Rhett (Rhett #1)(52)
Author: J.S. Cooper

"I don’t understand why you’re going so mean Rhett. I thought I was something special to you. I mean why f**k with your best friends other best friend?" She shook her head. "Only shit where you eat if you know it’s all good." She reached out to touch me again. "Don’t you like me, Rhett?" I stared at her aghast for a few seconds. This was my worst nightmare coming true.

"Rhett, Penelope, where are you guys." Clementine’s voice drifted into the room before her. She gave us both a sweet smile and then spoke again.

"Nanna said to tell you lunch is ready." She paused and looked at us both again. "What’s going on?"

"Nothing." I shook my head, all I could hear was the sound of waves crashing. I stared into Clementine’s eyes and she looked taken aback and worried. My heart broke and I knew that she knew something was off. I looked over and watched as Penelope quickly did her shirt buttons up. Fuck it! I looked back to Clementine and she stared back at me with a hurt expression and a question in her eyes. I shook my head and she sighed.

"Are you ready to eat?" She asked brightly and walked out of the room. I stared at her retreating back and I knew that she was upset. Worse still, I felt like shit. My head was pounding and I felt like I was going to hyperventilate. I didn’t know what to do. She was leaving me. She thought I was fooling around with her friend. Her family wanted her to be with Elliott. She didn’t want to tell them that we were dating. I froze as I realized I was now considering her someone I dated. I stopped still and rushed back upstairs to the bathroom, closed the door and ran cold water over my face. I stared at myself in the mirror, not recognizing the face staring back at me. Yes, I had the same vibrant blue eyes, the same funky blond hair, same facial hair, same lips, same nose, yet there was something different about me. I was no longer composed and easy going. I was taunt and agitated. I was also freaking out because I wanted Clementine to be my girlfriend. I wanted everyone to know that we were together. I didn’t want her family thinking about her with another guy. I didn’t want her thinking about being with another guy. I wanted her to be all mine. It wasn’t enough to just be friends with benefits. The benefits were great, but I wanted more. I splashed my face with water again. What had come over me? I didn’t do girlfriends. This would complicate everything and I wasn’t even sure if Clementine wanted that. Then I thought of Penelope. She would ruin everything. With one word from her big mouth, it would all be done. I was pissed at myself for f**king up, but a part of me was also calm about it. This was life. It never went the way it should. This was ultimately why I didn’t believe in love. Someone or something inevitably came along to f**k it up. I sighed as I realized that Clementine and I were doomed before we even got together. There was no point in even trying to see what could happen. I pulled out my phone and texted Tomas back. You know that I’m always dtf. That’s my mo. See you tonight. I hit send and put the phone back in my pocket. I walked down the stairs and right out the front door and drove away. I felt bad for leaving Clementine without an explanation, but I knew she could get a ride from someone else. My phone started ringing about two minutes later. It was Clementine. I turned the phone off and drove home. I collapsed on my bed and pulled her pillow towards me and sniffed. Her scent was the straw that broke the camels’ back and for the first time in a long while, I found myself crying.

Chapter Twelve

I woke up the next morning feeling groggy and stiff. I was shocked that I’d slept pretty much all of the previous day and night away. I groaned as I stood up and stretched my stiff limbs. I walked into the bathroom and stared at myself for a few seconds and then laughed. I looked like shit. Certainly, no women would be fighting over me if they saw me right now.

“Oh shit.” I groaned as I realized I’d stood Tomas up. Not that I cared that I’d missed out on the two girls, but I felt bad that I hadn’t told him. My text message to him had been sent impetuously. I had no desire to be with another woman. No desire to even think about another woman. I was well and truly into Clementine. I closed my eyes and groaned again, thinking about her. She must hate me by now. I was pretty sure that Penelope must have told her everything. I’d ruined everything. I walked back into my room and turned my phone on. I had five missed voicemails and twenty-five missed texts: ten texts from Clementine, five texts from Tomas, one text from Penelope and the rest were from random girls. I listened to the voicemails quickly. Only one was from Clementine and the rest were from Tomas. I smiled to myself as I listened to his messages. He was more concerned that I was okay, then about being stood up. I quickly called him back.

“Yo, bro, what happened? You alright?” He answered on the first ring.

“Yeah, my bad, my phone was off.” I responded lightly, not wanting him to know why I’d backed out. “How was the night?”

“Epic.” Tomas sounded proud of himself. “Threesome with two hot British chicks. Check.”

“You didn’t?”

“Yes, Sir, I did. I had to show them how we American boys roll.” He laughed. “Let’s just say they were impressed.”

“Uh huh.” I laughed. “Dirty dog.”

“You know it. We be the pimps of the dirty dog club.” He laughed and I frowned into the phone. I didn’t want to be a pimp of the dirty dog club.

“Yeah.” I answered, less excitedly.

“Oh shit.” Tomas exclaimed. “You been caught, ain’t ya?”

“What?” I frowned into the phone. “What are you talking about?”

“It’s your girl, Clementine isn’t it? You boning her?”

“Tomas.” I growled. “Don’t use those words about her.”

“Oh shit.” He laughed. “I knew it.”

“Knew what?”

“I knew you two were f**king.”

“We weren’t f**king. Well before.” I paused. “We kinda are now.”

“Shit.” He paused. “That a good idea?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“I don’t know.” He spoke slower now. “She ain’t like these other hoes. She be a good girl.” He sounded more sincere. “She be one that can get hurt.”

“I’m not planning on hurting her.”

“So you going to wife her?”

“No.” I was quick to respond. “I don’t plan on getting married.” My heart started racing at the thought.