Movies were not in short supply. With streaming services at their disposal too, Rainie had lined up a whole host of definitely not sappy movies to get them through the nights.
All week, she’d only been three places: work, the coffee shop, and Alex’s apartment. Some people might feel intruded upon. Not Alex. His willingness to have her around was a sure sign he needed a distraction from his breakup. Especially since he still met her every day at twelve thirty for lunch. They were temporarily living together and didn’t need to meet in the middle of the day, but he was always there.
Breakups were never easy. Alex had to be struggling with the loss of Lance, yet he didn’t talk about it. If he wanted to come out whole at the other end of this trauma, he’d need to work through his issues.
That Thursday, another movie night was in the cards. Mixed drinks waited, and the movie hung on pause, ready to play. Alex was in the shower and the pizza was on the kitchen counter getting cold. He’d been in there a while. She left the couch and went over to knock on the bathroom door.
“Pizza’s here,” she called through the wood.
Grazing her knuckle up and down, she worried for him. When she was in his shower, she didn’t even close the door, much less lock it. Alex did both. That wouldn’t be anything to do with her being heterosexual and everything to do with him needing some privacy. The shower spray could hide any multitude of shames. Not that he should be ashamed. If he needed a good cry, she’d embrace being a shoulder for him, but it didn’t seem he was the type. Some people preferred to keep that kind of vulnerability to themselves. Still, she ached for the pain he must be going through.
No response. Had he heard her? Was he okay in there?
Her phone rang in the bedroom. She ran through and grabbed it up from Alex’s charging dock, not surprised to read Gwenie’s name.
“Hey, sweetie,” she said, sitting on the edge of the bed.
“He did it again,” Gwen growled, her anger right there on the surface. “The asshole.”
She frowned. “Bryan?”
“Who else?”
She hadn’t needed more than one guess. In her friendship group, there was only one person capable of making Gwen angry to such a degree. They’d lived through it so many times. If only there was a way to get Tia out of the destructive relationship. To make her see how bad Bryan was for her.
“He broke up with her?”
“Again. Yeah, and she’s all over the place,” Gwen said. “I don’t know what to do. She won’t stop crying.”
“You need me to bring wine?” she asked, torn between supporting Alex and the similar, more dramatic, need of Tia half a dozen blocks over. “Alex is in the shower.”
“Bring him too. Maybe he can talk some sense into her.”
Shaking her head, she looked toward the door. “He’s going through his own stuff. I don’t want him to be alone, but I don’t want to break him either. Let me talk to him. If he’s okay with being by himself tonight, I’ll come home… I’m sure he’ll say he will be, but to get a proper read, I need to look at him while I ask.”
“Okay,” Gwen said and exhaled. “I don’t know how much more of this she can take. The guy just loves it, putting her through this shit. I’d love to just—”
“I know what you’d love to do; I’d love to do it too. She deserves much more. Much, much more. Being with him is just so damaging. We pick up the pieces every single time. Yet you know he’ll come swanning back into her life in a couple of days, couple of weeks, and she’ll take him back.”
Gwen growled in frustration. “Someone needs to kick him in the ‘nads. Hard… and often.”
Breathing out a sort of laugh, she appreciated how much her friend cared. “I’ll talk to Alex and call you back… or just be home. Soon.”
“Thanks, Rainie. She needs you.”
“I know, thanks for calling.”
After hanging up, she sank back to lie on the bed, clutching the phone to her chest. Relationships were so difficult. They caused so much pain. Were they even worth it? Being with a guy, just for the sake of being with a guy, was a ridiculous notion. She was an optimist. Wasn’t she? Happily ever after was possible. It was… right? Relationships could be built on trust and respect. Anything else just wouldn’t stack up.
Life really was only for the strong.
The bathroom door opened. She sat up just in time to see Alex enter the bedroom, hair wet, small white towel wrapped around his hips.
“Whoa, boy,” she said, grinning as she leaped up, leaving her phone behind.
