5. An Asshole Everyone Hates

5

AN ASSHOLE EVERYONE HATES

BUBBLY, COLBIE CAILLAT

Livie

“Are you going to tell me about what happened last night, or am I going to have to beg for details?” Hailey, my best friend and roommate, asks as we walk with our arms looped around each other. We had decided to brave the Christmas market, which is currently bustling with life.

The air is crisp, a welcome relief from the usual heat of Florida. Twinkling lights dangle overhead between all the small businesses’ stalls, weaving through their doors and windows. The scent of cinnamon and roasted nuts fills the air as Christmas carols play at almost every vendor’s station.

Baker’s Christmas Market is always fun. The day starts with a parade and the school band playing for the whole town. Sixth Street is closed to vehicles, allowing only foot traffic, making it a lot more manageable.

“Not much to tell, Hales. I went, he was a dick, so I left,” I answer, walking fast and trying not to bump into anyone.

“Then why did it take you so long to get home if it was such a bust?” Hailey questions, lifting her eyebrows and matching my pace.

I look up at her and bite my lips. I’m sure I’m blushing, too.

“Livie! What did you do? Did you fuck Frank from finance?” she asks, nudging my shoulder playfully.

“Shh! This is a family event.” I force a laugh as I dodge a kid darting past, clutching a candy cane as big as his head. “And to answer your question, no, I didn’t fuck Frank. The hot probably six-five-foot Adonis of a man, though? Him, I fucked thoroughly in the back of his truck.” I continue walking like I didn’t just reveal my latest escapade to my best friend in the middle of a public market.

We pass a stall draped in red and green where a woman is selling handmade ornaments. I catch a glimpse of a sparkling glass star, and it reminds me of when I was little. All I wanted was to hang my own ornaments on the tree, but my mother would only allow the ones she deemed perfect to go on it. That little sparkling star would’ve been my choice, but it would’ve never passed her approval.

I look to my side and notice Hailey’s not there anymore. I turn to find her, and see she’s frozen in place, her eyes wide and sparkling with curiosity.

I rush back to her and say, “Stop being dramatic! Like you haven’t had sex in the back of a vehicle before.”

“Yeah, but I never just nonchalantly told my best friend without any details whatsoever! Spill,” she snaps as she links her arm with mine and we continue walking.

“Well, remember, first I had the date with Frank. That went as well as I expected; it didn’t last long at all and I left pissed.” We stop in front of a vendor selling hot cocoa and order a couple with whipped cream and a dash of sprinkles. The air is crisp, and for this Florida girl, that means I get to drink all the hot drinks and wear all my cute winter clothes without feeling like people will roll their eyes at me. I enjoy this weather more than anything and the hot cocoa will be icing on the cake.

“Mm-hm,” Hailey hums as she grabs her hot cocoa and takes a sip.

“Well, after I left, I sat by the water to just listen to the waves, and I guess I fell asleep. The next thing I know, I open my eyes and this handsome—no, not handsome, more like hot as sin—man with dirty blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes was sitting by me. He scared the shit out of me, but I guess he saw me sleeping alone and he was keeping an eye on me. I don’t know...it was sweet and weird and hot. Is that even possible?”

“Sounds like a book, to be honest,” Hailey smirks.

I take a long sip of the hot cocoa, tasting the rich chocolate mixed with a hint of cinnamon. The whipped cream is smooth against my tongue and I close my eyes, humming at the taste. “It was quite hot. Well, we chatted for a minute, I accused him of stalking me, because he also said he saw me leave the date, and he was just a bit shocked about my outfit.”

“Well duh, Livie. You had a costume on.”

“I was going to a party,” I defend.

“And nobody else knew that.”

“What? I was just going to be walking around dressed like that for no reason?”

“With how confidently you hold yourself? Nobody would even question it. But what happened next?”

“Well, we bantered for a bit and then he asked me to have dinner with him and we went to Yummy’s. He didn’t even bat an eyelash at the amount of food I ordered, and honestly? That was hot, too. And there I was, on a Friday night, having dinner with Thor personified and then one thing led to another. It was so hot .”

“You forgot to tell her about the parking spot you stole from me,” a voice says from behind us. I jump and tense at the same time.

We both turn around quickly, and my eyes widen at the sight of Alex standing there, looking just as good as he did yesterday, but now with the biggest smirk I’ve ever seen.

“Hi!” I shout, not sounding crazy at all.

“Hello, Livie. I took great pleasure in hearing all about your experience last night, but somehow you forgot to tell your friend here…” he pauses, gesturing to Hailey to say her name.

