Mr. Charming, page 16
“Not the way you connect, Tweetie,” Rowan says with a laugh, obviously referring to his philandering.
My stomach clenches at the reminder.
Tweetie is right, though. I noticed it when I started doing his socials in Florida. He was so easy to deal with because he always wanted to explore the city and take pictures in obscure places. People feel as though he’s their friend. Sometimes they think they’re more than his friend, unfortunately.
“I can grab some pictures if you want.” I offer, but I don’t want Decker to feel forced.
Easton raises his eyebrows in a challenge. Just like at the hockey rink, Decker stands. Can none of these men not have something to prove when they’re challenged?
“I’m in,” Decker says.
“We got one, Gwen!” Tweetie puts his arm around Decker’s shoulders and walks them over to the table at the front of the bar.
I pull out my phone.
“This is interesting,” Henry says with no other explanation.
I ask a table in front if I can borrow a chair they’re not using.
It’s Tweetie and Decker, one other guy, and a young girl.
Before the contest even starts, everyone is cheering for someone at the front, and our table is no different. I’ve never seen Tweetie lose any competition he’s entered, so this should be interesting.
The taller middle-aged woman with jet black hair gets on the microphone. “Okay, we’re gonna start you off with something mild. Just to get your palates wet.”
A young kid comes by and places a wing in front of each contender.
“You have ranch or blue cheese in front of you if you want and some water. If you grab the glass of milk in front of you, you’re eliminated. You have one minute to eat each wing. Everyone understand?”
They all nod.
“Ready. Set. Go.”
Everyone cheers, and Tweetie and Decker each pick up their wing, both finishing it in way under a minute.
We go through three more rounds, and everyone is still in.
“Way to go, you two at the end, competing with a pro hockey player and a pro baseball player. Impressive.” Gwen puts her hand on Tweetie’s shoulder, and I want to roll my eyes, because of course she does.
I set my phone to video to film a clip.
“This is where we find out who has hair on their chest.” She looks at the one female at the table and winks at her. “Sorry, sweetie.”
The young kid dishing out the wings puts one down that just looks spicy. The guy next to Decker starts off well, finishing the wing before he blows out his breath as sweat beads on his forehead.
“You can do it, Dad!” a kid shouts from behind me.
“Yeah, Phil!” a woman shouts.
Phil looks as though he’s going to pass out. He tries the water, but you can see that gives him no relief. Somehow, he stays in, and Gwen keeps it going.
I will say whoever picked her to do this contest, they did well. She gets the crowd going. And I’m all Team Gwen until she stops the contest to ask them all personal questions.
She goes to the young girl first. “Tell us why you came out today on this cold Chicago evening.”
The girl says she’s here with her family, who came to see her at college. They all hoot and holler for the school she attends.
Next is Phil, who answers that he’s here with his family to celebrate his wife’s birthday. Gwen gives him a little hell for ruining her night when he’s throwing up later and she’s eating her birthday cake alone.
Then it’s Decker’s turn.
“And you. Is one of those special ladies yours?” She points toward our table.
“She’s right there.” He points at me.
Gwen tips her head and nods. “Front and center. She must really like you. But.” Gwen pretends to whisper, but she’s still got her microphone in her hand. “She’s been taking more photos of this guy to your right. Maybe she’s more of a Falcons fan than of the Colts.” She cringes, and the room laughs. “Oh, I’m just kidding. Gotta keep the competition alive and well, you know?”
Decker glares at me, but hey, he signed up for this.
“And you, Mr. Charming, something tells me that none of those women are yours.”
Tweetie smacks on his usual smile. That easygoing casual one that women fawn over. “Nah, I haven’t found a woman who could tie me down.”
My jaw clenches.
A bunch of women raise their hands, and the word “me” comes from multiple women around the bar.
“He’ll be taking applications after he wins.” Gwen goes back to her place at the side of the table.
The next round, poor Phil can’t even finish his wing before he gulps down his entire glass of milk.
Gwen escorts him back to his family, and his wife kisses his cheek and hugs him. His kids all tell him it’s okay, he did a great job.
I’m still smiling at the display of familial love when I turn back around, and my gaze collides with Tweetie’s. Clearly both of us were admiring the family.
The girl drops out after another wing, leaving just Decker and Tweetie.
“So what will it be, cute brunette in the first row? Whoever wins gets a date?” Gwen doesn’t wait for me to answer before waving. “Just kidding. But did I get your competitive juices flowing, Decker Davis?”
Decker smiles but doesn’t say anything.
Tweetie forces a smile. Maybe I’m the only one who sees it, but his back straightens, and he positions himself at the table as if he wants to ensure he wins.
Which I’m sure he does. That’s how he is.
“All right, two more, boys. If you both hold off, then I’ll have to come up with something else, and I kind of want to go home, so one of you drop out, please.”
The boy comes by and places the wings in front of Decker and Tweetie.
They’re both eating much slower and taking deep breaths between each bite now. I think Decker’s hand might be shaking. It looks horrible from here, and I abandon my phone, too enthralled with who is going to win.
Both make it through that round, taking us to the next. “Only a minute, boys.”