“What’s up?” he asked, heading for the closet.
“Wait up a second,” she said, rushing over to grab his wrist to draw him back into the bedroom. “You are hot, baby.”
His brows rose. “‘Scuse me?”
She laughed, opening her hand to press it against his defined pec. “You’re always on the phone, rushing over to your desk, dealing with paperwork. I thought that’s what you did all day.”
“That is what I do all day.”
Tipping her head back, she showed her smile. “You sneak down to the gym to work out too though, don’t you?” When his somber expression darkened, she laughed and squeezed his arm. “Don’t worry, hottie, I’ll keep your secret.”
Still holding his arm in one hand, she stroked his side with the other. Inappropriate thoughts were difficult to chase away when faced with such a defined torso, such muscular arms… Shit, now she understood why he locked the bathroom door. Women could be sleazy too. It was nothing anyway. Just her subconscious fantasies reminding her conscious mind how long it had been since she got laid.
The back of his curled fingers brushed her jaw, tempting it higher. The exploration in his eyes examining her face was encouraging. Whatever she was doing there, whatever comfort she offered, it lightened the load of his heartache. For the first time, she really saw him considering the future. A compliment could go a long way with someone whose confidence had taken a knock.
“You will find it,” she murmured, stepping a little closer, resting her hands on his torso. “Sometimes life seems too hard, like maybe there’s no point in facing a new tomorrow. But you will find someone to love you the way you deserve to be loved.”
“Button—”
“I have to go,” she said, inspired by the new aura around him. “I really wish I didn’t, but Bryan’s been an ass to Tia again and she’s a mess.” Backing away, she went to retrieve her phone from the bed. “The pizza is on the counter, and I left the bottle of tequila on the coffee table. Watch the movie and eat something.” She went back to take his hand. “Call me before you go to sleep.” Doubting herself, she squeezed her lips together. “I can stay if you need me to stay.”
He didn’t immediately answer. Was he worried? She fully expected him to say she could go but had to rely on instinct whether it was smart.
“I’ll be fine,” he said, curling his fingers around the ends of her hair. “You should go be with Tia.”
“Promise?” she asked. He nodded and managed a smile. Typical of Alex to put on a brave face. “I told you Bryan was an asshole, didn’t I? Now he’s coming between us too.”
“We shouldn’t let him make a habit of that.”
“I can come back, if she falls asleep.”
“You have work tomorrow,” he said. “And I don’t want you running around the city too late.”
“Okay,” she said. “Promise you’ll call me before you go to sleep.”
“I promise.”
“Okay,” she said, glancing around.
Where was her purse?
“I hung it up by the door,” Alex said, reading her mind. “Your shoes are on the floor underneath it.”
She laid a hand on his cheek. “I’d be lost without you.”
Tucking her hair back behind her ear, his fingers remained there. “You’ve been my rock this week, Button.”
“That’s what you do for friends,” she said, turning her head to point at her cheek. “Kiss.”
On a short laugh, he descended. “Okay.”
Pressing his mouth to her cheek, the way he lingered closed her eyes. Something about his mouth there, the warmth of his breath, embedded a wonder deep inside her.
When he stood straight again, it took some effort to shake that awakening off. “Be good,” she said. “I’ll see you at lunch tomorrow.”
“Yes, you will.”
Since her gym was out of commission, Alex had signed her up as a guest to use the one in his building. Just like him to be so incredibly sweet. Learning he had a gym in his building was a real coup. Few people had that luxury. It also meant that after her workout, she could use the shower in his apartment… and check in on him.
“Still okay to use your gym on Saturday?”
“Definitely.”
“Thanks.”
Going to the front door, she ignored the chill in her fingers as they took her purse and jacket from the hook. Alex was a good man; that was a rare thing. Finding a friend like him was a win she wouldn’t take for granted. As time went on, he’d eventually get over his breakup with Lance. Which of them would need the other more then?