So Sweet Read online

  “Mom’s not feeling great so Dad’s home with her,” Myra explained. So his parents were supposed to be there. “I told them we’d Facetime tomorrow morning.”

  “Yeah, yeah. That’s fine. I’m just glad you guys are here.” I saw a flicker of pain cross Michael’s face. He was hoping his mother was doing better, or at least okay, but her not being able to make the trip told us that wasn’t the case. Luckily Myra changed the subject.

  “Okay, I’m going to do it. I’m going to embarrass him,” she said to me.

  I peered at Michael over my shoulder. “Please! Please do.”

  “Considering how little I actually talk to my brother, I have to say I have heard so much about you.”

  “Really?”

  “Oh yeah.” She leaned in and whisper-shouted in my ear. “He hasn’t had it this bad since he was in high school.”

  “So, no pressure?” I laughed.

  “Oh all the pressure you can handle, but I think you got this.” And that’s how Myra became my new best friend. No, but Myra was really cool. After things settled and Michael introduced me to five thousand more people, Daniella and Adler found us and we sat with Myra and Matthew’s wife for most of the night. There were a few dance breaks, great finger foods, and plenty of girl talk, and then Michael’s first business partner Steven gave a wonderful toast in his honor.

  Michael begged off taking making his own speech, but no one was letting him get away. Ruben shoved the mic in his hand, a glass of champagne in the other, then pushed him up on one of the raised benches.

  “I’ll keep this short because I know most of you are here for the free boozes and the beautiful women. Not to hear me talk.” That got a lot of laughs. “I just wanted to thank you all for coming out, thank you to my family for flying all this way to see me, and my lovely lady, Kayla for getting me here. It has been an amazing fifty years—fuck, I’m old—yeah. A lot of you have made this the most outstanding life a man could ask for. Here’s to fifty years and fifty more.”

  When everyone raised their glasses I think I cheered the loudest.

  Michael had to greet seven thousand more guests, but eventually De’Bonay took to the stage to perform and I dragged Michael to the dance floor. He wasn’t the best dancer in the world, but he had a simple two-step down, and when I would periodically put it on him, he matched the rhythm of my hips instead of fumbling around or being distracted by the booty. Close to midnight the champagne was hitting us both. I needed water and he needed the restroom. I knew it was mistake separating, only because the number of people physically standing between us made the time before we were back in each other’s hands exponentially longer. But nature called.

  I made it over to the bar where I found Daniella. She was Duke-less, but she was having a blast.

  “This is seriously the best party I’ve ever been to. Tell Michael to turn fifty again next month.”

  “Maybe we can come up with a different reason to celebrate. Where’s Adler?” I’d lost them both during the dance madness.

  “Bathroom. She should be back soon. Unless there’s a line.”

  “There’s always a line.”

  But she came back a minute or so later. “No line?” I asked.

  “Nope, used the men’s. Let’s go dance!” She grabbed both our hands, but I hung back.

  “I’m just gonna stay put for Michael.”

  “Of course you are. Bye!” Adler said. Daniella waved as she let Adler tow her away.

  I downed two glasses of water and ordered a third and another glass for Michael before he came back. He looked upset.

  I handed him his water. He thanked me and took a deep swig, but still, upset. He wouldn’t look at me and he always looked at me. Instead he was scanning the room, clearly looking for someone.

  “Honey, you okay?” I asked.

  “Yeah. We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

  “Anything I can do to help?” The tone of my voice must have snapped him out of it because he finally looked at me. He put down his glass and pulled me closer with an arm around my waist.

  “You’re here with me tonight. That’s all I want.”

  “That’s all I want too.”

  “Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?” he asked.

  “Yes, but you can say it again.”

  Michael leaned down and brushed his lips across my neck. “You looking fucking beautiful, Kayla.”

  Another song started up. “Let’s sit the next few out.”

  “Okay.” Michael wrangled us two more champagnes and we made off for a private corner. We were able to people watch and make out for seven whole minutes before more friends of the birthday boy found us and wanted to catch up. And so it went for the rest of the night, but I was with Michael so, even with the interruptions, I thought it was pretty perfect.

  Eight

  I was hungover as shit the next morning. I had more champagne than I’d ever consumed before and then we ended up at some burger spot after hours. I was dehydrated and gross, but all I needed was some water and pancakes and sunglasses because, if I remembered correctly, we were supposed to meet Michael’s family for brunch. We’d stayed in the hotel above the club. One of the super fancy places on Sunset that I’d only driven by before and never imagined I’d spend the night in. Of course Ruben and Holger had hooked it up and made sure our hotel room was stocked with clean clothes and condoms. I’d started on the pill, but we were still covering our bases.

  Oh the sex had been a complete mess, but one of those good messes that reassured me Michael and I could both perform under the influence. The next morning when I finally peeled my eyes open and rolled over, looking for some water, I found Michael sitting up on the edge of the bed. He was still naked, his long hair trailing down his back.

  “Morning,” I said. My voice sounded like shit. Still, Michael looked over his shoulder and smiled.

