Lover

Chapter 21: Dinner with the ex

-Friday night-

"Baby what are you planning to wear?" James asks as I get out of the shower.
"I don't know, maybe something super sexy and revealing." I joke to see his reaction.
"Oh yeah?" He asks.
"Yeah." I pensively say looking at my closet.
"What did you have in mind?" He asks as he sits on the bed.
"I don't know, maybe this." I say as I drop my robe.
"You wanna wear that?" He asks looking at my naked body.
"Doesn't it look good on me?" I innocently ask as I walk closer to him.
"Fuck yeah, and it looks even better with me in it." He smirks, pulling me onto his lap.
"You're so gross." I say as I laugh loudly.
"C'mon that was a good one." He says kissing my cheek before I get off.

I decide on ripped jeans, a red laces bodysuit and black booties. I curl my hair and do my makeup.

By the time I'm done James is also ready. He decided on a more casual look of a black t-shirt, blue jeans and sneakers, still so incredibly hot.

"Oh baby." He says when he finally looks up at me. "Maybe I should change."
"No baby, you look great." I smile as I grab my bag.

He drives us to the restaurant and it's not until we park that I get nervous.
"You alright?" James asks when he notices I haven't gotten out of the car. I nod quickly and get out. He holds my hand leading me inside where I see Dylan sitting at a table.
"There he is." I point out to James.
"Shit, maybe I should have changed." He whispers as I walk ahead.
He dressed up a bit more than expected.

"You look great KitKat." Dylan says as he hugs me.
"Not bad yourself." I reply with a slight blush. "Dylan this is my boyfriend James, James this is Dylan." I introduce the two men. They shake hands.
"Nice to meet you." James says.
"You too!" Dylan replies.
"Sweet accent dude." James points out.
"Thanks." Dylan laughs.
"Where's your girlfriend?" I ask, noticing he was alone.
"She unfortunately couldn't make it, sends her apologies."
"Oh that sucks." I frown as we finally sit down.
"Katherine tells me you're an app developer." James says after we order drinks.
"Yeah, that's why I'm here. I'm working on something new."
"Oh so you don't live in the Bay Area?" He asks.
"No I mostly stay in San Diego, but I think I might consider moving here." Dylan responds smiling at me.
"Really?" I ask. "What would make you stay?"
"A familiar face." He replies. I hear James clear his throat and I hold his hand under the table.
"So what do you do?" Dylan asks looking at James.
"I play football." He modestly says.
"Real football or that American shit Katie's brothers play." Dylan laughs causing me to hold my breath and give James' hand a squeeze.
"I'm the quarterback for that shit Katie's brothers play." James says.
"Like a real one?" Dylan asks, "or the benched guy?" oh my god I forgot how blunt he is.
"Franchise quarterback." He proudly responds.
"What club?" He asks and I can see the pain in James' eyes.
"The San Francisco 49ers."
"Oh ok I had to ask because California has a fuck ton." He laughs. "But that's great, do you like it?"
"I love it, it's a lot of fun."
"Little stressful?"
"Yeah." James sighs. "Why?"
"I can see the gray coming in." Dylan jokes making me smile uncomfortably. "Oh I'm just taking the piss out of ya. It looks good, if Katie likes it's good enough for everyone else" he adds relieving some of the tension.
"Yeah." James dryly responds.

I take over the conversation through dinner and am able to fully engage them both. James doesn't seem annoyed anymore.
"So you were a student studying abroad when you met Katherine?" James asks.
"Yes, and when it was time to go home it was so hard saying goodbye to that face." Dylan says, prompting me to make an ugly face. "So when I got back home I asked my parents if I could come to America, to study and they said yes."
"Which is when you two dated."
"Yeah." I nod.
"Then what happened?" He asks. "I mean you move to America for her and somewhere something went wrong enough for you to not want to be with the person who convinced you to move. What was it?"
"He goes by many names, but I call him Bosa the Beast." Dylan says with a shudder. "Once word got out that Katie and I had been dating that fucker beat the hell out of me."
"Those beatings change you huh?" James asks with the same expression.
"Did you get one too?" Dylan asks with an amusing smile.
"Well I married her in a Taco Bell in Las Vegas. I got a beating from both of them."
"Katie and Nicholas?" Dylan asks.
"Nick and Joey." James corrects.
"Oh mate how are you alive?!" He asks making everyone laugh. "But anyway, after the beat down Nicholas threatened to do it again if he heard I was hanging around her. Naturally I didn't care, but my parents found out it was a whole mess. He almost got expelled but didn't because that wanker is a sports god and my parents made me move back home."
"Well shit." James sighs.
"Going home was for the best." Dylan shrugs. "Not my first option, but I didn't have Katie anymore, so what was the point right?" He asks looking at James.
"Uh yeah I can see why'd you leave."
"Did you ever get my letter?" Dylan asks, catching me by surprise.
"Your letter?" I ask furrowing my eyebrows. "What letter?"
"I thought as much." He sighs. "I gave Nicholas a letter I wrote you and essentially begged him to give it to you and he said he would."
"And you trusted him?" I say loudly. "You know how devastated I was with everything and you trusted Nick would just give it to me?" I ask and feel my eyes sting. "And then you never try to contact me?" I add getting up.
"Baby, sit down." Jimmy says grabbing my hand.
"No I'm not gonna sit down." I say. "You broke my heart and left me wondering where I went wrong with everything." I say.
"KitKat please jus-"
"No, I'm sorry I can't do this." I interrupt grabbing my bag. "Don't follow me." I say to Dylan and grab James' hand.

"What the hell was that about Katherine?" James asks once we're back in his apartment. "Do you still have feelings for this guy?" He asks.
"No James of course not!" I respond trying to catch my breath.
"Then what is it?" He asks, raising his hands in confusion.
"I just- I, I don't know, I don't know why I reacted like that." I admit and feel emotional. "I went back to who I was when it happened and just I feel like it all could have been avoided and maybe my life would have been better if I did get the letter."
"Better?" Jimmy asks, clearly my words hurt him. "Better without me in it?"
"No James please that's not what I mean."
"I understand exactly what you mean I'm sorry I've made your life worse." He says.
"Baby no." I say going towards him but he puts a hand up stopping me.
"I'm staying with my brothers tonight." He says.
"No this is your house I should go." I sadly say.
"No, I want to know you're safe, just please stay here." He says before walking out the front door.

I need to talk to Nick.