I want to say that Bold is Clint texting and Onyx is in Italics towards the end. Enjoy this chapter.
"Help me, please," she whined, her bottom lip sticking out looking at her brother. Jeff chuckled, shaking his head. "Why not?" She sighed, going back to setting the table. "It is your fault," she tried.
"Oh no you don't," he said, turning back to the pot on the stove. "I did not tell you to date him. I advised against it, not wanting my baby sister to get involved with my friends, for this exact reason. Now you get to man up and tell mom and Lydia you broke it off. I will help you to an extent if things get a bit awkward, but you are a big girl," he smirked.
"I hate you," she mumbled, sticking her tongue out at him behind his back. "I am not going to tell them why we broke up. I can't handle that humiliation," she stated, shaking her head.
"Tell them what you want, Onyx. Remember they will figure out the truth. They can tell when you are lying."
"That doesn't help me, Jeffy," she whined, peering over his shoulder. "I don't think they need to know everything that went on with Hunter. It's not like I am going to be lying to them."
"We are not in high school anymore," he told her. "You don't have to keep anything from them, but again you don't have to tell them things you are not comfortable with. Even so, we both know mom she will want to know why things with Hunter didn't work out after a year."
"It's not like we were living together yet," she mumbled under her breath. They had talked about living together a couple of times, but something held her back from ever taking that step. Whether it happened to be that she couldn't fully see a future with him, or if it was because she wasn't ready for their relationship to take that serious of a turn, living with Hunter didn't happen.
"You only had yourself to blame for that. Just because our parents didn't work out, didn't mean things with Hunter would have ended the same way," he quickly cut in.
"But they did," she stated, letting a cupboard door slam shut.
"Do you think things would have worked out different if you had moved in with him to begin with?" Jeff questioned.
"Whose side are you on?"
Best friend or not, she thought her brother would have her back on this whole thing. She didn't make Hunter step out on her. He did that on his own. Whether she lived with him or not, it was not a valid reason for him to cheat on her. He shouldn't have cheated on her to begin with. He knew how to voice his opinions and his concerns; he could have talked to her about them. Their relationship wasn't one sided. He couldn't avoid fighting with her because he didn't want to fight. If he really wanted to see other people, if the spark for him was no longer there he should have said something and broke it off and not cheated on her. She could have handled a breakup, but cheating, that was a bit harder to come to terms with. Was she not good enough?
"Don't even," he warned, turning burners on the stove off. "At this point in our lives, you should know that I will always have your back. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to question your choices."
"I wouldn't do that to you," she told him. He gave her a pointed look, knowing her better than that. "Okay fine I would but it's not like you have a girlfriend to begin with," she retorted.
"Because my sister keeps her friends away from the bar," he teased.
"Most of my friends are either in relationships, or they don't like guys, and lastly they do like guys but you prefer chicks," she laughed. "And the last time you dated one of my friends she stopped being my friend the very second you broke her heart claiming I put you up to it," she said, rolling her eyes. Like she would ever make her brother break up with a girlfriend, whether or not she liked who he was dating. As long as he was happy she wouldn't interfere unless drastic measures were needed and then them breaking up happened to be for the best.
"A thank you is in order for that one. She was a crazy one," he laughed.
"I won't say it," she said, tensing up for a second hearing the knock at the door. "I should let you answer the door since it's your place," she told him in the process of opening the door. His laugh following behind her. "Mom, Lydia, hi, please come in," she greeted, holding the door open.
"Onyx my sweet girl," her mom said, pulling her into a tight hug. "You're looking too thin, are you eating enough?"
"Jade, leave her be," Lydia laughed, taking her turn in hugging Onyx. "You are eating plenty right?"
Onyx laughed, assuring them both she was eating more than enough. That lead to questions about her being with child which took far longer than she would have liked for it to be put to an end. She feared the topic would be brought up later in the night.
"Jeffery it smells divine in here," their mom said, pulling her son into a hug. "I swear neither one of kids are eating enough," she commented.
"Trust me mom, we eat plenty," Jeff laughed, sharing a look with his sister. "Lydia, how are you?" He asked, getting a hug from his step mom.
"Just fine," she replied. "How are you? The bar?"
