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Second Chances
Lisa Marie looked up from her desk abruptly as Dave stepped into her office. She didn't smile and instead lowered her gaze back to a stack of papers before her.
"Hello, beautiful," he said, as though nothing had happened to put a strain between them - at least on a personal level. "You left so suddenly this morning, I didn't have a chance to talk to you."
Lisa glanced up at him, annoyed. As far as she was concerned, they didn't really have anything to talk about. As much as it surprised her, she wanted to be the only woman in his life, but Batista just didn't feel the same way. Yet, true to what had always been her custom, she was still sleeping with him.
He stepped closer to her desk, reaching into a pocket of his suit jacket and bent over to be closer to her.
"Babe, I want you to have this."
The brunette suddenly noticed the small black velvet box he held in his hand, and her breath caught in her throat, her heart nearly stopping. At the same time, she felt a bit faint. She might have been interested in having a relationship, but marriage was the last thing on her mind. In fact, the very idea of marriage itself had always made her gag. She raised her surprised gaze to meet his brown eyes.
"Open it," Dave said with a smile.
Lisa Marie did just that, reluctantly, and with slightly shaking hands.
Inside was indeed a ring, but it was blue, on a platinum setting. The stone was huge.
She blanched.
"Oh, my God!"
"Relax... It's not what you think," the man said with a slight chuckle. "It's just my way of saying sorry for all the bullshit I've given you... I love you, Lisa Marie. How about, from now on, just the two of us?"
She grew even more surprised, and, as she stared at him, felt touched as well.
"Okay."
Dave reached into the small box and removed the ring, placing it on her middle finger.
Lisa stared down at it, in awe.
"It's a blue diamond," he explained.
"It's simply beautiful." She reached for him with both hands, cupping his face as she passionately kissed him.
*
"Hello?" I asked as I picked up the phone to answer. In my right hand, I held up my day's mail.
"Hey, it's me," Candice said on the other end.
"Hey... What's up?"
"Other than morning sickness? Which, by the way, is a bullshit name for it because it's all day long," the brunette griped. "I need to ask you a favor."
I started sorting through my mail as I replied.
"Sure, sweetie, what is it?"
"Well, you're not going to believe this, but I got an invitation to the opening of a new bar!" Candice explained.
"A bar?"
"Not just any bar," my friend said. "AJ's bar... He's finally doing it... He's opening his very own bar!"
"Wow!" I exclaimed. "That's great!" I opened some of my mail and gasped when I realized I had received the same invitation of which Candice spoke.
"I need you to come with me to the opening... Please?"
"Of course," I said, "I'd be happy to. Oh, my God..."
What?" the brunette asked.
"I got the same thing you did," I told her. "And why didn't you tell me?" My tone was accusatory. How could she omit the most crucial detail?
"Amy, come on... It's no big deal. Would you just please come to the opening with me?"
"Um... No! I can't believe this. AJ is opening a bar with... Jeff Hardy?!"
There was silence on the line for a beat, and then I heard Candice sigh.
"You know they became friends."
"Oh, this is just great!" I snapped.
"Amy, it was six months ago! I thought you moved on."
"I did... I have!" I replied.
"So, go with me to the opening on Saturday."
"No!" I cried. I realized I was being a little childish, but I couldn't help it. It would be nothing but awkward if I had to face my ex-boyfriend again. What would happen? How could we even talk?
"Amy, please... I'll play the pregnancy card if I have to," Candice threatened.
"Well, that's fine - it's not like I did it to you," I retorted.
The brunette sighed again.
"I'm desperate here... Lisa Marie is too busy to go, and Trish is all tied up with the divorce and isn't in the mood to party. Please? You're supposed to be my best friend."
I frowned as I thought about what she'd just said... And I could admit that I felt guilty.
"Fine," I said. "You win... I'll go. But after one drink, I'm gone."
"Deal," Candice said.
*
That Saturday night, I met up with Candice, my reluctance still with me. I definitely wasn't looking forward to this, but I would support my friend. Plus, it would be nice to congratulate AJ on a job well done.
"Lighten up," the brunette said as we walked the short distance to the new bar - it was mere blocks away from my apartment. "I'm sure everything will be fine."
"It better be."
We arrived at our destination in minutes, and I noticed the name of the place was Riley's. I gave Candice a questioning look.
"AJ named the bar after his dog," she explained.
"Ahh... Cute."
We stepped in through the double oak doors and I sighed. I really wasn't in that great of a mood. Seeing Jeff again, after everything that had happened, I wasn't exactly looking forward to facing him again.
AJ immediately spotted us and waved, beaming as he approached. He gave Candice and me quick cheek kisses in turn as he greeted us.
"Thanks for coming. Welcome!"
"Congratulations," I told him. I glanced around, pangs of nervousness flitting through my stomach at this point. "Is... Is Jeff here?"
He gestured with a nod of his head toward my left.
I couldn't help but turn to look. And, sure enough, my ex-boyfriend stood amid some other party-goers across the room, and he caught my gaze.
Despite my initial trepidation, I smiled.
Jeff barely smiled back and gave me a very subtle half-nod. Afterward, he went right back to the conversation he'd been having before.
I turned back to Candice and AJ.
"That's it? That's all I get?" I felt pretty lousy right at that moment. Then again, why would I expect anything more after what I'd done?
*
About an hour later, I stepped outside for some air, and to enjoy my cake as well. As it was, I ran into a very familiar face when I got out onto the street.
Jeff looked up and gave me a smile.
"Amy... Hello."
"Hello yourself," I said, noticing instantly how my heart was pounding.
"You look great," he said, his gaze caressing over me.
I smiled shyly and thanked him.
"You cut your hair," I observed.
"Yeah, I decided to shear it off."
I started eating my cake, and I felt the weight of Jeff's stare the entire time.
"What?"
He pointed at my face as he leaned in closer.
"You got a little icing... Right here," he said, his voice soft. He allowed his forefinger to brush over the corner of my mouth, and then he pulled it back, slowly licking his fingertip. My breath caught.
Suddenly, we had company.
"Hey," AJ said with a friendly smile. "I need to borrow you for a minute, Jeff."
"Sure." My ex-boyfriend turned to follow him. He turned back to me for a beat.
"Good to see you, Amy."
I smiled and waved at him.
As he went back inside, I let out a deep exhale. This was heavy stuff... Because what I'd just felt was very, very real, and I knew without question that, for the last six months, I'd been fooling myself.
I was not over Jeff after all.