  “Morning.” The smiled faded. “I have to talk to you about something that happened last night.”

  “Oh god. What did I do?”

  “Nothing.” he stood up and stepped into his boxers. It would take me a minute to rally, but it looked like this conversation was going to take a brunch-time quickie right off the table. “You didn’t do anything. I have to talk to you about your roommate.”

  I flopped back on the bed. “Oh fuck. What the shit did Adler do?”

  “She grabbed my dick.”

  At that I sat right the fuck up. “What?”

  “But that was after she offered to step in when I was done with you and before she offered to have a threesome with us when I told her I had no plans to be done with you.”

  I almost threw up. “I—”

  “Can we agree that this is not something I would make up?”

  “I—,” I swallowed the hurl in my throat and tried again. “Yeah. I know you wouldn’t do that. I’m just—I don’t think Adler would say something like that. Actually no. I do, but just not to you. She knows how I feel about you.”

  “I don’t think she does. And clearly she has no idea how I feel about you.” I looked up as the words left his mouth. Michael was pissed. Like really pissed. I’d never seen him angry like this before. “I’m not gonna bullshit you, Kayla. I love you and I have to say this because I love you and I want you in my life. I take the relationships in my life very seriously.”

  “I know you do.”

  He shook his head then looked at the ceiling. I’d never seen him frazzled like this before either. He was always so sure, so confident, but I could tell he was working up the nerve to tell me something awful.

  “Adler’s not allowed in my life anymore. She’s definitely not allowed in my house anymore. I don’t want her around.”

  “So you’re saying I can’t be friends with her anymore? You want me to pick between you and Adler? My best friend?”

  “I’m not asking you to pick. You can stay friends with her if that’s what you want. I barely know the girl so I won’t act like I know what her friends
hip means to you, but I don’t want her around me. She grabbed my fucking dick.” I closed my eyes and let the dread wash over me. Michael was completely right. I put myself in his shoes and if one of his friends had groped me, and suggested that… I didn’t want to think about the particulars. I wouldn’t feel comfortable around that person either and I would be seriously questioning what Michael saw in them.

  He leaned against the hotel desk. He was giving me space to make a decision and, knowing Michael, he would want my answer soon.

  I hated crying, but the tears started running. Michael finally came over to the bed and pulled me into his arms. “I’m sorry.”

  “No, no. It’s not you. Actually it is you, a little. You’re so blunt and honest. I’m not used to that. Usually people sugar-coat shit, or exaggerate a little. Or lie.”

  “I know. I—I shouldn’t talk to you like that though. It works in the boardroom, but this isn’t business. This is about us.”

  “No. I want you to be honest with me. I just—Adler’s my best friend.”

  “I know, baby.” He kissed my face and pulled me closer. “It’s your call. I can’t—”

  “I know.”

  We stayed in bed a little longer, but eventually climbed into the shower, together. I asked Michael if he still wanted me to come to brunch. He said he and Myra wouldn’t have it any other way.

  Brunch was fine. It was more than fine. Myra was hilarious when she was hungover and it was nice to see Michael relax and talk with his brother. I could see what he meant about needing and wanting normal. His family was so normal and mid-West and everyone Michael usually hung out with was so not. It made me happy to see him so at ease and in his true element, but the whole time I couldn’t help but think, what the hell am I going to do about Adler? Michael knew it was on my mind. He didn’t say anything but, every once in a while, he would give me that look, that look that told me we’d be okay, no matter what.

  I believed Michael. I knew everyone had a twinge of Satan inside, but Michael was not that kind of evil or fucked up to make something up just to get me to end a friendship with someone he barely saw and who didn’t actually monopolize my time. And as far as he knew the craziest thing Adler had done was lure me to the Arrangements website and we knew how that was playing out. I just didn’t understand why this was happening.

  As we were waiting for the check, Adler sent me a text, a picture of Duke and Daniella leaving the club. Michael and I were in the background.

  It’s from Page Six!

  Headline’s about Duke and his “date”, but you’re kinda famous!

  It was a little weird and exciting to see myself in a pap photo. Ruben told me it might happen, but after more than a month of being completely ignored by any member of the social press that might take an interest in Michael and his love life, I’d forgotten all about Ruben’s warning. I was so drunk in the picture I didn’t remember it being taken. Still. I looked great. I was able to enjoy that simple pleasure for ten seconds before I remembered that Adler had sent the picture and was probably waiting for a response. I put my phone on silent and slipped it into my purse.

  ✶

  “Do you want me to stay?” Michael slid a gentle hand around the back of my neck. His family had plans to site-see and hit a show at the Pantages. Michael said we could spend the rest of the weekend together, maybe go out on his boat or hang by the pool, but I knew the longer I waited to talk to Adler the worse it would get.

  I looked over at him then kissed his wrist. “No. This could be a quick conversation or it could be long drawn out thing, but I know I’ll feel a certain kind of way if I know you’re out here waiting.”

  “Okay. Well you know how to get me.”

  “You’re just a text away.”

  “Exactly.”