"Good and good," he laughed. "Dinner won't be much longer," he informed them. "If you want something to drink Onyx can help you or grab whatever," he told them.
"Where's Hunter? I was told last week he would be here tonight," their mom inquired. "Is he running late?"
"He won't be coming," Onyx told them, ready to get the news out there and get it wrapped up before they eat. "We broke up two days ago."
"Such a shame, Onyx. Why did you two break up?"
"Things were no longer working out," she told them keeping it as simple as possible, wanting to leave it at that.
"Dinner is served," Jeff called placing the last of the meal on the table. She sent her brother a small smile taking her spot across from Jeff, leaving them to sit between their mom and Lydia.
They made small talk taking a moment to catch up on whatever they had going on in their lives. The siblings asked about their trip to the city and how they were liking it thus far. And what else they had planned before heading back home to Ohio.
Thanks in part to her brother telling nonstop stories of the guys at the bar and how the bar is doing, any and all talk about Hunter was nonexistent, until a story with Hunter came up. Her mom wouldn't let it go being reminded that she didn't get the answer about the break up, she wanted. The second the name came out of Jeff's mouth he gave his sister a sorry look. She couldn't be mad at him. This is her mess and not his and Hunter is one of his friends; he was bound to come up at some point.
"Speaking of Hunter," their mother said, turning her attention solely back on her daughter. She groaned to herself forcing herself to be okay with the questions she knew her mom had ready to fire her way. "I don't get why you would break up with him for, Onyx. He was a wonderful guy, and you are not getting any younger," her mother said.
"Things weren't working out, much like things didn't work out with you and dad," she bit out. She knew how old she was and how great of a guy Hunter was right up until she caught him with Bree.
"What are you saying young lady? Is this your way of coming out? Did things with Hunter not work out because you would rather be with a woman?" Her mom asked, not a bit shocked by the news of it.
"That's not what I am saying. I've been with women before, but that doesn't mean I am giving guys up. Whoever I end up with it will be because I love them regardless of their gender," she stated.
"Then why break up with Hunter?" Her mom asked once again. Having her mom on her case, she was ready to give in and tell her the truth. That she wasn't worth anyone's time, not for the long haul it seemed. Until she heard her brother talking. Words she couldn't believe him to be saying.
"I have a girlfriend," Jeff piped in, feeling the annoyance of his sister. The look of desperation on her face. Lying for her wouldn't kill him, he used to do it all the time, it was the one thing he had trouble doing when they were kids, but over time, it got easier for him. And the fact the lie is about him having found love, his mother wouldn't be watching him but instead wanting to know the details.
"When did this happen? Who is she? I want to meet her before I leave. Maybe your sister can reconcile with Hunter, and we can make a night of it," she told her kids.
"Let's not worry about Hunter," Onyx stated a gleam in her eyes. "I want to hear about this girlfriend of yours. Do I know her? When do I get to meet her?" She questioned, wondering just how far he would be pushing the topic.
"Don't you know, sis?" He asked in a teasing tone. She shook her head, a gut feeling on what his next words could possibly be. "She is your friend, so I thought she told you. That does explain why you haven't freaked on me yet about dating your friend," he tossed out, wanting to give her enough time to think of a friend, that way he didn't have to find some random stranger to convince to be his fake girlfriend to fool his mom.
"I can't really think of anyone," she said shaking her head, going through her friends in her head, finding any that are single. "Unless a breakup happened and I wasn't told," she told him. "Mind giving me a little hint?"
"She is awfully sweet," he smirked. Hearing that it dawned on her who he could possibly be talking about. She didn't know the two of them knew each other.
"How do you know Sugar?" She questioned, not able to piece it together, thinking she might have been drunk when they met.
"A few weeks back when you were running late for girl's night. I was hanging out with Seb when she showed up." She frowned not remembering her brother being there when she returned home. "I left before you showed, I had to be at the bar that night," he chuckled, seeing the confusion on her face.
"And no one thought to tell me this?" She asked, feeling her anger bubble up. After the disaster of him dating one of her friends before she couldn't believe he could even use her friend as a white lie to help her out. She caused no trouble between Hunter and Jeff. Didn't tell either one they couldn't talk or hang out cause she was no longer dating Hunter. They were friends longer than she dated him; she had no place to tell them they couldn't be friends any longer. Not like Lucy had done when Jeff broke up with her, losing who she thought at the time was a really good friend of hers.
