OMG! I thought I had this update done last night, but then I come back to it to edit it and I found that I completely screwed up the timeline and had to go back and a lot of I wrote could not have happened because of the real events of the WWE schedule. I mean, yes, I know I could have changed that to fit in with my story, but I want to keep the schedule the same because it plays in with my story. So, anyway, I had to change so much and add stuff in. I mean the direction of it is still the same, but I had fix things to make it make sense and it was a nightmare! Did I make any sense at all? LOL. Anyway here it is heavily edited and hopefully it makes sense. If there is any confusion let me know and I'll try fix any errors. I've read, reread, and reread it so many times that I'm done.
Are you...?
October 29th, 2013
"Brie, I can't get over how beautiful that ring is," Skye gushed as she sipped her wine as the three sat in the living room of John Cena's elaborate home. Skye had decided to spend the afternoon in Tampa after Smackdown before heading home to Pensacola for a few days like Joe had done the night before.
At her comment, her newly engaged friend smiled brightly, "Isn't it though?"
Her twin snorted, "And she just loves showing it off, too."
Brie rolled her eyes, "Careful, you're jealously is showing, Nicole."
"I'm not jealous," the other woman complained then paused. "Okay maybe a little. Who wouldn't be? It's not like the three of us are getting any younger."
"True that," Skye agreed and placed her wine glass onto the coffee table and stared around John's living room. "Honestly, Nicole, this place is massive."
"I know, right? I'll give you the tour later."
Brie spoke up, "Look, Skye, I wanted us to meet up so that I ask you something very important."
"Ask away," Skye nodded.
With the same huge smile upon her face, Brie glanced at Nikki before she continued. "Well, I've already started planning the wedding and I've been going over the wedding party and I would like for you to be one of my bridesmaids."
"I would love to," Skye answered immediately and smiled. "So, if Nicole doesn't perform her Maid of Honor duties adequately do I get promoted up – from Head Bridesmaid to Maid of Honor?"
"Ha ha," Nikki shot back, dryly.
Brie chuckled, "Well, you aren't exactly Head Bridesmaid..."
"If that's even a title," Nikki added with a scoff.
"My childhood friend Bethany would be next in line..."
Skye gasped, "You mean I'm third. You mean two women have to screw up before I get the job?"
"Who says I'm going to screw up," Nikki questioned, indignantly.
"I'm not saying you will," Skye cleared with a smirk. "Just in case you do, I figured there should be a back-up plan. Of course, it doesn't benefit me any considering I'm third in line for MOH. I mean I'm the back-up to the back-up! I mean jeez where's the love?"
Brie eyed her comically. "And to think I would have thought you would have been honored to be included in the wedding being as you're one of my best friends and all."
Skye stopped her teasing to reach over and squeeze her friend's arm as she sat beside her. "Of course I am. I'm absolutely excited to be a part of your big day. I'm truly envious." Her eyes fell upon her left hand where that certain ring finger sat bare.
"It will happen for you too," Brie assured her after following her gaze. "Joe's completely and one hundred percent in love with you."
Skye casted her eyes downward and released her friend's arm. "I don't know. Here lately he's been kind of acting weird. I mean he's been taking phone calls privately, lying about where he's been..."
"He is not cheating on you," Nikki stated firmly.
"With my track record, I'm surprised it hasn't happened sooner."
"Oh, sweetie," Brie soothed patting her leg. "Joe's not like them. He never will be."
"Then why hasn't he asked me to marry him yet? I mean I'm not trying to be needy or anything, but considering how much he tells me that he plans on marrying me just makes me wonder why he hasn't asked me already. What's the hold up?"
"Timing," Nikki suggested. "Or maybe he is planning some huge proposal and wants to surprise you."
"He knows me better than that," Skye argued. "He knows that I'd be fine with something small and intimate."
"It's going to happen," Brie reassured, confidently. "He's going to ask."
"I'll believe it when I see it," Skye whispered reaching for her coffee again.
