“Oh my gosh, sorry!” She’s laughing as she says it, finally pulling me back up.
“Okay, maybe I do wanna dance with a man instead.”
One in particular, unfortunately.
chapter twenty-five
Dayton
Ifinally decided to start going to therapy last week. Now that my dad is gone, I’ve slowly started letting my OCD tendencies take over my life. He was an amazing father, but he wasn’t perfect. He believed therapy and mental health issues were for “weak” men. I’m starting to disagree and see that my obsessive compulsive issues need to be treated if I’m going to function. After what happened with Summer the last time I was in town, I realized that I had to talk to someone about it, or I’d lose my mind.
The first thing I opened up about was the guilt over hooking up with my stepsister and disappointing my dead father. My therapist mostly listened during the first session and asked me to start seeing her weekly.
I don’t care about the expense, but the emotional vulnerability is going to be difficult to succumb to that often.
My therapist would not approve of this.I’m mentally berating myself, even as I reorganize the pile of napkins on the bar and check my pocket for my wallet again.
Summer’s laugh floats up to me from down closer to the beach at Chaos. When I turn toward the sound, I see her talking to Javier, the builder.
She looks stunning tonight in the formfitting blue-and-pink floral dress, and the way her hair is styled makes me want to take advantage of the easy access to her neck and kiss it. She’s wearing the pearl necklace, which I hope is a good sign.
“Whew, what a wedding. Never been to one like that before,” Cheri says, walking up beside me. She signals the bartender before settling on the stool next to me. “You look like you’re deep in thought.”
I sip on the bottle of Corona. “Just enjoying the music.”
The live band is playing an upbeat cover on a small platform a few yards away. A few people are dancing, and the entire sandy area is fairly packed with groups competing in games of cornhole and horseshoes. The sun is just starting to dip down, nearing sunset.
“Seems like a lot of the wedding guests are here. Oh, look, Summer is over there with that guy who’s managing your remodel. What’s his name again?”
“Javier.”
“Right. He’s cute.”
I look again, trying to see him through a woman’s eyes. He’s dressed nicer than how I usually see him, wearing a pink button-down shirt with khaki shorts. His dark, curly hair is styled. He must tell a hilarious joke because Summer can’t seem to stop laughing.
Women like men who are nice and funny. Especially Summer.
The bartender walks up to take Cheri’s order. She asks for a vodka soda with lime.
“Is he single?” she asks.
“Who?”
“Javier, duh.”
“No idea.”
“They’re kind of cute together.”
I clench my jaw, refusing to look back over there. I takeanother swig of my beer. The bartender returns with Cheri’s drink, and she tells him to add it to my tab. I would have if she hadn’t beat me to it.
“You’re awfully chatty tonight.”
“What do you want me to say to that? Summer can date him if she wants, but not until the house is done. I don’t need another one of her failed relationships to ruin our progress.”
Cheri gasps. “Russell Dayton Copeland. I wish your father were here to hear you talk like that.”
“Well, he’s not.”