My Girlfriend's a *** Magnet

A week had gone by with Jackie staying in the guest room of the house she shared with her fiancé. She could still feel the ring around her finger even without it there. She couldn’t bring herself to just let him win. She had to make sure she was the only one for him. When she came down every morning there was food on the table waiting for her, and her dog and cat had been fed. A couple of times Tyler had taken Thunder out for a morning jog, and as much as Jackie wanted to say something she knew her dog enjoyed running and she didn’t want to say anything to prevent her pets happiness.

She still hadn’t quit her job at the club, but she knew she would have to soon. She didn’t have the energy to strip and she didn’t want to take any chances with her baby, and more than once she’d hurt herself while on the pole. She couldn’t seem to find an apartment that she would be able to afford on no income until she could find a job that wasn’t stripping, and she didn’t want to ask him to help her.

Tyler had given up trying to talk to her. Every time he would open his mouth she would shut him up and go into the guest room. She never even let him explain that he was truly over Christine. He didn’t know what to do to show her that he loved her and only her. He tried to leave her food and roses and take care of her pets and show her that he loved her and the little family they had with her animals and each other, but it never seemed to work.

Jackie was sitting at the kitchen table eating the pancakes and fruit cup that had been waiting on the table for her when she woke up. She was wearing a red satin robe over a matching tank top and shorts pajama set. She had a cup of tea sitting in front of her and she was looking through a newspaper for places she could rent when Tyler came into the kitchen with Thunder. He was shirtless, wearing a pair of jogging pants and running shoes. Jackie looked up and him and then back down at her newspaper. She couldn’t focus when she remembered the physical attraction between them, and when he was sweating like that without a shirt she remembered the attraction all too well. Thunder licked her.

“Hey puppy!” She laughed and petted her dog’s head. He panted happily and licked her again. “Did you have fun on your run?”

“He always does.” Tyler said, also trying to avoid looking at her. He knew if the thought of sex passed through his head she’d be upset, so he kept his eyes on the coffee he was pouring for himself.

“That’s good…” Jackie said. She felt like telling him she wasn’t talking to him, but that would be silly considering the dog couldn’t have answered her. She took a piece of fruit and ate it.

“How’s the food?”

“It’s alright, thank you.” She said, not really wanting to talk to him. If they talked she’s have to look at him, and she wasn’t sure she would be able to look at him and not give into him. He sat across the table from her.

“Find anything?” he asked. She glanced up at him before putting her eyes back on the paper, catching herself before she could get lost in him.

“Not yet. Talked to Christine?” she asked almost deliberately to piss him off. When they fought it was easier to keep her argument in her head.

“Yea, I talked to her a couple days ago.”

“Really, so when’s the wedding.”

“God damn it! Why the fuck are you starting shit with me?!” He snapped.

“I was just asking a simple question! Is that such a fucking bad thing?”

“You are trying to get me all worked up over this shit again? Does it make it easier for you to be an idiot if you’re mad at me for nothing?”

“Oh so I’m an idiot now?!”

“You know what I fucking meant!”

“Yea, you meant that I’m an idiot, it was self explanatory!”

“Jackie you are being ridiculous. You know I love you! Stop acting like I don’t!” He snapped. She stood up from the table and folded her newspaper and set it on the table calmly.

“Whatever, I’m going upstairs.”

“No, we are going to settle this once and for fucking all!” He yelled. The front doorbell rang. Jackie sighed and went to answer the door. She opened it to a thin woman with long light brown hair.

“Hi…you must be Jackie.” The woman smiled. Jackie looked her over.

“Who are you?”

“Oh, sorry I should have told Tyler I was stopping by. I’m Christine, his ex wife.”

“Oh…I see. He’s in the kitchen.” Jackie said, her heart sinking a little bit. Christine looked her over and smiled.

“He made a good choice.” She smiled. Jackie looked at her with confusion. “I always knew he was a smart man, and that he’d find a good woman to move on with.”

“Why are you talking to me? I told you, your lover is in the kitchen.” Jackie almost snapped. Christine looked at her with confusion and then laughed a little bit.