"No worries," Nikki told her. "Soon we'll be admiring your huge rock instead of Brie's."
Skye gave her a small, yet doubtful smile before the subject was thankfully changed.
Now home in Pensacola, Skye exited the plane with an extra bounce in her step. As she was getting her nails done with the twins shortly before having to head off to the airport for her flight, she had gotten a phone call from Mark Cerrano with some exciting news.
As she followed the crowd into the airport terminal, she searched for Joe who would be picking her up. When she finally found him amongst the bustling people, she grinned brightly when she saw him standing with a sign that read: My Love.
She hurried over to him, dropped her carryon, and jumped up into his awaiting arms.
He grunted when her body made sudden impact and masked it with a chuckle, "Happy to see me? It's not even been a full twenty-four hours yet."
With legs around his waist and arms around his neck, she giggled as his arms supported her weight. "Well, I come baring some fantastic news!"
"Give it to me, baby girl."
"Well, Cerrano called me while I was getting my nails done with the girls. The writers have made a decision about my love interest."
His eyes searched hers hoping to get some kind of hint, "And?"
"Well, my methods of persuasion and our brief on-screen encounter on Smackdown last night has them convinced that you should be the one that I will be in the romantic angle with. Apparently, Twitter has been going crazy. The fans see a lot of chemistry between us."
"As if it's hard to miss," he claimed. "So, I get to kiss you off and on screen?"
"That's right, big guy," she responded, tightening her hold around his neck. "I'm sorry...I didn't greet you very well, did I?"
"I don't know..." He gave her a side grin. "I kind of like this kind of greeting." He glanced around seeing that they were attracting some attention. "I think we should probably take this elsewhere or our PDA will be broadcasted all over Twitter.
"That's fine," she stated softly as she loosened her hold and he placed her back to the ground. "We can continue this in the car if you'd like?"
He bent down to grab her carryon, the only bag that she had with her having brought her luggage with him when he arrived home late last night. "I'd like that very much," he answered, grabbing her hand and leading her toward the exits.
After a quick make-out session in the parking garage, the two hopped into Joe's truck to head home.
Along the way, his phone rang while he was buys guiding the truck through traffic.
"Do you want me to answer it," she asked, eyeing the device as it lied in a cup holder.
Quickly, he snatched it up and glanced at the screen, "Thanks, but I'll just let it go to voicemail."
"Who is it," she questioned, curiously.
"Nobody," he answered simply, keeping his gaze on the road as the phone continued to ring.
"Then why are you acting so strange about it?"
"I'm not," he insisted, cracking a smile. "It's just a wrong number, babe." He flashed an unconvincing look her way and she found herself nodding.
"Whatever you say," she responded with a brief frown and turned to look out the window.
So, the secrets continue.
The next afternoon, Skye had returned home after shopping for the final touches to her and Joe's Halloween costumes for the following night. "Babe," she called out.
She had seen that his truck was parked in the garage, so she knew that he was home. She dropped her keys and purse off onto the kitchen counter then with her phone in hand, went to find him.
As she made her way upstairs, she heard some grunting coming from down the hall where their personal gym could be found. With a smile, she walked over to where the door was open to peer inside finding him sitting on a weight bench doing some curls.
He had his Beatz on, so he hadn't heard her arrival as result. She leaned against the door frame and watched him continue his bicep exercises and admired his form appreciatively. Dressed in just basketball shorts and now slightly, drench cotton tank, he looked rather sexy all hot and sweaty.
He paused for a quick break, standing and putting the dumbbell onto the rack with the others. His eyes spotted her in the mirror directly behind the rack.
Smiling, he reached up and pushed the headphones backward to hang around his neck. "When'd you get back home?"
"Just now," she answered then nodded at him in approval. "Looking good...are you trying to impress someone?"
He chuckled, "Nothing wrong with looking good for my woman. Want to join me? Unless you're afraid you'll break a nail? I mean you did just get them done yesterday. I'd hate for them that money to go to waste."
