Chapter Five: Crazy Red Wine

"You are unbelievable!" Spencer shouted at Wren.

This evening, the two of them were supposed to celebrate their anniversary. Spencer had planned a romantic evening that featured a candlelight dinner, a feature film, and a bottle of Wren's favorite expensive red wine. Everything was set. Spencer had put on a dark blue dress with the heels Hanna got her to "doll herself" up for him. Wren agreed to come over after he got off work so they could celebrate.

Spencer spent the entire day cooking and planning. At 7 o'clock, she could hear Wren's car coming up the driveway. She quickly lit the candles on the table then, dimmed the lights to give the room a sexy glow. Then, she walked towards the front door where she knew he'd entered from and struck a sexy pose. The door opened…

"I've been waiting for you," Spencer said in a deep voice.

Her smile faded, eyes widened, and her face turned pale when she saw the two men come in with Wren. Wren looked at her with horror. Yes, remember that blue dress mentioned earlier? Spencer stared at the three men while dressed in her dark blue lingerie and six-inch heels.

"Wow, Wren," said one of the guys. "When you said you had a big surprise for us, you weren't kidding."

The other guy laughed. Spencer awkwardly smiled as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"Uh, Wren," she spoke through gritted teeth. "Could I talk to you in private for a second?"

"Yes, I think in private would be good."

Wren gripped Spencer's arm and pulled her into the hallway, so she was out of sight of the other two men.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Wren hissed. "Is this how you dress to great guest?"

"What's wrong with me? Did you lose your mind at work again? Tonight, was our anniversary dinner?"

"I forgot tonight is also my guy's night, so I invited them over for some beers in the hot tub."

"You mean my hot tub." Spencer frowned. "I have been planning this dinner for two weeks! You knew I was planning a special evening with you since you never have time to hang out with me any other night this week."

"We can still have dinner but, it's not like we have to spend the whole night together."

"Not only did you completely shit on our plans together but, you actually thought it was okay to bring your friends over to my house for a hot tub party!"

"You're my fiancé so, that means I can bring my mates here if I want to!"

"Not without clearing it with me first," said Spencer. "Tonight, is supposed to be our night. I'm sorry, but they're not welcome."

"If my friends leave then so do I!"

"Fine," Spencer scuffed. "Go. I'm sure you and your mates will have a wonderful evening together."

"I can't believe this is how you want to spend our anniversary," Wren scuffed. "If I knew how selfish you'd be as a fiancé, I never would've proposed."

"Okay." Spencer huffed a laugh and her face turned red. She took the ring off her left finger and threw it at Wren's face. "Here, now you don't have a selfish fiancé anymore."

Wren flared his nostrils. He turned away from her and walked over to his friends.

"Come on, guys, we'll find a casino and play some poker."

"You can bet the ring while you're there!" Spencer shouted after him.

The door slammed shut behind them. Spencer crossed her arms over her chest and huffed in anger, and sadness. Spencer eyed the cooked lasagna sitting on the table.

Toby and his crew were just packing up the trucks to head out for the night. It's a Friday which means they won't be back to work again until Monday. Spencer's heels clanked on the stone path as she made her way out back to where Toby and his team were. She had a long coat over herself. She already gave one group of men a show, she did not need to give anyone else a view.

"Hey, boys."

"Hello, Ms. Hastings," the others greeted her.

"Have you guys had dinner yet?" After a group of "no's" came from the group, Spencer slapped down the pan of lasagna with some plates and plastic forks and said, "enjoy."

"Thanks!" murmured the group as they swarmed the pan like flies.

Spencer headed back up the walkway. Toby was quick to follow her. Spencer walked through her back door into the kitchen.

"Spencer," Toby called out. "Hold on a second."

"What?"

Toby shut the door behind him. "Is everything okay?"

"What makes you think everything's not okay?"

"You just walked out there and dropped a pan of lasagna off. I've heard about bosses showing appreciation to their workers before but, I'm getting the sense you did not make that lasagna for us."

