Incandescent

CHAPTER THREE.

After destroying the place David and I called it a draw. There was no way we'd be able to decipher a clear winner. We just finished cleaning with the help of Mrs Vance and her visiting son, Graham. "Bye, Mrs Vance and thanks for your help, you too Graham," I told them.

"You're welcome." She said.

"No problem," Graham replied as he jogged downstairs. I closed the door and turned around. I jumped when I saw Dave standing directly behind me, pointing his phone at me.

"Dave move back, how the hell do you expect me to see!" Yelled a high-pitched voice that could only belong to Tanya, Dave's younger sister. I haven't heard from her since the wedding—fuck, she's going to kill me for not speaking to her in 6 years. I can feel it. "Who the hell is that?" She exclaimed when Dave took a few steps back.

"Don't you recognize that lanky body, that massive head and glasses?"

"Damian!" She screamed.

"That's right," Dave said, grinning.

"Ew, what happened to you!"

"What do you mea—"

"This is what happens when you marry young." Dave cut me off. I shot daggers at him. He laughed. "I'm joking, the little man got his heart ripped out of his chest and fried on a skillet."

"Yikes, how many times is that woman going to cheat on you? Then women wonder why there aren't any good men left—because women like that whore snatch them up and fuck them over....then again men do it too—I mean look who my brother is—"

"Hey! I can hear you!" Dave protested.

"You think I care?" She hissed. "Anyway, bring him to me." She hung up immediately after. Dave shook his head, grumbling under his breath.

We got to Tanya's salon in Midtown a half hour later. As soon as I walked through the door, she jumped on me. "Finally." She said, hugging me. I smiled hugging her back.

"Ou, is that your boyfriend?" A woman at the sink teased. Tanya pulled away glaring at her before turning to smile at me. Those seductive brown eyes made my knees weak, they get me every time. She ran her delicate fingers through my hair, her eyes roaming my face. Her small mouth pressed into a line.

"Who's been cutting your hair?" She asked, softly.

"Lynette," I replied bitterly.

"No wonder. Ok, put me down." She said. I helped her down, and she grabbed my hand and pulled me to a chair.

"You have your work cut out for you, sis," Dave said, taking a seat and kicking his feet up on a black ottoman.

"Yup. You know I love a challenge." She said. Dave chuckled, mumbling something under his breath. Immediately after I sat down, three women stood in front of me. "Damian this is Lucy, Malory and Danielle. Lucy will be giving you a mani-pedi, Malory will be giving you a facial and Danielle will be ripping most of the hair off your body. Latoya is out getting you some new clothes and finally, I will be dealing with this mess you call hair." She said, turning me away from the mirror.

I glanced over at Dave, who was flirting with a blonde who was cleaning the hair around her station. Suddenly, a bottle was thrown and it hit him upside the head. "Ow!"

"You know the rules!" Tanya hissed. "Leave my girls alone or get the hell out!"

"Fine!" He said and sat down. I laughed. He glared at me, which only made me laugh harder.

I'm in the break room unable to recognize the man staring back at me in the mirror. The man had my hazel eyes, long straight nose, strong jawline, and weirdly plump lips. My wavy, dark hair is styled long at the top and short at the bottom and gelled back. You know that fuck boy energy? As Tanya puts it. My hair has a lot of volume and looked effortless. My beard looked the best it has ever been, Tanya had brought over a barber from across the street. Danielle waxed my back, chest and neatened....my privates. They still sting a little. Latoya brought back a car full of clothes that I have no clue where I'd wear them. But I did like what she dressed me in.

A white button-down, dark slacks and dark Italian leather loafers. This is the new me. A man who'll never feel the warmth of his wife again. Tears began to burn my eyes. I wiped away a tear and sniffed. I'm not that soft man that puts his wife first. I am Damian Meyer.....soon to be a divorced man, who's going to live his life to the fullest. Fuck this soft shit

"What do you think?" Tanya asked. I turned and looked at her. She's sitting on a leather couch with a hopeful look on her face.

"Yeah, it's a lot to get used to but I like it....thank you," I said. She smiled and got up. She stood in front of me and pulled me into her by my collar. She pressed her lips against mine. I stood there in shock. Where did that come from? She pulled away and cupped my face.

"I wanted to do that since elementary school." She said softly. I just stared, trying to process this. My eyes roamed her pretty face. Unsure what to say, searching deep within myself trying to find a chance that I might have feelings for her. "Don't read too much into this—I'm not planning to become your rebound. I just wanted to know....what kissing you was like."

I stared at her. Good because if there was a chance that I do have feelings for you, I want to jump in without a wavering thought. "Then try again," I told her. Slowly, she leaned in and kissed me, I pulled her closer and she pulled away immediately.

"Please don't let another woman treat you the way Lynette did."

"I won't," I assured. With that said she took a step back and left. Since elementary school, huh? How did I not see it? That kiss is stirring up something within me that I shouldn't be feeling. It's too soon for me to be wrapped around another woman's finger—worst of all my best friend's sister.