Ryan

 

I’m sitting on my deck looking out into the forest that surrounds me. Taking another long sip of my beer, I shake my head to clear it of thoughts of Stacey. She was a complete bitch this morning and didn’t even want an explanation as to what I was doing there. She just assumed something happened. I don’t know why she thinks she knows me, but obviously she doesn’t. I haven’t seen her since I was a kid just out of high school. She doesn’t know the man I’ve become. She doesn’t know shit about me. As pissed as I may be, she still consumes my thoughts.

 

I’d never take advantage of a woman. I might sleep around, but I’ve never been with a woman who didn’t consent to being with me. I never have nor will I ever sleep with a woman so drunk that she can hardly stand. It bothers me that she thinks so little of me, and I can’t understand why.

 

Normally, I couldn’t care less what someone thinks of me, but with her it’s different. I want her to understand that I was there taking care of her, not taking advantage of her. I want her to know the real me, not the Ryan that I let everyone see. I want her respect. She Mike’s baby sister, but damn it, I’m drawn to her.

 

I throw back the rest of my beer, just as my buddy Todd comes and sits next to me. “Hey man, what’s up?”

 

“Ryan, we need to go to the bar tonight. I heard there is going to be an awesome band. When the bands are there so are the chicks,” he says with a grin.

 

Maybe it’s just what I need, a night out to get my mind off of Stacey. “Alright, let me just change my shirt and we can go. I’ll drive.”

 

When we get to Gail’s Bar, I’m not surprised to see the amount of people here since it’s open mic night. Todd and I walk up to the bar and Gail hands us each a beer. “Hey Ryan, how was your night with the beautiful blonde bombshell?”

 

“I took her home and made sure she was alright. Not a very exciting night,” I say as I draw back a sip of my beer.

 

“Sure, that’s what happened,” she mocks, but before I make my defense known she is off helping another customer. I shake my head and look over at Todd.

 

He grins and slaps my back. “I’m sure you made sure she was alright.”

 

“Todd, nothing happened.”

 

“Nothing happened you want to talk about. I get it, man. You can just tell me about the next woman,” he says chuckling as he walks off to a table closer to the stage so we can sit and watch the performances.

 

I’m starting to regret coming out already. Gail I could give a shit about, but Todd doesn’t even believe me and that pisses me off. I’ve never lied to him. He knows as much about me as Mike does. Why he thinks I’d lie about this is beyond me, but honestly, I couldn’t give a shit, right now.  I follow Todd over to the table just as Jim and Dave take a seat.  The four of us and Mike grew up together and through the years, we’ve been through a lot together. We’ve always got each other’s backs, even in the case of those deceitful women who forget to mention their boyfriend…or in Dave’s case, husband.

 

Thinking about it makes me realize no wonder no one believes that I didn’t sleep with Stacey. When I leave the bar with a woman, I always sleep with her. A lot of the visitors at Westlake Resort have definitely visited my bed.

 

“Hey Ryan, how was last night? I saw you leave with that chick, who is fucking hot by the way,” Jim asks as the first guy is climbing on stage for open mic.

 

“Actually, nothing happened.” All three of them chuckle loudly, and I shake my head. I’m getting really pissed off at this point, and ready to tell them just who she is. “Guys, I’m fucking serious. I didn’t sleep with her, why the hell is that so hard for you to understand? Do you have any idea who she is?”

 

I’ve lost their attention and turn to see what they are looking at. Two beautiful women who just walked in. They are with an older guy and a guy that looks to be about their age. I’ve never seen them around, so I’m sure they are here for open mic night.

 

“Damn, look at that one chick with the dark hair. She’s hot and looks like she could use a little company tonight,” Dave says never looking away from her.

 

“Make sure she isn’t married to that older guy before you make a move,” I say causing them all to chuckle again.

 

Gail interrupts our laughter when she announces that Alex is about to take the stage. We sit back and listen to him and damn, he’s got a great voice. It always amazes me when people as talented as him come into this bar for open mic. He should be singing on a stage in front of thousands of people, not just a few handfuls worth. I won’t be surprised if one day I turn on the radio and hear his voice, though. He’s that good, plus he’s singing a song he wrote. They guy is multi-talented.

 

After a few more people get up and sing— no one nearly as talented as Alex— I go to the bathroom. Before I even make my way to it, I’m stopped by no less than five people telling me they saw me leave with Stacey last night. It’s making my blood boil at this point, and I have no one to blame but myself. This is the reputation I’ve made. I sleep around and never get involved. No one views me any other way and for the first time ever, I don’t like it.

 

When I get back to the table I sit down and look around at the guys. I can’t do it, being here just pisses me off more. I need to get out of here and confront Stacey. I want to make her understand nothing happened, because even if no one else believes me, I want her to. “Guys, I need to call it a night. I have something I need to take care of. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.” I don’t even give them time to question me, I just get up and leave.

 

The drive over to Stacey’s place just pisses me off more. I don’t know if I’m angrier with myself or everyone else. I still don’t understand why I give a fuck all of a sudden.  That’s not true, I know it’s because of who she is and my quest to have her respect.

 

I get out of my crappy Toyota pickup and slam the door. Knocking on the door, I can hear her moving around inside. She pushes open the door and looks at me with disgust. “We need to talk,” I say leaning against the railing.

 

“No, actually we don’t,” she says and goes to close the door.

 

I grab it to keep her from closing it and move closer. “Believe me, you’d know if we slept together. That I guarantee,” I say in my most seductive voice with a smirk on my face.

 

She pushes me away from her and stands in the doorway with her arms crossed, with that same look of disgust on her face. “You are the cockiest son of a bitch I’ve ever met. You had to come over here this late, just to say if we slept together I’d remember?  Well, you know what, Ryan, maybe it’s something I don’t want to remember.”

 

“I didn’t come over here to be a cocky bastard, I came over here to try to make you understand that nothing happened with us. You don’t even know me, yet you assume you do. This wasn’t me as a kid, why do you question it now,” I say in a much calmer voice than she is throwing at me.

 

“You’re right, I don’t know you, not since you left. However, I clearly know your type. You sleep around, never giving a shit about anyone else but yourself. Sometimes you don’t even bother to get to know more than her name. Am I getting warm?” she says in an angry whisper. She’s right, though, she is a hundred percent right.

 

I softly laugh but out of disappointment and say, “You’re right.” She gets a cocky smile on her face and I turn to walk away. When I reach my truck I turn to look at her. “That night, though, I did the right thing. I took care of you.” I get into the truck and slam my door.