Tweetie smiles at Decker, but it’s the same look he gave Mr. Hawkins when he had the last piece of the puzzle that time. Oh boy, sorry, Decker.
The two of them take a bite and then another one before resting. They look as though they’re in so much pain.
Tweetie closes his eyes and gobbles up the last of the wing, but he still has to chew and swallow. Which he does, while Decker takes it slower, his eyes on the clock the entire time.
Tweetie is inhaling and exhaling, each breath more painful than the last from the look of it.
Decker has the sauce all over his hands and keeps the wing between his fingers, taking one small bite at a time. I feel as if the way they eat this wing is demonstrative of the way they live their lives.
Tweetie stands and accidentally knocks Decker’s arm, which makes the wing slip from his grasp, flying up and hitting him in the eye.
“Fuck!” Decker shouts.
“We have kids in the room, Mr. Davis,” Gwen scolds, because she doesn’t see what we do.
Decker is blinking over and over. The wing drops to the table, and he presses his palm to his eye.
The timer goes off, and Tweetie raises his hands in victory, practically pouring the glass of milk down his throat.
Despite Tweetie’s victory, everyone is looking at Decker.
“I can’t see,” Decker says, face contorted in pain.
I guess it’s back to the hospital we go.
Thirty-Four
Tweetie
“Hey, the Uber is here. Ready?” I go over to where everyone is trying to help Decker since he still can’t see out of his one eye.
Tedi took him to the bathroom, washed his hands thoroughly, and sat him in a chair while everyone tried to flush out his eye, but he said it still stung. Since it’s his vision, we figured off to the emergency room we go.
“Yeah.” Decker rises, and Tedi holds onto his arm. “I’ve got it,” he says, and she backs off.
“See you guys later. Thanks for another fun night,” Tedi jokes.
I chuckle, although I feel bad that it’s at Decker’s expense.
“Thanks for helping me reach my deductible this year.” Decker waves.
Tedi’s at his side, Easton and I behind them. Easton takes the front seat, leaving me to take the seat next to Tedi.
She reaches to shut the door, and I grab a hold of it. “What are you doing?”
“I’m coming with,” I say, wedging myself between the door and the car.
“Why?” she asks, still holding the inside door handle.
“Because it’s my fault, and I want to be there for him.”
“Can we please just go?” Decker asks, obviously annoyed.
His tone makes Tedi let go of the handle, slide to the middle seat, and I slide in next to her.
“This is fun,” Tedi says, her arms squeezed in on both sides.
I shift to move my arm and wrap it around the back of the seat, and she sinks a little into my side. The smell of her shampoo reaches my nostrils, and I close my eyes briefly, inhaling a little deeper. I’ve always loved the way she smells, no matter what new scent it was.
“You’re complaining? My career is over.”
Easton turns around from the front seat. “That’s a little dramatic. They just have to flush it out properly, and you’ll be fine.”
I tap his shoulder. “I really am sorry. The T-shirt is yours.”
“Oh, thanks. Multi-million-dollar contract gone. But I get a T-shirt that says I won a wing contest. Yay.” Decker groans, and I don’t blame him. I’d probably be the same.
Tedi pulls her phone out and punches something into it. “It says that you should be fine. I’m sure the doctor will help.”
Decker doesn’t say anything, and I feel like an asshole that I’m at fault.
We get to the hospital, and all four of us file out and head inside.
Decker registers himself with the help of Tedi. Seeing them act like a couple sends a shooting pain through my chest. Her digging into his wallet to get his insurance card. Her making the little jokes with the woman registering them. Her touching him and whispering something.
“I don’t get this,” Easton says and takes a seat next to me.
“What?” I don’t take my eyes off of them. That was me at one point. I was sitting where Decker was, and I was one happy son of a bitch.
“So, Tedi was yours?”
“Yeah.” I don’t ask who told him. It could’ve been anyone at this point. Decker knew about Tedi and me before.
“And you’re okay with him dating her?”
My jaw tightens. “What can I do?”
Tedi makes the woman laugh again, and I lean forward, resting my forearms on my thighs as if I want to be in on the joke too.
“I’m not saying do something, but how can you hang around them all the time?”
I tip my head in Easton’s direction, giving myself time to form the right words. “With the hope it helps me get over her?”
His eyebrows shoot up to his hairline, and he rocks his head back. “Fuck.”
“Fuck what?”
“Fuck that you want the girl my friend is dating. Fuck that I think she wants you too. Fuck that we already had a shitty season, and now if Decker is all heartbroken, there isn’t much hope for this coming season.” Easton shakes his head.
“She doesn’t want me. She’s clearly happy.” I nod in their direction.
She seems like it. Sure, she’s different with him than she was with me, but that’s to be expected, isn’t it? No two relationships are the same. I think. I’ve only ever had one with Tedi.
Sometimes I think I see her almost second-guessing her decision to touch him, but maybe their relationship is newer. I have no clue. And I wasn’t about to call Aiden and act like I cared, letting it get back to Saige, who would definitely tell Tedi.
“Is she?” Easton sits up and rests his arms on his legs, mimicking my position. Both of us look at them. “The first thing I noticed tonight is how he stiffens a bit when she leans her head on his shoulder.”
