Be My One Regret

be my 1 regret / 7

RAIN ON A SUNDAY MORNING IS A BAD SIGN.....

I love Sunday mornings. I do. They were designed by God himself as the day of rest. The day of reflection. The day to have inner peace. The one day a week that when the sun shines brightly at a ridiculous early hour, all can be forgiven because it's Sunday. The one day where a person was granted true laziness. To indulge in relaxation no matter the level of ambition. It was a sacred day to be completely selfish. And they were even more perfect when I start by sleeping in until noon and then slide out of bed only to scavenge for food before curling back into my bedding nest. It's bliss. These blessed Sundays. And I relish every precious second.

Until now.

In miserable frustration, I sit scrunched up under the covers staring out my bedroom window. Rain drops hit the pane slowly before increasing in a hammering pelt. The sound annoys me but not enough to drown out the thud that drums at my temples from my lack of sleep. I squeeze my eyes tightly to dull the pain but it doesn't fade. It only flashes back to replay the agonizing reason for my restless night.

<<>>

"Um, okay. I'm confused, Fi. You're out shopping without me? That's so bitchy of you. But I'll forgive you, if you introduce me."

I look up into Tanner's green eyes and half frown. There's no true animosity in his questioning orbs,  only true perverted curiosity for introductions to new people. Which I'm not surprised by. Not in the least. So I kill his mojo with sarcasm. "Jeez, Tanner. I guess I'm confused too. I didn't know you slummed this far out of the city. What's the occasion? Everyone else in the city bored with you?"

A tiny snarl tightens for a second along the top of his lip as he gazes at me. Seers me. Strips thru my bullshit. And once he does, I flinch and he chuckles. "Baby, you know I'm a sucker for the occasional antique hunt. You just never want to go with me." His eyes swing mercifully away from me to Cleo, and he extends his hand. "Hi there. I'm Tanner Jones. Miss Ophelia's most of the time best friend, and you are?"

The girliest of girly giggles gushes out of Cleo, and she blushes. Hard. Red. And fast as she takes his hand. "Hi. I'm Cleo Bass. I'm surprised we haven't met yet. I'm her roommate."

Tanner's shoulders stiffen quicker than my upper lip as I glower at her. I wait for him to say something snarky to me but he doesn't. He exhales with his patent smirk. "A room mate, huh? I didn't know my Fi was looking for one. Interesting." I clear my throat to interject but he cuts me off by directing his focus on Baz. "So, since I'm clearly learning new things about my sweet Ophelia's secret life, I'm curious, does that make you her boyfriend?"

My face reddens and burns like a Fireball soaked cherry as I look over into Baz's beautiful blue eyes. There's a twinkle of tease in them as he winks at me. My insides flutter at his playfulness. His lips twist into a wicked grin as he raises his hands up to signal surrender to a awkward situation, and I huff with irritation.

"Gawd. Tanner. Quit being an asshole." I smack his arm and shift myself between him and Cleo and Baz. "Leave these people alone. They're just friends that I was hanging out with. You know, hanging out. Enjoying the sun. Eating some food. Taking in the sights. Doing some retail therapy."

Tanner half nods like he believes me but it's the other half that sees right thru me, and it's not as easily persuaded. Because he knows me. And he knows I don't do 'friends'. He arches a brow and smirks. "Right. I must've forgot how much you like to hang out."

My stomach grinds with agitation at his figurative air-quoting, and I contemplate a few choice words back at him. But ever so smoothly, Baz interrupts our banter with a chuckle. "Ophelia, thanks for stopping by." My name on his tongue causes my heart to bounce into my throat but it's nothing like the shattering pulse thru my body as he steps to my side and drapes his beautifully toned arm around my shoulders while casually dangling one of my bags from his fingertips. "Which, by the way, beautiful, you dropped this in my studio on your way out."