“Do you think there is something going on with Tyler and me?” She asked. Jackie rolled her eyes.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“Look, sweetie, he’s in love with you! I haven’t seen him like this in a long time! I just came to say goodbye, because I’m leaving town in about an hour.”

“He obviously still wants you.”

“I doubt that. When I saw him the other day all he could talk about was his new fiancé.” Christine said. Jackie looked at her with confusion. “I did want to try things with him again; I’m not going to lie to you. But he said no, he didn’t even stop to think about it. The words weren’t out of my mouth before he said no, that he’d moved on and found someone he loved more than anything. He told me he’d never leave you, that he couldn’t bring himself to hurt you that way for anything. Trust me on this one.”

Tyler came into the living room. “Chrissy, hey.” He said and looked at Jackie. Jackie had her arms crossed over her chest and she looked at the ground.

“Oh hi hon. I wanted to say goodbye. I’m going back up to Vancouver. But I met your fiancé here, she’s pretty.”

“I told you she was.” He said and looked down a little bit. “What time are you leaving Chrissy?”

“About an hour. I just was stopping to say goodbye and good luck. But we got to talking.”

“Well I’ll let you two talk then, maybe you can talk some sense into her.” Tyler said and hugged his ex wife goodbye before walking out of the room. Jackie looked back up at Christine.

“Don’t let him slip away. He’s a good man; it’s hard to come by a guy like Tyler. He adores you, and I think you really love him too or you wouldn’t be having this conversation with me. He told me for hours about you, about what you were to him. I know it seems weird, but he and I didn’t hate each other when we spilt. We just were both so busy; we couldn’t keep a relationship going. It wasn’t anything bad. But I promise you, he doesn’t want anything more than friendship with me. I gave you both my best wishes, because I want Tyler to be happy, and you make him happy.” Christine said.

“Well, thank you.” Jackie said.

“And you’re baby will be very lucky to have parents like the both of you.” Christine smiled. Jackie looked at her with semi wide eyes.

“How did you…”

“He told me, and I could just see it on you.” Christine smiled. “He loves kids.”

“Well thank you.” Jackie said. Christine nodded and left. Jackie went up the stairs and into the room Tyler was sleeping in. He was lying on the bed looking through the newspaper she had left in the kitchen. He looked up at her.

“What’s up?” He asked.

“Did you ask her to come here?”

“No of course not.” He said.

“I have this feeling that you did.”

“Oh my god Jackie you’re fucking insane.” He snapped. She looked at him with shock.

“Well what am I supposed to think?!”

“Get it in your head that I want to be with you! I don’t understand why you are being so fucking stubborn!”

“Because…I just know you still…”

“Fine then Jackie! What the fuck ever! If you are so sure of this shit then leave! Get the fuck out! There is no point in arguing with you anymore! You are never going to get in your head that I only want to be with you! I’m sick of fighting, I’m sick of feeling like I have something to prove! Nobody can convince you that I only love you!” He yelled.

“You want me to leave…” she trailed off.

“No, I don’t want you to leave. I just want you to make up your mind, and since you have your mind set on me wanting to be with her then you can leave, because I’m not putting up with the bullshit anymore!”

“So you want me to leave?”

“God! Did that fucking baby block the route to your brain or something? You’re not even paying attention! I don’t want you to leave! I want you to stop acting like an idiot! I want you to realize that I only love you! And I want you to move back into the room with me, but you are apparently fucking retarded or something.” He snapped. “Because I keep telling you and telling you and you just keep saying the same motherfucking thing!”

“There was no reason to insult me!”

“Then stop acting like an idiot!” He said.

“I am not acting like an idiot!”

“Then what the hell do you call it?! Chrissy came over her and told you to your face that there is nothing going on with me and her! That nothing is going to happen between her and me. I want you and only fucking you!”

“But that’s not true! I know it’s not!”

“You are such a fucking frustrating woman!” He snapped. “Why don’t you let it in there that I am telling you the truth!”

“Because I know you want to be with her!”

“What is the real problem here Jackie, are you afraid of commitment or something?! If you want we don’t have to get married, we can just be together. I love you…I want to be with you!”

