I try to laugh it off, but that’s who Rob is. He uses his status as an aspiring and upcoming actor to get laid. He scores more when h
e’s with me, though, because he’s not afraid to mention who his best friend is.
“Definitely, as long as it’s Joey.”
“And Jules?”
Fiddling with the label on my water, I meet his gaze. “That’s why I’m here. What’s going on with you guys?”
He looks at me and shakes his head. “Nothing, man. I wouldn’t do that to you.”
“She’s not mine.”
“And I’m not hers.”
“The day Joey and I bought the house, she was here. It looked like she was sitting close to you. It makes me wonder. She’s a beautiful woman, so I wouldn’t blame you.”
“Except she’s hung up on you and pregnant. Besides, that day you showed up, she had been waiting here for hours. Every single day she was coming over to see if you were here. Jules was crying and thought my shoulder was the place to seek solace. I didn’t touch her. Never have and never will.” Rob heads back to the kitchen and returns with another beer. “How’s Joey taking that anyway?”
Twisting the cap on my bottle, I down about half the contents before setting it down on my knee. “Jules is hung on anyone who wants to give her attention. As far as Joey and the Jules situation it’s complicated, but Joey’s a strong woman and knows that I love her.”
“I think the best decision you ever made was staying with Joey. She seems nice. I’d like to get to know her.” Any doubt I had about Rob being interested in Jules, or hooking up with her is long forgotten. He’s my best friend and they don’t do that shit to friends. He knows I’d never do that to him.
“Well that’s why I’m here. In six weeks we’re getting married, or renewing our vows, and I’d like to know if you’d be my best man?”
“Hell yeah,” he says, standing. I do the same and we hug. “Are you pissed she wants a wedding?”
“It’s not her, it’s me, man. I’m so in love with her that I want to watch her walk down the aisle. I want to see her face when she says her vows to me. The first time was a joke.” I shrug. “I mean, we’re married, but her ring was tiny and there was no emotion in our vows. I want the real thing.”
“Dude, you’re pussy whipped.”
We both sit back down and I start laughing. “You know it, and I’ll fucking admit it. She’s the best damn thing that has ever happened to me.”
“What do your parents think of her?”
I glance at him and shake my head. “I don’t even know if they know I’m married. Neither of them has called for money lately, and I really have no reason to call them. I should, though. Maybe we’ll video chat with them later.”
“Better warn them first because I’m sure they’ll have a few negative things to say.”
He’s right, and that is the main reason I haven’t told them. Their lives are screwed up. I have no doubt my mom will see her money tree slipping away, and that will be Joey’s fault, and knowing my father he’d probably try to hit on her with me sitting right next to her. Hell, they don’t even know about the possibility of me becoming a father. Not that it would matter—they’ll never have anything to do with any of my children.
“You should come over for dinner,” I offer to Rob. “Come see the house, go for a swim.”
Laughing, he pulls at his shorts. “Yeah, I think I’ll do that.”
I finish the rest of my water and take my empty bottle into the kitchen. “I gotta run. I have to pick up Joey and we’re meeting with my lawyer about Jules.”
“What’d she do?”
“Court ordered paternity test. I wasn’t going to push the issue because she said it wasn’t safe for the baby, but she somehow broke in and planted a bunch of pictures and shit, and destroyed Joey’s wedding dress. I’m done with her, man.”
“See what I’m talking about,” he replies, standing. “Love makes you crazy.”
I don’t want to call what Jules has done love. You don’t hurt the people you love. I get that she feels scorned and that’s my fault for giving her false hope. When we broke up I should’ve stopped sleeping with her, answering her calls, and hanging out with her. I led her on and that has proven to come back and bite me in the ass.
“Are you nervous?” Joey asks, leaning her head on my shoulder. We’re in the office of our new lawyer, waiting to find out if Jules’ baby is mine. If it’s mine, I’ll deal, but I’m praying that it isn’t. Not because I don’t want to be a dad, but because I want Joey to be the one who gives me my first child and I really want Jules to be out of our lives once and for all. I know I created the way she is by my actions and if I could change it I would, but I can’t. I made stupid choices and I’m hoping they stop coming back to bite me in the ass.
“Yes and no.”