She glared playfully at him, "I'll go get changed." She turned and headed to the bedroom to slip on something.
When she returned, she was dressed in tight peach colored yoga pants and a white sports bra with a crisscross style neckline.
The moment she entered his eyes went directly at her exposed torso and licked his lips. She pretended not to notice as she walked over to another area of the room to stretch.
She made it a point to keep her back to him so that he could view the goods as she bent over to loosen her muscles before she started a few Pilate exercises.
After warming up for a few minutes, she went over to a smaller work-out bench and began doing side plank hip lifts to tone her abs.
Behind her, she heard the distinct sound of his phone taking a picture and she paused to glance back at him, "What are you doing?"
"Documenting the reason why I can't focus," he responded as he glanced at his phone.
"Are you putting that online," she asked him with a giggle.
"Yep, I want to be the envy of every man in the world."
"I'm regretting ever helping you create an Instagram account." Shaking her head, she continued with her reps before growing a bit tired and deciding to move onto something else. As she stood to go grab a dumbbell, she noticed him lying back on the weight bench as he lifted nearly 250 pounds up and down.
He did a few more lifts before dropping it back onto the rack.
"You really shouldn't do that without a spotter," she observed walking over as he panted and shook his arms. From his position still sprawled back on the inclined bench, he chuckled through his exasperated breaths. "Preferably one that will make sure that weight won't fall flat on that chiseled face of yours."
"I can handle it, baby girl," he assured between pants.
"I feel like you're doing this to impress me," she accused playfully.
His head lifted, "Are you impressed?"
"Always," she admitted approaching where he lay suddenly feeling bold and a bit frisky. She lifted her leg and tossed it over to the other side the bench, and lowered herself to straddle his lap.
"Wow, you managed at least fifteen minutes before getting distracted and blowing off the rest of your workout," he teased, but didn't look at all unwilling to take a quick break before he continued with his sets.
"I can't help it," she whined as her hands dropped to his sweat-drenched chest then slid upward to grip the bar above his chest, pulling upward a bit. The action caused her upper body to press against his and rub up against him so that her face was now level with his. "Besides," she continued as she released the bar and brought a finger up to trace along the hairs of his goatee. "I can't think of a much more fun way of working off some calories."
His hands plastered themselves to thighs, rubbing against the tight fabric of her pants as her body laid pressed upon his. "I could use a little cardio."
She smirked, "I knew it wouldn't take much to sway you."
"You walking in wearing those pants were my downfall," he confessed before lifting his head upward to claim her lips.
The groan that left his mouth was loud, feral and exotic. It vibrated against her lips, echoing into her mouth. She felt the blood coarse through her, hot and thick, as her skin bloomed under his touch as his hands moved upward to her exposed back.
She rose upward and suddenly saw stars when her head banged against the barbell hard while she was too busy turning into goo form his hands.
She pulled her lips away and muttered, "Ow."
"You okay," he chuckled, reaching up to rub the back of her head, checking for a bump.
"Kind of understand why we haven't christened the weight room," she stated shaking her head as the pain subsided.
"Let me solve any further head-banging that might occur," he declared as he sat upward, pressing their chests again. "Now where were we?"
"I think..." she began as she reached down to grab the bottom hem of her sports bra, pulling it up and over her head. She tossed it aside and grinned naughtily. "About here," she finished.
As his eyes took in her exposed breasts, he licked his lips, "No more delays." He leaned forward to nip at her right breast with his lips causing her to jump slightly. With a grin, he darted his tongue out to circle a nipple lightly. "Want to take me for a ride, baby?"
She nodded quickly and soon the real workout began.
The next night, Skye was putting the final touches on her costume when Joe entered the bathroom and leaned against the door frame with a toy hand in hand.
"Well, howdy there, madam," he greeted with a grin.
Smiling at him through the mirror, she turned around once the scarf around her neck was secured, "Don't you look rather handsome, Clyde."
"Why thank you, but I must say you look rather exquisite yourself, Bonnie," he stated, his eyes looking her up and down in her costume.