"It's still early; I wanted to find a better time to run it past you. But with everything going on, it never seemed right," he explained, looking far more guilty than one should while covering ground in a lie. It made her question if he happened to be lying or stating the truth. For the first time in her life, she couldn't tell if your brother was lying or not.
"Maybe next time you run the idea past me before you start to date my friend," she told him, a bit more bite to her words than she intended for there to be.
"Whatever Onyx. I wasn't okay with you dating Hunter, but I didn't get all pissy about it," he snapped at her, his fun joking side gone now. "Lucy was a cold-hearted bitch. Don't you get it that she used you to date me?" He asked. He easily regretted those words the second they left his mouth.
"I do now," she told him softly. "I may not like it, but you have my blessing to be with her," she told him.
"Perfect we leave in a week. We will get reservations for the six of us." Hearing her mom's orders, the finality in her voice, she knew there was no arguing about Hunter not being there. She knew in an instant any of the guys at the bar would help her out with this, but she didn't know if she really wanted to subject them to it. She wouldn't be asking Hunter to do this for her. Those emotions were by far way to fresh to play nice for a night to appease her mother.
"Sweetie, you don't have to bring Hunter. It's obvious to see that the breakup was a hard one. Your mom means well; she just doesn't know when to stop. You'll find someone else that you won't be able to live without. I'll talk to your mom about it, okay?" Lydia told her, the second her mom started to help Jeff cleanup from dinner.
"Thank you. It is hard, Lyd. I caught him cheating. There is no way that I can take him back after that, and I won't play nice," she confessed. She found that it was easier to talk to Lydia because she didn't judge you on what choices you made like her mom did.
"You shouldn't have to," she said, getting no sympathy or pity from her. "You'll find the perfect person for you. Your relationship with Hunter is only preparing you for the great love of your life, sweetie," she offered.
"I do now. And I am sure I will appreciate that bit of wisdom when it doesn't hurt so much," she shared.
"Keep an open mind. Love is waiting for you," she smiled, getting up.
With good-byes and promises of making a visit home in the next few months. And the promise of meeting up for that triple date with them in a week, the parents left.
"You and Sugar. What's the deal?" Onyx asked, reclined in the chair, feet on the coffee table, ignoring the annoyed look her brother is giving her.
"I like her," he shrugged. "We haven't been out on a date. I want to ask her out. However, I wouldn't do that to you, never again," he promised. "What I said about Lucy using you," he started to say.
"Water under the bridge. That relationship is old news. I don't even care. So didn't even apologize for that offhanded comment," she told him. "I should go," she said, getting up. "If you do start to date Sugar, please be careful. Don't hurt her, she's a special one," she smiled, loving her friend dearly.
"Yeah, she is," Jeff responded with a dreamy smile on his face. "I wouldn't dream of hurting her, not on purpose," he said, walking his sister to the door. "Let me know you made it home safe?"
"Always do. Or try to," she reminded him, stepping out the door. She lives five blocks away from her brother. Giving him a hug she headed towards the elevator. The second the door slid open she stood in shock at who was on the other side. "What are you doing here?" She questioned, stepping in, seeing he was headed to the lobby.
"I live here," he chuckled. "What are you doing here?" He asked a smirk on his face. "You're not stalking me are you?" He teased. She rolled her yes giving him a shove.
"You wish," she retorted dryly. "My brother lives here," she told him. "I've never seen you here before," she commented.
"Moved in last week," he shrugged. "Bit nosey tonight," he chuckled.
"Sorry, had a dinner with my moms." She did see Lydia as a mother figure, for her, it is easier to call Lydia by name instead of mom. On occasion, she would call her mom; Lydia didn't mind either way.
"By the defeated look you're sporting, it didn't go well," he pointed out. She shook her head, stepping from the elevator.
"My mom wouldn't get off my case about Hunter. She thinks I need to get back together with him. I didn't tell her about him cheating on me on our anniversary. I couldn't take that judgement from her."
"I wouldn't have judged you on that, Onyx. I thought you would know that."
"Mom, Lydia," she said turning around. "What are you doing back here?" She questioned.