  I kissed him then slipped out of the car and headed inside. The elevator ride was too short. I kept playing out the whole fight in my head over and over again. I’d confront and she’d deny or downplay. Deny and downplay. Or condescend and try to convince me I was blowing things out of proportion. She bumped into Michael by the bathroom. Nothing more. Adler and I hadn’t gotten into many fights over the course of our time as friends and all of those arguments had been about stupid stuff like dishes in the sink or the TV being too loud. Nothing serious. Nothing to do with a serious boyfriend.

  When I got to the apartment Adler wasn’t there. No note of course, because I wasn’t her mom and she probably thought I’d be off with Michael until further notice. She didn’t come home for hours and by the time she walked in I felt the exact way I didn’t want to feel. My anxiety and fear had had too long to fester.

  “Whoa. You okay?” she asked, as she dropped her purse by the door.

  I let out a deep breath and sat up a little straighter. “What did you say to Michael last night?”

  “Huh? Happy Birthday? I don’t even know. I barely talked to him. Why?”

  “You didn’t say or do anything to him outside of the bathroom?”

  “Oh! That.” Then she had the nerve to look offended. “It wasn’t that big of a deal, Kay. I just asked him—”

  “To call you when he kicked me to the curb?”

  “No, come on. I didn’t say it like that.”

  “What did you say? And why did you say it?”

  “I just said that he had options. I said I was cool if he was down for a threesome.”

  “You grabbed him by the crotch. Christ, Adler. Why? You know how I feel about him.”

  “I know how you think you feel about him, but come on. He took you on as a sugar baby. He’s fucking fifty. You just like him because he’s sweet to you. You like everyone who’s sweet to you.”

  “You say it like it’s a bad thing.”

  “It is if it blinds you to reality. Michael is a billionaire. Michael has made it our whole lives, times two, without settling down. Michael met you at a sugar party. Where do you think this is going to go?”

  “Wherever we want this to go. We’re…”

  “Holy shit. You think he’s in love with you.”

  “What?”

  “Kayla. You don’t keep guys like this. You enjoy them and then you set them free.” She opened her arms in a sweeping motion that would have been real funny under any other circumstances.

  “Whatever. He didn’t appreciate what you did or what you said, you’re not welcome around him anymore.”

  “Is this you talking or him?”

  “It’s both of us. He doesn’t want you around and I—”

  “You what?”

  “I don’t want to be friends with someone who comes on to my boyfriend.” I didn’t think I would actually feel that way, but I did. I’d never been hurt like this before.

  “I hope you hear yourself. You’re going to let your weepy feelings for your literal Sugar Daddy that you’ve been talking to for like twenty minutes tell you that we shouldn’t be friends anymore.”

  “No, Adler. What the hell? Michael is my literal boyfriend and you literally came on to him. Why would you do that?”

  “Because he’s a fucking Sugar Daddy, Kay. Are. You. Kidding. Me?” I realized that Adler’s opinion of me might be wading in some murky water, but the real problem was how she saw Michael. She didn’t respect him at all. He was just a hot walking bag of money with a dick attached. She didn’t respect Michael or anything about him, and she was actually shocked that I did. I stood up. I couldn’t be around her anymore.

  “I gotta go.”

  “To Michael’s? I’m sure he wants to her about our post-adolescent lady squabble.” I just looked at her. She’d managed to insult all three of us at once.

  I went into my room and locked the door. Part of me wanted to text Michael and ask him to come back and get me, but I was too raw to deal with him and his unfiltered honesty. I called Daniella.

  She listened patiently as I blubbered on, telling her what happened. The way she sighed didn’t comfort me. “I knew she was going to try that.”

  “
You did?”

  “She hit on Duke too, but we’re not as serious as you and Michael. We’re just kinda sorta talking and running into each other. You and Michael are legit.”

  “You think so?”

  “Oh my god, yes. Kayla. You should see the way he looks at you.” Daniella laughed a little. “It’s gross. He like looooooves you.”

  “He dropped the L bomb this morning.”

  “God, I bet it was all perfect too. Was his hair all messy?”

  I laughed this time. “Yeah, but we were mid-fight, kinda. I just don’t—what the fuck do I do about Adler? Michael is done with her. Like done-done and I don’t trust her.”

  “Can I be honest?”

  “Wouldn’t have it any other way,” I said, waiting for another layer to this shit sandwich of misery.

  “How do I put this? Adler’s your friend. Not mine.”

  “Jesus.”

  “I mean she always says fucked up things. And this isn’t the first time you’ve asked what to do about her. Yeah, before it was silly stuff, like how she ate all your food or made a joke that was borderline offensive, but I never ask people what I should do about you. And that’s how friendships should be. Friends are there to support you. You know, share in the good times. Not make you question why you have them around.”

  “I know.”

  “I don’t want to tell you what to do, but I can tell Michael cares about you a lot and if Adler is trying to get between you guys just to prove that she can, well…” I could just see her shrugging on the other end of the phone. She was right. There wasn’t much more to say about it.

  Daniella and I talked a little while longer. She told me how things were weird with Duke, but she wanted to keep seeing him if he was up for it.