Tedi does that all the time. She used to do it to me, but I was so annoyed every time she did it to Decker, I never noticed his body language.
“See.” He nods, and sure enough, Decker’s back goes up as Tedi lays her head on his shoulder. “She didn’t fawn over him in the car.”
I shrug. “He was in a shit mood.”
“What woman do you know wouldn’t feel so bad they’d be asking nonstop if you were okay?”
My mind travels back to when I was injured and how Tedi was constantly asking me if I needed anything, if I was in pain. At one point I told her to sit down, I was good.
I huff and meet Easton’s gaze. He nods as if his point is made.
Could Decker and Tedi be in trouble? In danger of a breakup? I curse the moment of hope I felt there because I don’t want Decker to break Tedi’s heart. I hate seeing her in pain even if I wasn’t the one who caused it.
Tedi and Decker come over and join us.
“He should be called in soon,” she says, sitting down and pulling out her phone.
“Make sure you keep the group updated,” Decker sneers.
“They’re worried,” she says.
Decker nods and doesn’t say anything.
Easton must know him well because he doesn’t say much else. Maybe it’s best to leave Decker alone when he’s in a shitty mood.
A few minutes later, a nurse comes out and calls Decker’s name.
He stands and Tedi follows, but Decker stops. “I’m going to take Easton with me.”
Tedi freezes, and her eyes widen. “Why?”
Oh shit, is he going to break up with her right now? My hands fist at my sides. I step closer as if I could shelter her from the pain that’s coming.
“Here? In the waiting room of the emergency department?” I ask Decker, pissed off that he’s being so insensitive about this.
Easton doesn’t say anything.
“What?” Decker scowls at me.
The nurse calls him again, and he puts up his hand.
“I get that you’re mad, man, but this isn’t cool. The puck thing was Bodhi, and this is me. Tedi doesn’t have anything to do with this.” I step up, but his eyes remain on Tedi.
She shudders a breath.
Easton still doesn’t say anything, and Decker’s gaze doesn’t leave Tedi’s.
“It’s time,” he says to her.
She nods and tips her head down.
The nurse calls him again, but Decker doesn’t go to her. He walks over to Tedi and places his hands on her upper arms, and she looks up.
What the hell is going on? They have some kind of conversation without words, and I hate that they’re able to do that. I used to be the one who could do that with Tedi.
The nurse calls his name again, but before she can finish, Decker says, “I’m coming.”
He turns and walks toward her, Easton cringing at me but following.
“Hey!” I call, and Decker stops. “How big an asshole are you?”
“Just talk to her, man. Ask her.” Decker walks away.
Easton lingers in the doorway, a smile tipping his lips. He nods to Tedi, who is standing in front of me twisting her purse strap around her fingers.
They disappear through the doors, and I notice people looking at us, waiting for the show to begin.
“I gotta go,” Tedi says and races out of the waiting room and into the street.
Oh, no, there is no running today. I wanna know what the fuck is going on.
I follow her, catching up to her at the corner. “What am I missing, Tedi?”
She shakes her head. “Nothing. We just broke up.” Instead of crossing, she circles back, going the opposite way as if she just needs to be away from me.
My legs are longer, so I keep pace with her, weaving around people. “That’s not what I just saw.”
She shakes her head, pulling her coat tighter around her neck because we’re headed into the wind.
“Tedi.” My voice is a mix of desperation and confusion.
She stops and looks at me, tears in her eyes.
My stomach clenches.
“Fine.” Her arms fly out to her sides. “It was fake. All of it.”
“All of what?” I’m so confused.
“Me. Decker. Us. We were never a couple. I asked him to pretend to be my boyfriend so you would stay away from me.”
“Seriously?” I can’t mask the hurt in my tone. She did all that so that I would stay away? Does she really hate me that much? “I don’t understand.”
“Yes, you do.” She turns and walks down the street.
I don’t follow, still processing. She and Decker were never a thing? She did it all because she wanted me to stay away from her? It takes me a minute to get it… she didn’t do it because she was afraid of me or because she hates me. She did it because she feels what I feel.
I jog to catch up to Tedi, but when I reach the next corner, I can’t find her. I turn right and then left and then straight. She couldn’t have gotten far.
I smile because this entire time I thought I had no shot, but maybe I was wrong. And I’d like to thank Decker for being a shitty fake boyfriend who didn’t pick her up from the airport, so now I know where she lives.
There’s no hiding from me now, Tedi. We’re far from over.
Thirty-Five
Tedi’s Journal Entry
Three years ago
Ford Jacob’s Retirement Party, Florida
* * *
To my older self,
* * *
Oh, Tedi, we’d never been so scared in all our life—we had to see Tweetie again tonight. Ford was the first one to retire from the Florida Fury. He’s a trust fund baby, so he won’t be hurting. I am surprised, though. I thought he had a lot more years to go. I don’t know why I’m rambling on about Ford after everything that went down with Tweetie. I’m sorry, but we caved for a hot second, but don’t worry, we’re back on track without him. Please read this again whenever you need a reminder that Tweetie Sorenson isn’t the one for us.
