Lynnia (18 page)

Lynnia

Walking along the beach, Lynnia tried her damndest not to think about all of the things that could go wrong at the restaurant. She definitely didn’t want to think about the man that was bound and determined to get her attention. One week hadn’t purged him from her thoughts or the feelings for him from her heart. The one thing that she didn’t fully understood about the whole situation was why she reacted the way she had to him. It was her fault. The man hadn’t been any different with her. He’d always made sure that he was attentive to her when they were together. Other than that, he’d been the friend that he’d always been. She was the one to build him up and make him more than what he was.

Her heart created scenarios that said he would make some grand gesture to let her know that he’d secretly desired more with her all of these years. Lynnia groaned as she picked up a rock and pitched it. It skipped perfectly across the formerly serene, blue water before dropping in. The blue reminded her of his eyes and she growled in response to her frustration with herself.

“You stupidly decided to follow after that man like a puppy dog. You readily made yourself available when you didn’t have to--didn’t need to. He wasn’t the one that changed, you were. You should’ve told him from the beginning how things were.”

Lynnia didn’t think her spoken words had been that loud. Apparently, she’d been loud enough for Suzanna to hear her.

“Yes, you should have. I’m assuming we’re talking about Dario Anderson. Good catch. I wondered how you let that one slip by. I just figured something was wrong with him for you to ‘friend zone’ him.”

Lynnia looked at her friend like she had a second, possibly third head. What kind of crazy ass statement was that for her to make about her?

“Whoa. Hold a minute here. I didn’t do the ‘friend zone’ to him. He ‘friend zoned’ me.”

Sue actually busted a gut laughing at her until she took in Lynnia’s facial expression and realized that Lynnia was dead on serious. How could her friend think that she was the one that sidelined a possible relationship between the two of them?

“Please. There is no way that man, who is completely infatuated with you, put you in the ‘let’s be friends’ category. It just doesn’t sound right. Have you seen the way that man looks at you, hangs on your every word, and watches your every move? He adores the very breath of you and you’re going to tell me that
he
corner pocketed
you
? I think not.”

The woman she thought knew her quite well, evidently didn’t know her well at all. She had the audacity to start laughing again. Fortunately for her, her phone began to ring. Lynnia was irritated enough that for her to be ready to bite her own mother’s head off if it was warranted. Looking at the phone, she had the urge to chuck it out into the ocean when she saw the subject of their conversation’s name flash across the screen.

“I take it that’s him.”

Lynnia rolled her eyes and put her phone back in the slot of the band that was on her arm. She hung the ear buds back around her neck and tried to calm herself before speaking again.

“
I don’t see how you figure me being the one to do the slighting. Do you not remember how I told you I was in high school? I haven’t always been the woman you see standing before you,” she kept her face turned toward the water as she spoke. She turned to look at Sue and saw surprise clearly written on her face. “Yes, I was the one put in the corner, not him.”

Lynnia moved to make a classy, storming off exit, but got caught in the hem of her skirt. The next thing she knew she was falling face first into the sand.

“God don’t like ugly. Isn’t that what you told me your mother told you all the time growing up? You didn’t have to be mean or rude to make your point,” Sue stated as she helped Lynnia up from her embarrassing moment.

“I really don’t need to hear this right now. I’m not feeling so good. Do you mind if we pick this up sometime like … never. I don’t want to dwell on that night or that man. I’m going to back to my room and try to sleep of some of what it is that I’m feeling or better yet, pretend like I didn’t have this conversation at all. I really think I overdid ‘Margaritas with Marcus’ last night.”

Sue sucked her teeth and put her hands on her hips. “Tell me that is not
all
you did with that man last night.”

“What? He was a sloppy kisser and aggressive with my ta-tas. If he was that grabby with my breasts, I shudder to think what he would have done with any other part of my body. If I’m going to be in pain the next morning, then I want it to be worth every moment. Besides, the attraction didn’t last long. I don’t know what it was, but the smell of the drinks didn’t sit right with me after that first one at the bar. I only sipped on one more in the room and found myself getting groggy. I ushered his ass out of there as quickly as I possibly could. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow good minutes after.”