"Forgot my purse," Lydia sheepish told her. "Took the stairs as your mother has this new thing that we have to take the stairs."
"It's good for you," her mom stated. "You should take them all the time," she said looking pointedly at her daughter. "Who is this young man?"
"Clint," she said. "My mom Jade and Lydia," she introduced.
"Nice to meet you both," he smiled, holding his hand out.
"Is he the reason Hunter cheated on you. I certainly see why Hunter would be jealous for," her mom winked.
"No mom, he's not the reason why and please stop ogling my friends up," she said in embarrassment.
"Honey we can't blame you if you jump him," Lydia winked. "Come on dear, let's leave these two to the rest of their night," she said, taking her girlfriend's hand.
"Remember sweetie, don't do anything too outrageous and protection is your friend," her mom called out with a laugh walking out of the lobby of the building.
"I am sorry about them. They drank far too much wine at dinner," she stated, shaking her head. She could feel the heat in her cheeks over her mother's comments about Clint.
"It's a parent's duty to embarrass their kids in front of a potential suitor," he stated, placing his hand on the small of her back to lead her out into the street.
"Suitor, huh?" She asked shyly, a deeper shade of red covering her face.
"Once you are over your douche bag of an ex, that is," he smirked. "You okay with that?"
"I think I am," she smiled at him. "What are your plans for the night?" She asked, walking towards the direction of her place.
"Hanging out with friends," he vaguely told her. He did have a bit of business to discuss with the rest of them. "Meeting of sorts with the guys."
"So drinking and finding an easy lay for the night?" She asked, feeling a bit hurt that he would do that after saying he was waiting on her to be ready.
"Drinking yes and two of them might be looking for the easy lay, but I have something better. I have you," he smirked, tossing an arm around her shoulder. "You can come with if you want," he suggested, showing her that he was serious about not needing some random stranger to warm his bed, not when he was waiting for her to be over the ex. If it meant being with her, he would do whatever it took to prove to her that he wanted no one else.
"I'll have to pass. It's movie night with Seb after he makes me spill about the dinner tonight. On second thought let's go," she told him.
"I don't think so," he chuckled. "I'd have all the guys from the bar ready to throw down because you didn't show up at home and your moms know that we're together," he replied.
"How right you are and we don't need them to beat you up. I, quite frankly, like the way you look, except maybe for the hair," she giggled, running a hand through his hair.
"You like the bald look; I'll keep that in mind," he smirked.
"Just on you," she told him, dropping her hand. Hunter had plenty of hair for her to play in, but there was something about seeing Clint with a bald head that did her in.
"I like your hair long so don't go cutting it off," he husked in her ear, sending shivers down her body, her lip being sucked between her teeth.
"Like I would chop my hair off, you crazy?" She asked in a steady voice, not wanting him to know how truly affected he made her.
"Only for you," he winked, stopping in front of her building. "I trust you'll be fine going up to your place?" She nodded, kissing his cheek.
"Thank you for walking me home," she told him.
"It was a pleasure," he winked. "Thank you for letting me."
"Night Clint," she told him, walking to the front door, to unlock it.
"Night Onyx," he waved waiting until he could no longer see her through the glass, before he continued on his way.
With his hands stuffed in his front pockets he walked the next few blocks to the bar he agreed to meet his friends at. His mind drifting back to Onyx and how on only the second meeting with her just how screwed he is when it comes to her. He never was the boyfriend type, didn't need a girlfriend, wanted to live the bachelor life. Funny how it was slowly changing when Onyx happened to be involved.
"Running late," chuckled Vincent.
"Shut up," he tossed out, going to the bar to grab himself a drink. His thoughts were focused on his feelings for Onyx that he didn't realize the bar he walked into until Sam slid a beer cross the bartop to him without him even needing to say what he was having.
"On the house, boss's orders," Sam told him. He shrugged taking his free drink back to his group of friends.
"What took so long?" Dereck questioned, taking a swig of his own drink.
"Nothing," he defended, not wanting to talk about how fucked he is slowly becoming. "Let's talk about business, shall we?"
"I'm saying nothing has a name," Jason chuckled. "But business, yes," he easily agreed.