"A simple 'thank you' would be nice."

Spencer headed for the stairs.

"You're wearing those heels again," Toby pointed out.

She stopped, "I'm trying to break them in."

Toby was quickly piecing things together, "I'm guessing tonight was supposed to be a special night for you and Wren."

She turned around. Spencer's sad eyes answered his question.

"Where is he?" He asked.

"At some casino," she said. "We had a fight. It ended with me handing him back the ring."

"That's horrible," said Toby. "Are you okay?"

"No," she sniffled.

After closing with his crew, Toby sent them home for the evening and stayed behind. Spencer sat at the candlelit table nibbling on garlic bread and drinking wine. Toby finished building a fire in the fireplace then joined her at the table.

"I don't know why I'm still surprised," Spencer said while pouring out a glass of wine for Toby. "Wren does this crap to me all the time."

"Can I ask you something?" Toby asked. "Something you probably won't want to answer."

"You want to know why I'm even with him," Spencer finished for him.

Toby stared at his wine but nodded.

Spencer sighed, "Because he was there. He was the first boyfriend I ever had, and I didn't know any better. My parents like him a lot because he's rich."

"Everything I've learned about him so far doesn't really paint him as "boyfriend of the year, in my book."

Spencer rested her chin on her hand, "Wren wasn't always like that. I don't think I would've been interested in him at all if he never had a certain charm. He used to be thoughtful, generous, and so romantic. For our first date he made me a candlelight dinner. That's why tonight I thought it would be a cute idea to recreate our first date on our anniversary."

"Tonight, is your anniversary."

"Was our anniversary," Spencer corrected him. "I'm not sure if there's still a relationship to celebrate."

"So," Toby pondered his next question. "What happened?"

"I don't know." Spencer shook her head. "He started his first year of residency as a doctor. He worked a lot of late hours. He started coming home late. He stopped calling back when he said he would. He still shows up but, I just wish he'd be the guy I met before. Now, it seems like Wren is a whole new person and it's up to me to adjust to fit his world."

"If this is what relationships and marriage are like, I don't think I ever want any part in that," Toby said. "It all sounds too complicated."

"It is complicated. I have spent a lot of time trying to think if it's worth it anymore."

"It shouldn't be like that. You shouldn't have to spend the rest of your life fighting to make it work while wondering if it's worth it to stay in a relationship."

Spencer tapped her finger on the table. "You know I can't think of the last thing he's ever done for me without having to be told or bribed."

Toby squinted, "what do you mean?"

"Like I can't remember the last time he bought me flowers or taken me out for dates without a hint or leaving me little notes. You know the night we got engaged, he couldn't even get me off."

Toby's mouth gaped open. Spencer's eyes widened when she realized what she had just said or what it must've sounded like. She laughed nervously and tried to backtrack.

"Okay, that's not how that was supposed to sound. I just meant he wasn't very engaging. I felt like I was doing all the work on myself, and oops. Ugh." Spencer stopped talking and buried her face in her hands.

Toby chuckled, "wow, that's um… wow."

"I know, great conversation piece right." Spencer showed her face again. She reached to take another sip of her wine, then stopped. "No, this is what's making me talk crazy."

Toby stood up and took the bottle away, "yeah, I think you've had enough."

Spencer shyly smiled, "I'm sorry."

He smiled at her, "it's fine. It wasn't that bad."

Spencer looked at the clock. "Oh my god, it's after midnight! I can't believe you're still here."

"You seemed like you needed a person to talk to."

"I did," she smiled at him. "Thanks for staying."

"So, you probably want to be getting home now, huh?"

"Well, I would go but…" Toby grinned. "I also had some of that crazy wine so."

"So, you shouldn't be driving. You'll have to sleep here tonight then."

"I guess so."

After a nasty fight with Wren, Spencer shares a bottle of wine with someone else. Toby's staying the night. What would happen?