“Hailey,” she replies breathlessly.

I snort and bring my hot cocoa to my mouth, trying to hide my smile. She looks at me with a deadly stare, shooting daggers at me.

“…your friend, Hailey, about how you stole my parking spot and flipped me off before all that happened. Also, Livie, it’s not good manners to kiss and tell, you know?” Alex adds and I want the earth to swallow me whole.

It’s Hailey’s turn to snort this time, and I can’t help but smile and roll my eyes. What else am I supposed to do? I got busted big time. I take a deep breath in an attempt to gather my bearings and rest my hands on my hips as I say, “Well, Alex, I was just telling Hailey here how subpar last night was.”

He grins at me, his eyes trained on mine. He scratches his beard and replies, “Your dinner with that guy? Sure. Your dinner with me? Anything but. But you can keep lying to yourself. It was nice seeing you again, Liv.”

There it is, that nickname again . From someone I just met? I shouldn’t love it as much as I do but I do, nonetheless. He turns his body around as if he’s going to walk away from me.

“Wait!” I shout, and Alex stops dead in his tracks, turning around slowly to face me.

“Yes?” he asks, unable to hide his grin.

“Let’s try this again, shall we?” I ask and he nods. “Hey, Alex!., Sorry I was airing our dirty laundry to my best friend, but last night was fun and it deserved to be relived.”

“Now that sounds like the truth. And regardless, I was just giving you a hard time. Although I would suggest not talking about explicit content in public. You know, Santa’s always watching,” he teases.

I take a sip of my hot cocoa, the warmth spreading through me like a hug as I blink slowly and let the moment between us pass.

“Alright, well, now I’m definitely the third wheel. Can we move on, or do I need to go home and let you two strip each other naked with your eyes some more?” Hailey interrogates, and we both laugh.

“Sorry. Where are my manners?” I quip with an eye roll. “Alex, this is Hailey. Hailey this is?—”

I get interrupted by Hailey saying, “Alex Haddock. So nice to officially meet you. My family and I are big fans.”

Big fans? When I asked him yesterday if he was famous and he said something like that, I thought he was bullshitting me. Now, Hailey seems to not only know who he is, but also she’s a big fan?

“Uh, really? I thought I lost all of those.” His flashing smile disappears as he puts his hands in his pocket. Last night when we first talked, he looked a little grumpy, maybe even shy. But now he seems sad after that comment.

“Why? Because the media seem to think you’re this asshole who hates everyone? That might be true, but your true fans are still out there. Especially people from your hometown,” Hailey insists, smiling at him.

He stays silent, looking at her with puzzled eyes before nodding. His shoulders relax and he turns his face to look at me.

“So, Livie, Thor of a man?” Alex asks, raising his eyebrow at me and bringing his thumb to my upper lip, sliding it softly over it. That single touch raises goosebumps all over my skin. “Just a little whipped cream,” he adds when he sees my confusion, and then he gently sucks his thumb into his mouth.

“Oh my God! Get a room,” Hailey shouts. “I’m leaving; you two have fun!”

I shake my head. “No, Hails, wait. You and I were here together. Alex can go on his merry way.”

“Nah, it’s okay. You two,” she says, looking at us both and laughing gently, “you two can continue this whole sexual tension situation without a spectator. Be safe children, be safe.” She turns on her heel and walks back to where her car is parked.

“Is she always that blunt?” Alex asks.

“Yup,” I say, popping the ‘p’ and nodding. “You should see her with people she knows—she’s obnoxiously direct.”

“You mean like you? Not obnoxious, obviously, but direct to the max.”

“I am not,” I protest, crossing my arms over my chest.

This pulls a smile from his face. “ I bet you have plenty of room in that big truck of yours ,” he says, mimicking my voice from last night. I’m sure now I’m blushing because suddenly, in the light of day, I don’t feel as bold or forward as I was last night. I can feel the heat rising up my neck to my cheeks and when he chuckles, I know he can tell.

“It’s okay, Livie. I like it,” he adds.

“Okay. Are you going to tell me what that whole I’m a fan was about, though?” I ask.

“How about we go to lunch and I’ll tell you?”

We stand there in silence, suspended in time, the world passing us by and disappearing from sight. If I read this scene in one of my romance books, I would roll my eyes and blame it on instant love, but I’m pretty sure this is insta-lust more than anything. Even if I wanted to say no, I couldn’t, because my fingers are itching to touch his skin. My lips tingle with the thought of kissing him again, and my heart is thumping fast and hard at the possibility of spending more time with him.

I take a step forward and link my arm with his. “Lead the way.”