It didn't take long for them to go from talking about the reason Clint was a few minutes late to what they wanted to do work wise. Odd enough or you could call it irony that they were planning on opening a Jazz club in the same area the bar they sat in happened to be located in. They each had a different aspect of the club they would be investing in, as Clint would solely be the owner of the place as the others would move onto the next project lined up for them.
"We didn't order any drinks," Phillip stated confused as the server set the drinks on the table around them.
"No, but they come from the boss," she chuckled. "A thank you for watching out for his sister," she winked in Clint's direction walking off.
"So nothing huh?" Jason laughed. "Nothing seems to be someone rather important at this bar."
"It's messed up," he shrugged it off, going back to his drink. He couldn't explain the situation to his buddies, not without explaining about her private situation, and he wouldn't toss her under the bus like that. They didn't need to know that much about her. "Her name is Onyx," he caved, giving them a bit more to go on.
"How exactly were you watching out for this Onyx chick?" Vincent questioned, leaning forward.
"Don't matter," he stated, downing the rest of his beer.
"Something matters, cause there are chicks everywhere drooling, and you haven't noticed. She special?" Vincent asked him. He nodded his head. They would call him out if he lied.
"Like you wouldn't believe," he stated, taking a pull from his beer. "She's always on my mind," he confessed. Surprised when his buddies didn't start to ridicule him for it.
"Dude about time love bites you in the ass," Vincent smirked.
He rolled his eyes, catching a frantic Jeff back by the bar. He couldn't hear what was going on or what it was about, but he started to panic thinking it had something to do with Onyx.
"Why the hell would you even do something so stupid for, Onyx?" Jeff questioned a mixture of annoyance and concern in his tone. Clint could only hear what Jeff was saying, wishing he knew what was being said on the other end of the call. "Is anything broken?" That one question freaked him out, suddenly very worried for her. "Let me know when you know something. I mean it Onyx," he warned, hanging his phone up. "Anybody want a sister?" He asked, pocketing his phone.
"What happened?" He heard himself ask. It felt as if the whole bar had eyes on him with that one little question.
"She convinced Sebastian to head out to the movies. Ran into Bree the chick Hunter cheated on her with, and she wouldn't stop running her mouth, Onyx being Onyx punched her. Fight broke out and now my dear sister is sitting in the ER waiting to see if her hand is broken," he quickly explained.
With a nod, he went back to his friends, pulling his phone out as he sat down, ignoring the looks his friends were shooting his way, opting to stay focused on the text message he was composing. Heard the show was before the movie!
Haha. You're so funny!
I try. ;)
How'd ya hear?
At your brothers bar. He's ready to sell ya to the highest bidder.
Make sure it's not some creep.
Will try my hardest!
Good! Docs in. Talk later?
You bet. Gotta know how banged up you are.
"And he says it's nothing," Dereck joked. "Nothing sure is special."
"Shut up," he growled. "You guys I have liked a woman before. Enough to date them," he grunted. Who gave a crap if he had feelings for this girl? She was like no one else. Made him want to know more about her, have her know more about him and not just in the physical way. She was a good one and worth the wait in gold.
"But you haven't since we were in high school. You made every excuse in the book not to ask anyone out, opting instead to hook up with random women. Your focus and drive on VA. Was it worth it?" Phillip asked.
The easy answer no it wasn't worth it. Not now it wasn't. Back when he was in school and thought that VA was the answer to the top, that everything he wanted came from being the best, it was worth it.
"I can't answer that question," he sighed. He wanted to be a hot-shot artist and for a hot minute he had been, but he walked away not getting the thrill he thrived for any longer. "That is one question that the answer will change for," he said, shaking his head. "And Vinny I'm not in love." That little statement was walking the line, because he knew if he let himself, he could easily fall head over ass in love with Onyx.
"You say that now, we'll see about that in few months or so," Phillip smirked. "Nothing is wrong with being in love dude. Look at myself and Vincent. We are happily in love, waiting for the rest of ya to join us."
"He is right," Vincent pointed out, talking about his fiancee back at home waiting on his return.
Clint couldn't say anything, knowing his friends were right. It wouldn't take much more for him to fall for her. And oddly enough he was okay with that. With the two meetings and the handful of messages sent he liked spending time with her. If only her ex hadn't messed her up the way he had. However, if he hadn't done so, he wouldn't even have this chance with her. Really, it was a blessing for him.