With her tan beret sitting perched at an angle over the ear with some of her slick back hair encased in a bun being visible. Around her neck was a patterned, silk scarf. She also wore a close-fitting, long-sleeved yellow sweater that accented the knee-length pencil styled skirt and heels.
Her eyes took in her boyfriend's attire which consisted a gray tweed jacket, matching pants, a white button down dress shirt with a three-inch wide patterned tie. Atop his head he wore a gray fedora with his hair slicked back and in man-bun underneath.
"I think you went way overboard on the costumes, babe," he pointed out as he played with his toy Tommy gun. "I mean we are just taking Lex trick-or-treating."
"I love Halloween," she argued with a smile. "Who cares if the only people who are going to see us are your parents and the neighborhood? It's fun, admit it."
"I suppose it's not half bad," he relented. "I mean you look hot as fuck."
"Hmm, so bank-robbing, flapper girl turns you on," she asked slyly.
"You in just about anything turns me on, babe," he pointed out.
Before she could respond, Lexi came in running dressed in her lady-bug costume, "Can we go now?"
"Absolutely," Joe answered, motioning for Skye. "Let's go, ladies."
Soon the three were on their way.
Their neighborhood was filled with about fifteen houses, so they began their trek around visiting each house.
As they were finishing up, Joe's phone went off.
"I hardly think that cell phones were around during Bonnie and Clyde's time," Skye told him with a disappointing gaze, but he paid no attention. His gaze was on his phone.
"I have to take this," he told her, turning his back and walking down the pathway from the current house they had arrived at.
She watched him and wondered who on earth was on the other line that he couldn't just tell her about?
Shaking her head, she turned and smiled at Lexi who had returned with more candy in her bucket. "Ready for the next house," she asked her.
The next afternoon, Skye was lounging on the couch going through the DVR recordings when Joe walked in freshly showered and glancing – not surprisingly at his phone – while he was shoving his wallet into his pocket.
"Hey where are you going," she asked, pausing the screen and stared at him curiously. "I thought we were going to be marathoning The Walking Dead after you took Lexi to school and got a couple of hours of sleep?"
"Matt called me and asked if I wanted to come over to hang out," he said as he reached for his keys which were resting on the counter into the little dish they always kept them.
"Oh, well, give me a minute to get changed and I'll join you two."
Immediately, Joe halted, "Uh actually, babe, it's sort of a guy's day, ya know? We can hang out tonight, okay?
"Okay," she replied, shoulders slumping. "Have fun I guess."
He walked over to where she was sitting and leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "I will. I'll see you tonight."
With a tight smile, she nodded and watched as he walked from the living room toward the kitchen to the connecting garage.
When she heard the faint sound of the garage door opening, she frowned and plopped back against the cushions. Even though she had no problems whatsoever that he wanted to go hang out with his older brother, she could not shake off the feeling that he was lying to her.
Her eyes drifted over to where her phone laid. After a few moments of contemplation, she reached for it and started scrolling through her contacts. When her eyes saw the name Wendy, she released a soft breath and hit send.
Pressing the phone to her ear, she stood and walked over to the sliding glass door leading out to their backyard and the pool.
"Hello?"
"Wendy, hey, it's Skye."
"Skye! How are you?"
"Good, good," Skye answered simply. "I was just thinking that we really didn't get much time to catch up at Sika and Patty's place, so I thought that maybe you wanted to get lunch with me today."
"Oh, I wish I could! I'm actually heading off to the airport now. I'm helping my parents move into their new home up in Ohio and I won't be back for days!"
"Oh," Skye stated, nodding. "You're heading to Ohio?"
"Yeah," the other woman answered. "We both are. The kids are staying at with Vanessa."
Skye's heart dropped, "I'm sorry, but both?"
"Yes," Wendy said slowly. "Matt and me, silly."
Skye closed her eyes the moment Wendy had mentioned Joe's brother was on his way to Ohio as well. "So, you and Matt are on your way to Ohio, together?"
