Catching Feelings

17

The next morning I'm lying on my bed listening to Fredo who is running off at the mouth about something I'm not paying much attention too...he's got far too much energy for 8:30 in the morning. When there's a knock on my hotel room door I somehow know its b...I catch his eye and cock my head towards the door "Let her in..."
He gives me a look, knowing who I mean "How do you even know it's her...what if its Scooter? You better put that shit away first." he points to the quarter of the blunt she and I smoked last night.
I make no attempt to move "It's her...let her in." I'm annoyed that he's made her wait even though he's three steps from the door. He pulls it open, and just like I said, she makes her way into the room smiling at both of us. "How did you manage to get him up this early Fredo?"
He flashes her a smile "I can be very persuasive B..." I glare at him...I can't stand it when he calls her B, what right does he have? Then again, given our current situation, what right do I have?
She nods and perches herself on the edge of my bed, saying hello with a tiny wink and a quick sweep of her hand over my leg. Her hair is still damp but pulled back in the perfect way that tells me she paid no attention to how it looked...I've always liked it best this way.
"How'd you sleep Bobbi girl?" The question sounds innocent, but I know she'll understand what I mean.
She clears her throat softly and glances away before answering "Just fine."
"Well I didn't..." I confess "In fact I tossed and turned all night and..."
"So when are the pictures coming out?" Fredo interrupts me mid sentence "I mean the proofs were..." He seems to get lost in thought for a moment. My eyes burn a hole in his direction, what the fuck?
She toys with a strand of her hair, clearly a little embarrassed "A couple weeks I think."
He gives her a half smile that conveys exactly what he's thinking "They really are amazing B."
"Hey Fredo" I snap "I don't think Bobbi wants to talk about them." I place extra emphasis on her name making it clear that that's what he should call her.
"Oh..." He drops his eyes "I'm sorry...anyway it's so good to have you home...we missed you."
"Home?" She laughs.
"Yeah home...you're family now, wherever the crew is is home...it wasn't the same without you." What is he doing? He's flirting with her, and definitely making no real attempt to hide it. I never would have thought I had it in me when it came to him, but right here right now, I'd like to drag him out of his chair and away from her.
"Thanks Fredo...you're sweet." She smiles while giving my ankle a little squeeze.
He stands up and makes his way towards her "Are these new?" He asks tugging lightly on her earlobe meaning the earrings I gave her on Halloween, she almost never takes them off and I know he knows damn well they aren't new.
"No, Justin gave them to me a couple months back." She gently pulls away and replaces his fingers with her own, spinning the left diamond slowly in her ear.
"Oh...well I like them, they look good on you."
"Yeah.." I agree a little too loudly "that's why I picked them out for her. Anyway, I need to hop in the shower so..." Bobbi stands and starts to follow him out the door but I grab her hand, silently asking her to stay while shutting the door without saying goodbye to him.
"He's right you know..." I say when we're alone.
"About what?" She asks settling back down on the bed.
My hand brushes against her cheek, softly but quickly "About it not being the same without you...especially for me."
She lowers her head as if her shoes are the most interesting things she's ever seen "Yeah, it didn't feel right on my end either."
I take her chin in my hand and tilt her face up to mine "Okay so then it's settled..."
She shrugs a little "What's settled?"
"That you're never going to leave again...right?"
A soft laugh slips from her "I don't think that'll work forever."
"It could." I answer with complete seriousness even though I don't know for sure that it would, I'd like to find out.
She remains silent, searching my face with a mix of confusion, hope and fear battling each other in her expression until finally snapping out of her thoughts with a rushed "Well, I'll let you get ready...your schedule's crazy today. Come find me when you're ready and I'll go over it with you."
And just like that she's gone again, leaving me alone to wonder what's going on with Fredo and the reminder that I'm the one who messed things up so badly between us.