Rhett (Rhett #1)(12)
Author: J.S. Cooper

“Breakfast has been good so far.” She licked her lips and reached for my arm. I stared at her in distaste and pulled away from her. Looking at her face turned me off. Didn’t she realize that I’d been thinking of someone else while she’d been under the table? “I think I’m going to have an omelette for a second course.” She shifted in her seat. “Then maybe we can go to your place and you can have dessert.” She grabbed my hand and put it between her legs. “I’m ready to see if your tongue can work as hard as mine.”

“Yeah, about that.” I smiled down at her and jumped up. I pulled a couple of twenties out of my pocket and flung them on the table. “I just remembered something. I gotta go, but here’s money for breakfast and lunch. I’ll call you.” I looked at her hurt expression and gave her another quick smile. “See ya.” I hurried out of the restaurant quickly and jumped into my car, feeling slightly disgusted at myself.

“Get your shit together, Rhett.” I grunted at myself as I started the engine of my Mustang and pulled out of the parking lot. I was seriously losing my mind and I didn’t know what to do about it. I decided to go to the frat house that Tomas belonged to and see what was going on with the guys. I knew that I needed to occupy my mind. I didn’t want to think about what any of the craziness of the morning meant.

***

I went to bed and tried to sleep pretty early that night. I didn’t want to go on any dates and I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I’d nearly gotten into a fight at the frat house when one of the guys had started talking about Clementine and how he’d like to f**k her at a party. Tomas had had to restrain me as I’d grabbed the guy’s shirt collar. I knew I was losing my mind, but I didn’t know why. It didn’t help that Lily had sent me a hurt text message asking me if I was mad at her and if I had lost respect for her. I wasn’t sure what she wanted me to say. I wanted to ask her if she had respect for herself, but I didn’t care enough to get into any long conversation with her. I mean, what did she really think? I sighed and grabbed my phone as I realized I wasn’t going to get to sleep anytime soon. I automatically called Clementine to see what she was up to, but she didn’t answer. I lay there for a few seconds waiting for her to call me back, but when she didn’t I sent her a text message instead.

"What you doing?"

"Trying to sleep," she texted me back immediately.

"I tried to call you."

"I’m in bed."

"So you can’t talk?"

"What do you want, Rhett?"

":("

"Not going to work."

":( with tears."

"That’s pitiful. Haha."

"Are you laughing at the fact that I’m crying?"

"Rhett Madison, you’re not crying. Smh."

"Call me."

"Tomorrow! :)"

"Want to go to breakfast?"

"No."

"What do you mean, no?" I frowned at the phone. Clementine never said no to breakfast.

"I’m on a diet. :)"

"What? Why?"

"I have a date next week."

I dropped the phone on my bed in shock. Clemmie had a date? I frowned. Was she joking? Who could she have a date with? She hadn’t had a date in months. The beep of the phone distracted me from my thoughts. I grabbed it hoping to see the words ‘joke’ or ‘psych’. Instead I saw, "Did I shock you?"

"Who’s the date with? Do I know him?" I waited for what seemed like forever for her to respond.

"You don’t know him," she finally responded.

"How did you meet him?" My fingers tapped against the phone as I waited for her to answer. “And why didn’t you tell me about this date last night?”

"Damn it, Clemmie." I muttered under my breath and called her again. "Pick up the damn phone." I growled as the phone continued ringing.

"Why are you calling me again?" She answered the phone sleepily and I exhaled.

"Why didn’t you pick up the phone?" I lay back in my bed, finally relaxed.

"Because I’m about to go to sleep. I need eight hours a night, you know."

"You never needed eight hours before."

"It’s part of my new beauty regime."

"You don’t need a regime," I sighed, starting to feel agitated again. "Who is this idiot you’re going on a date with, anyway?"

She sighed and I waited impatiently for her to answer me.

"Clemmie?"

"It’s a guy I met online,"

"Online where?" I frowned.

"On a dating site," she whispered.

"A dating site?" I exclaimed, shocked. "Why are you on a dating site?" I was pissed that she hadn’t even told me that she was thinking of joining a dating site. Why the f**k was she on a dating site?

"To meet a guy, duh." She said sarcastically and I half-smiled at her tone. I knew she was making a face into the phone.

"Why are you trying to meet a guy online?" I asked again, letting my annoyance show. I hadn’t even realized that she was seriously interested in dating. I thought she was just concerned about her studies.

"Because I don’t meet any winners in real life."

"True, I’m the only winner you know." I joked.

"Real modest, Rhett."

"What?" I laughed. "It’s true."

"Anyway, I need to go to sleep now, so I can look fresh for my date tomorrow."

"Is your date in the morning?" I didn’t want to hang up, not now that I had finally gotten her on the phone. And I wanted to know more about her online dating. Had she met anyone already? What exactly was she looking for?

"No."

"So, uh, what does it matter what time you go to bed?" I said feeling annoyed.

"Because I have a lot to do." She sounded annoyed as I rolled over on my side.

"Like what?"

"Like I need to get a new outfit and I need a new haircut."

"Haircut?" I frowned as I pictured her long chestnut brown locks. "You can’t cut your hair."

"Actually, I think I can."

"Let me come with you tomorrow. I’ll help you choose an outfit and I want to see your haircut."

"You, help shopping?"

"I want to come help my best friend. Can’t I do that?"

"You just want to be an ass." She groaned.

"No I don’t. Let me come."

"Don’t you have to work?"