"Skye is there something wrong," Wendy questioned, clearly noting the woman's change in tone. "You sound a bit off."
Fighting back tears after realizing Joe had flat-out lied to her, Skye cleared her throat, "Everything is fine. I think that I'm just tired I guess. I might go lay down or something. I'll call you later, okay? Have a safe trip."
Without waiting for the older woman's reply, she hung up the phone and just stared out through the glass and bit her bottom lip.
If Matt was clearly with his wife, then where the hell was Joe going?
"The question isn't where, but with whom," she whispered, shakily.
It was hours later with the sun had finally fallen leaving the moon and stars up in the sky. It was certainly a beautiful evening, but it was being wasted.
Normally Skye enjoyed sitting out near their pool staring up at the night sky. Usually Joe was there as well, but Skye wasn't sure at all just where he was.
She had texted him a few times continuing on with his whole about being with Matt. He had replied, but his messages were short, simple, and a bit cryptic.
After that, she had finally tossed her phone onto the couch and ventured outside for some air.
Now she was sitting crisscrossed on a patio lounger, wrapped in a throw from the couch just staring at the lit pool in front of her.
As her mind continued to think of every possible reason that Joe would lie about his whereabouts. Given her past experiences, she could only come to one conclusion – he was cheating.
She swallowed back the lump in her throat when her mind went to thinking about him being with some other woman. She felt sick to her stomach.
It was happening all over again.
It was Randy and AJ all over again.
She just knew it. The signs were all there.
Tears filled her eyes. She never thought Joe would ever be like them – sneaking around, lying to her, and being unfaithful.
He had promised her years ago that he would tell her if he was losing interest, that he would be man enough to break it to her without ruining her like her two previous exes.
Yet here she was with her suspicions and feeling broken and utterly devastated. Even though if he had been honest, she would have been just heartbroken, at least he would have kept his word.
She froze when she heard his voice call out, "Babe?"
She wrapped the throw around her tightly, not glancing in his direction.
He walked from the house and stopped to stand at her side. "I've been trying to get a hold of you for nearly a half hour. Why didn't you answer?"
She cleared her throat and stared up at him with a stoic gaze, "I've been out here for nearly an hour, I must have forgotten my phone in the house – my mistake."
"No big deal," he reassured. "I just got a bit worried is all, so I thought I'd come home a little earlier."
"How very kind," she stated, dryly.
He must have missed the tone for he went to sit behind her, straddling the lounger and reaching for her bundled up form.
She jerked away from his hands and that got his attention. "What's wrong?"
"Did you have fun with Matt," she asked instead.
He paused a moment. "Yeah," he answered. "Nothing too exciting – just hung out."
She turned around to face him, wanting to see him as he told his lies. "Just hung out," she repeated in question.
"Yeah," he answered slowly, studying her. "What's the matter?"
"Oh, absolutely nothing," she stated lightly. "I'm just trying to figure out how it is humanly possible for the two of you to hang out when Matt is all the way in Ohio with his wife." When he the audacity to look confused, she smiled tightly. "Yeah, I, uh, called Mandy and found out. Lie to me again, Joe."
His face fell having been caught. "Look...Skye..."
She cut him off, "I'm going to ask you a simple question and I want the truth." She took a few staggering breaths before finally finding the courage to speak again. "Are you...is there..." She gnawed on her bottom lip as she tried to force the next words out, fearing the obvious.
"Is there someone else?" Tears fell from her eyes. "Are you cheating on me, Joe?"
So? What'd all of you think? Please let me know. I've noticed that the story has been getting views, but not many reviews. I'm not begging for more reviews, I just want to make sure that everyone is still into it. I know that I've been absent and not posting very frequently, but life is crazy. Tell me what you want more of, less of. I'd appreciate the ideas. I am enjoying this story, but time to write seems very non-existent, but I'm trying to make more time. Just let me know! Thanks!
Also, check out the tumblr site which can be found on my profile and check out some pictures that correspond with this chapter!