Thin Air (Complete EDITING)

24- Andrew

Andrew July 4, 2020

The party is in full swing, but I just can't shake my mood. I hate that Brandon and Shannon are right. Clark too. My friendship with Nicole has to end. Or at least be scaled back. She isn't a shitty person, and she has been there for me every time I have needed a friend. Although, if I'm honest with myself, she has been responsible for many situations that I needed support to get through.

Fuck it. Time to cut ties. I want to be with Jamie, and Nicole is in the way.

I feel better since I've made up my mind, so I go to grab a beer from the cooler Brandon and I brought in this afternoon. I'm walking around looking for him, to apologize for snapping at him, when Nicole comes stumbling out of a beat-up old blue Camry.

Shit, she came with Chad. I set my fresh beer down, snapping back into cop mode. So much for a pleasant night. This guy is a bully through and through.

Chad's loudmouth is already going. "Hey, Deputy Dipshit!" He bellows, slapping me on the back. Real original.

"Hello, Chad. So glad you could make it." I try and fail to keep the disdain out of my voice.

"Oh yeah, for sure. I'm always down with Nicky's ideas. She knows her way around a good time. Am I right?" He winks at me like we share a secret while slapping her on the ass a little harder than can be considered playful.

She pulls away from him some, but he grabs her around the waist, sinking his fingers into her hip. It looks painful, but she gives an empty smile that doesn't reach her glazed eyes and stops tying to resist as he guides her deeper into the party.

Fighting back the urge to defend her, I look away. If she is going to let him make those sorts of insinuations, then that's her choice. I have to stop fighting her battles for her. It's too bad that she's never been able to find any self-worth. I am always telling her that she deserves better than what she accepts. She is a hard worker, regardless of how much Shannon and Brandon complain about her. And Brody is a testament to how great of a mother she is. That boy is the most respectful, well-behaved kid I know.

It bums me out to see her bouncing from one lousy relationship right back to another. This has got to make a dozen tries for her and Chad. I'm sure he will be cheating on her again by week's end.

Whatever, not my problem. My sole focus is getting Jamie back. We went out to a movie and ended up back at my place on Saturday when Eli slept over at my sisters. She didn't take me up on my proposal then, but I'm hoping the fireworks romanticize the night enough to get a yes this time. As long as I can keep her from finding out that Nicole slept on my couch again last night.

But that's a thing of the past. She can't be running to me every time life gets rough. A party is no place to have a serious conversation. First thing tomorrow, I'll bring her a peppermint mocha to soften the blow of changing our friendship.

For now, I focus on Jamie walking toward me with that smile on her face. The one that makes her look like the carefree girl I first fell in love with. She doesn't wear her hair down often, but tonight it's cascading down her back in long honey waves. She's got on a pretty blue sundress and red sandals. She looks every bit of the wholesome, small-town girl she is.

"You are breathtaking." I press a kiss to her forehead before she can dodge me. I know I told her that she was breathtaking but really it's the opposite. I feel like I can breath when she's near me.

"Mom! Look at this!" Eli goes barreling past and cannonballs into the pool.

"Very cool!" Jamie's eyes light up with laughter as she shakes the water off her arm.

Eli's cheeks are pink from the long day in the sun. Jamie's are pink from my compliment.

Hours later, when the three of us sit on a blanket to watch the fireworks, Jamie leans in when I wrap my arm around her shoulders. This moment is perfection. I'm not going to mess it up with another rejected proposal.