buy Lucas a box of tampons."

I could tell Chris was jealous. Hell, I was jealous, too. That motherfucker wasn't a pussy. He just had access to mine, and it was starting to fucking piss me off.

After the game, the guys suggested that we head over to Titanic for a beer. Even though I hadn't obtained any new information on Daniela, I was up for a celebratory drink. I'd found enormous pleasure in bodychecking Liam and knocking his ass to the floor. After the second time, Chris and Wyatt had to hold Liam back. I'd acted like I didn't know why he was so pissed off. After all, I hadn't played in years. I'd loved every second of it. That motherfucker had my girl, so this was war. He just didn't know it.

As we were leaving the gym, I overheard Liam talking on his phone.

"Hey, baby," Liam said. "Yeah, we just finished. We're going to get a beer. I'll be over in about an hour. Okay, see you then."

I saw red. I wanted to beat the shit out of him.
Fuck!
I hated that he was talking to her and that he was going to fucking see her.
Fuck!

I needed to get my shit together. This was exactly what Madison told me I couldn't do. I walked outside to put some distance between me and that motherfucker, and surprisingly, the cool night air was relaxing.

Everyone else came out, and we met down the street to Titanic. We found a table in the back. I ordered the first round of drinks. I figured it would be my peace offering.
Yeah, I don't even believe that one.
I was going to drink only one beer. That was another thing Madison had been harping on me about. She'd said I had to cut back on my liquor. This advice had come from the manager of a bar. It was laughable. According to Madison, my overindulgence in alcohol wasn't attractive. I was going to have to check her references.

She was trying to turn me into a fucking choirboy. I wasn't sure if I could trust her. This might be her way of getting me back for fucking turning her on the other day. I knew she wouldn't admit it to me, but I was pretty sure that she'd played with herself when she'd gone back to her office. I really had to be careful with her. Payback was a bitch, or maybe in this case, it came in the form of Madison Stuart. I couldn't argue with the fact that I'd been sleeping better since I started reducing my consumption of alcohol. I was still in a fucking bad mood though.

I blamed one person for my mood, and it was the asshole with a damned smile on his fucking face sitting across from me.
What does she see in him?
I was a big enough man to admit that if Daniela was not blinded by her infatuation with the son of a bitch, I would consider him a good guy. At the end of the day, I was a fair person and a good judge of character. Liam Lucas was not a bad guy. He was just in my fucking way, plain and simple.

The only things I'd learned during tonight's basketball game was that Liam had gotten pissed off after two bodychecks and that he had not connected me to Daniela. As I was pondering all these things, he got up. That was my cue. I knew where he was headed.

"See you around," I said to him.

"Take it easy," he responded.

The only thing I was going to take easily was Daniela away from him. I followed him out of the parking lot. This was easier than I'd thought. He was barely in the car for five minutes.

Shit, I can't fucking believe where Daniela lives.
Of course, she lives in these little townhouses.
The damned thing is pink.

I kept driving on Ponce De Leon Blvd. then turned on Suarez, and pulled around. I sat in the dark. I had sunk to a new low. I was a stalker. I just wanted to see her and then I'd leave.

Seeing her jump into his arms was like a knife to my heart.
Fuck
!

I pulled out my cell phone and dialed. "Madison," I said before she could even say anything, "We need to kick this into high gear." I was desperate. I needed to get her back. "Fuck, he has my fucking life!" I yelled, frustrated.

"Hon, we'll get your girl back. Spill," she said.

So, I did. Maybe it was a mistake. I didn't know. Seeing Daniela last Saturday and then watching her jump—
she fucking jumped
—into that fucker's arms became more than I could handle.

She was supposed to jump into my arms. She was supposed to lie on the couch next to me as she read her porn, getting horny, while I watched my movies and played with her tits. She was supposed to laugh at my jokes and be my biggest cheerleader. She was supposed to be with
me
, not
him
. I pounded my steering wheel, turned on my car, and drove home.

I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her. I saw the way she would tilt her head to the side as she would listen to me. I saw the way she would laugh at my jokes. She was fucking haunting me.

I barely knew Madison, but I found myself turning to her in my crisis. I was desperate, and I needed her advice and help. I did feel a slight bit of guilt for being such a motherfucker to her when we'd first met. I considered being nice to her. After all, she was putting up with my shit.

One time, I'd asked her why she was being so cool with me. Her response had been classic.

"Rick, you have got to be the biggest asshole I've ever met. I consider it my civic duty and privilege to smack some sense into you. The fact that you're volunteering just makes it sweet."

The bitch actually enjoyed watching me have a breakdown. I was out of other options though, so Madison would have to do.

Happy hour on a Friday was not the best time to insist on talking to Madison, but I really needed to get my head together and figure out my next step. The bar was crowded, but we had already established that I was a selfish bastard.

Pulling out my phone, I sent her a text.

Rick: I'm here.

Maddy: So?

Rick: I need to see you.

Maddy: I'm busy.

Rick: This is important.

Maddy: Take a number.

Rick: I'm number 1.

Maddy: Not.

I walked up to the bar and saw Bruce. I was about to order a drink, but then Madison's whiney voice popped into my head, reminding me to cut back on my drinking. I was being a jerk. Madison didn't have a whiney voice, but when it popped in my head, it was whiney and annoying.

Instead, I asked Bruce where she was. Bruce was ever so helpful.

He just said, "She's around."

I rolled my eyes and pushed back from the bar.
Madison definitely needs to send this asshole to a customer-service seminar.

I sent her another text.

Rick: Stop ignoring me.

Maddy: That would mean you were important.

Rick: You know you can't stop thinking about me.

Maddy: Keep telling yourself that.

Rick: I'm at the bar. Don't make me wait.

Maddy: I'm at work. Go to hell.

Rick: Bruce is serving me. I'm already there.

I didn't know if this was a little game of cat and mouse or if she was really busy. I called Bruce over and ordered a light beer. I figured that anything with
light
in its name didn't count as a real drink. I sat back and got comfortable.

After a while, I knew she was playing games. There was no way she wouldn't be on the floor or near the bar. She had what I needed, and I was desperate enough to wait.