“Hmm, you’re not feeling well this afternoon? Have you eaten anything?”

“No. Well, I had half a bagel this morning. I thought I wanted an omelet, but ended up sending it back. The bacon didn’t smell right. Maybe that’s what’s wrong. I’m going to go eat something.”

“Yes, let’s go eat something. I want to go out tonight. Don’t give me that look. I’m married, not dead. You need to stop acting as if you’re attached. Marcus wasn’t the only guy checking you out last night. He was the only one brave enough to face the side eye you were throwing last night.”

“I was not throwing side eye. I just wasn’t impressed with the options.”

“Cut the shit, girly. You know good and damn well that you wouldn’t have given any of them the time of day. Had I not been there last night, Marcus wouldn’t have had a chance. You had your mouth prepped to turn him down well before he got his greeting out. Tell me I’m lying. I dare you.”

“Whatever. I’m going to bed. I’m going to take something for this pain. Oh wait, that’s you. I think the distance is working already.” Lynnia took a few steps away then turned back to look at her friend. “Hot damn, look at that. It’s getting increasingly better the further away from you I get. By the time I get to my room, I’m going to be cured.”

“You are such a bitch and I really do think I hate you.”

“I love you though, girly. See you later. For dinner and nothing more. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do while you’re out shopping or whatever you’re planning on doing.”

“Just so you know, I’m not bringing shit back for you.”

Lynnia gasped and turned toward her friend’s retreating voice, calling after her, “That one hurt, Marshall. Low blow.”

Her friend’s response was only to laugh and continue down the beach.

~~~~~~~

Lynnia felt one thousand times better after getting something to eat, drinking some herbal tea, and taking a much needed nap. Sue was waiting in the lobby for her. She’d called after her shopping excursion and let Lynnia know if she didn’t bring her ass down to the lobby in twenty minutes time then she would be eating alone.

“Wow, Sue, was there anything left in any of the stores that you stopped in today?” she moved in closer to her friend before continuing, “Or do I need to plan a getaway before the local authorities wise up?”

“Ha, ha. You’re funny, Norton. I think you’re so hilarious,” Sue’s sarcastic tone wasn’t lost on the lobby clerk who tried to hide her laughter. “I don’t believe you deserve to see what I purchased or the gifts I have for you.”

“Oooh, presents? I love presents. I’ll be good, mommy. I’ll be good. I sorry.”

They both began to laugh at Lynnia’s impression of a child. Lynnia grabbed a few of the bags from her friend then looped her arm through her friend’s.

“I’m starving. I reserved us a table while I waited for you to bring your snailish tail down from our room. Goodness, I thought I was slow.”

“Look at molasses talking. I could watch paint dry in the time it takes you to get ready. Anyway, you can’t rush perfection.”

“Perfection? You’ll do.”

Sue laughed, but Lynnia grew quiet as her mind slipped into dwelling on old issues. She tried to shake the old feeling as they greeted the hostess who showed them to their table. Sue sat her bags down and stood directly in front of Lynnia. Her soft brown eyes looked as if she were trying to decipher a riddle; the riddle to out-riddle the best riddle ever written.

“Lynnia, look … at … me. You are
not
allowed to think that I am serious when I say things like that. It was a joke. Do you understand? I do NOT believe there is a single thing wrong with you. Got me?”

Lynnia shook her head and blinked back the tears that had been threatening. She sat back in her seat. That was weird. She hadn’t felt like that in years. What was that about? The feeling hit her so fast and hard that she had no control over her initial reaction to it. She knew that Sue would never say something to hurt her or make her drudge up the things that she thought she’d buried long ago.

“I’m okay. Sorry. That was insane. I’ve not had that feeling hit me that true since well before we graduated. What in the world? Okay. I’m shaking it off and we’re going to enjoy the rest of our trip.”

“Before we close that chapter off, I want to give you one of the things that I picked up because I saw someone with it.

Lynnia reluctantly took the bag that Sue handed her. Her friend’s reasoning for the purchase was a little unsettling. She didn’t know if you wanted to take what was being given to her. Taking to item out of the package, she was holding a very pretty book. As she looked at the cover more thoroughly, she saw what looked like cracked glass running along the bottom of the book.