Anyone But You [PhayuRain] [Love In The Air]

10: WIND ME UP

While Phayu stood there absorbing their dynamic, Rain quickly shifted back to the polite professionalism from the other day. "This seems like a fun place. Do you come here often? It's our first time here."

The "our" wasn't lost on Phayu.

He tried to reign in his raging emotions and keep things friendly. Pointing over to the group of men and women who were occupying the lounge area, Phayu said, "Yeah, this is one of the places that my friends like coming to. Would you like to join us?" Looking for any way to get more of Rain's time and attention.

"Um, no thanks. We wouldn't want to intrude on you and your wife's time with your friends." Rain declined politely.

Phayu looked at him with surprise. "She's not here. I mean I'm not married," he said looking at Rain directly. Then he cleared his throat, "We've been divorced for a while now."

Rain didn't know what to say. This was awkward and Phayu's marital status didn't change anything. Did it?

Phayu had left because he didn't want him anymore. Never wanted a future with him. Simple as that. His availability didn't change any of that.

Phayu looked at him curiously. "How did you know that I was married?" Had Rain kept tabs on him as he had? Were his feelings still there after all?

Again, before Rain could say a word, Prapai stepped in protectively, needing to drive home to Phayu that he couldn't waltz back into Rain's life like he hadn't taken a sledgehammer to his heart.

The easy smile fell from Prapai's face and he looked coldly at Phayu and said, "He learned about it when he came to ask you to take him back and saw you kiss her in the lobby of your building in front of everyone, just a few months after you broke up. Didn't take you very long to move on did it?"

Prapai watched as Phayu's face went white and he looked shocked.

Phayu tried to read Rain, but again the impersonal mask was firmly in place.

Rain refused to feel embarrassed about the hope he had harbored up until the moment it died a painful death in that lobby.

He looked exasperatedly at his friend and said warningly, "That's enough P'Pai."

He looked at Phayu and said with a sad smile, "Please ignore my friend, that was a long time ago. I'm sorry to hear about the divorce. She seemed lovely."

"Our Firm is looking forward to hearing about the project from you soon," Rain said wanting to convey that there were no hard feelings and that their past had no bearing on the future of the project.

"Enjoy the rest of the night with your friends," Rain firmly put an end to the conversation.

Phayu's eyes clung to Rain, looking like he wanted to say something, but changed his mind. He nodded at them both and went back to his friends.

They watched him walk away and then Rain picked up his glass from the bar and took a big gulp.

"You ok babe?" Prapai asked looking at him with concern.

Rain looked at him and realized that he really was ok.

He wasn't sure what that was all about and what Phayu expected when he came over, but there was no way he was going to let Phayu and his confusing behavior ruin the night he had been looking forward to. 

For a moment, yes, he had been pleased to see that Phayu still had feelings for him...if you could count the jealousy that was evident in his eyes, as feelings. 

But those feelings were probably remnants from the past and more likely, they were driven by  competitiveness with Prapai. 

Rain highly doubted there were any actual feelings for him after all this time. He dismissed any thoughts of Phayu and got back to enjoying the night with his best friend whom he hadn't seen in too long.