Page 177 of Just for the Cameras
“Hey!” he yells. “What the hell?”
“You’re not about to eat that goddamn muffin like you’re eating a pussy in front of me. Have you lost your fucking mind?”
“Yeah, I’m with Graydon on this. Gross, dude.”
OC turns to Bennett. “Hey, Young Buck, if you think eating pussy is gross, then you’re going to have a hard time scoring that friend of your sister’s.”
Bennett’s expression falls flat. “I don’t think eating pussy is gross. I think it’s gross that you’re pretending the muffins you bought at a coffeehouse are pussy, and you’re using your tongue to eat it out in front of us.”
“It’s the same thing.”
“It’s not.” I shake my head.
He hefts a heavy sigh, then leans back in his chair. “Fine. I’ll eat it normal.”
“As if that’s the biggest hardship you’ve ever encountered,” I say.
“It is, because I like eating muffins. Both from the bakery and the ones between legs.”
“Jesus,” I mutter as I drag my hand over my face. “I knew this was going to be a mistake.”
“Yeah, I felt it the moment I agreed to come,” Bennett adds.
OC’s eyes dart between us, a disgusted expression scrunching his nose. “I’m sorry, but are you expecting me to apologize for having feelings?”
“We’re expecting you to act fucking normal, which is not what you’re doing,” I say.
“Ever wonder why?”
“I’m sure you’ll inform us,” Bennett replies.
“Not with that kind of nonempathetic attitude.” He crosses his arms over his chest, and I’m seconds away from getting up and leaving. The only thing that is keeping me from doing that is the realization that he helped me when I needed some advice, so I can at least see whatever this is through.
“What’s going on, man?” I ask, mentally preparing myself for whatever nonsense is about to come out of his mouth.
“I’m glad you asked,” he says, slouching some more in his seat. Staring off at his half-mutilated muffin, he says, “There’s a girl who I’m in love with and have been for a long time. Her name is Grace.” Okay, so girl problems. At least it’s not anything else…weird. Never know with this guy. “We have history, and when I was sent to the Agitators, she also got a job as an athletic trainer there. The boys and I were working on a plan to rekindle our love, but I was traded to the Rogue before we could put it into action.”
“Ouch,” Bennett says, looking more interested in this than the muffin eating.
“Yeah, well, I just found out that she is now dating someone, and it seems pretty serious. The guys told me.”
“Shit,” Bennett says. “I’m sorry, dude.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry,” I say because, in reality, that does suck, despite how annoying he is.
“Thanks.” He lets out a sigh. “And I’m trying to decide if I just…go up there and tell her I love her and figure out a way to make this work, or if I, I don’t know, move on because clearly she has moved on as well.”
Bennett glances in my direction before he asks, “How happy is she?”
OC’s lips press tightly together. “Pretty damn happy.”
“Then maybe…let her just live her life,” Bennett says. “Because isn’t that what is most important, that she’s happy?”
OC lets out a long, dragged-out breath. “Fuck. Yes, you’re right, but what about my happiness?”
“To be fair,” I say, “she lives far away, man. Did you really think it was going to work out?”
He shrugs and then twists one of the muffins on his plate, staring down at it. “I don’t know. I thought it might work out.” He sighs again and then sits back in his chair and crosses his arms. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore, or I’ll start tonguing the muffin again.”