“No Tyler…I just know you wan…” She started but was cut off when he took hold of both her arms forcefully pulling her towards him and pressing his lips against hers hard. Her eyes went wide and she tensed. He pulled away from her and let her go.

“If that didn’t get it in your head nothing will…and you can leave.” He said. She stared at him completely dumbstruck. He looked at her again and down at the floor. “I hope that worked.”

“But I can…”

“Oh my motherfucking god!” He snapped. “I don’t know what is blocking your head…I wish I could figure it the fuck out though I really do.”

Jackie looked at him with shock. She turned and walked out of the room quickly. Before she was back to her bedroom she heard his door slam so hard it could have broken its hinges. The noise caused her to jump a little bit.

She got dressed quickly and left the house. She drove to the park she had been assaulted in and sat in her car looking over the lake there. She was afraid to get out of the car. She could see the tree Tyler had thrown the man that called himself Mike against. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she didn’t know what to do. She loved him, and she knew he loved her too and she felt stupid for continuing to think he didn’t love her too, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t stop thinking he still loved Christine. She opened her glove box and pulled out a picture of them together.

It had been taken during the tour. They were sitting on the edge of the stage together before the arena had opened to the public. She was leaning against him with her arm around his waist and he had his arm around her shoulders and they were both smiling at the camera. Dave had taken the picture. For a moment Jackie just stared at it, and she started to sob. She finally drove back to the house, but Tyler wasn’t home. She threw some things into a suitcase. She had to spend some time away from him. She had to think a lot of things over. She made sure her cat and dog had food, she was sure he would take care of them after she was gone.

She took her suitcase and put it in the trunk of her car and she drove. She went to Austin and Madison’s house. She knew they’d let her hang out there a while no matter how stupid they thought she was. When she knocked on the door Austin opened it again.

“Are you going to start crying?” He asked cautiously.

“Probably.” She answered honestly. He sighed and let her in.

“Madison probably won’t be home for a while. She’s shopping with her sister. But you can make yourself at home if you want, and you know…if it’s something you simply can’t contain I’ll do my best at giving you some advice.” He said.

“You are just going to tell me I’m an idiot.”

“Well, if that’s what you think.”

“I left and need to stay here for a while, so I can think a few things over.”

“Great…” Austin said under his breath.

“I just need to think about some stuff. I’ll be out of here in three days.”

“What did he do to you now?”

“Nothing, he just…I don’t know.”

“Are you on drugs?”

“Austin!” Jackie exclaimed and swatted him. He laughed a little bit. “Christine stopped by…and she told me it was nothing, that he was so in love with me. But I just can’t stop thinking he still loves her. I need some time away from him to think things through.”

“Just let me tell you one thing…guys don’t like when girls just vanish. It makes us do stupid things.”

“What kind of stupid things?” Jackie asked with curiosity.

“Things that women never forgive us for.” He said and looked away. She looked at him with confusion.

“What does that mean?”

“I mean don’t be surprised if you wind up worse off than before you started.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Jackie, I mean you are being an idiot! He hasn’t done anything to you, and you know he hasn’t. When women just up and leave us we get a little crazy sometimes, we do things we shouldn’t. And all I’m saying is, if Christine is still in the picture at all, even as just a friend, you leaving might change that fast.”

“What are you saying he’ll sleep with her?”

“It wouldn’t be completely surprising.”

“Then that would prove my point!” Jackie snapped. Austin looked at her.

“No it wouldn’t. I’m telling you, we do things that we shouldn’t, because we are idiots.”

“Why are you saying that?”

“Because I’ve been there!” He snapped. “I know what it’s like when a woman just leaves you…for no fucking reason.”

“What with Jami?”

“Before that whore. She is a different story all together.”

“You’re confusing me.”

“A long time ago, a girlfriend just left…she just decided I didn’t love her and she couldn’t live with that so she left. She came back about a week later to make things better but I had already made things worse. I was drunk…and stupid and somehow or another ended up with her sister. We don’t think about things when we’re hurt, we aren’t like women that sit around and cry. We do stupid things that you never forgive us for. Tyler loves you Jackie, he’s my friend…I haven’t seen him as happy as he is with you in a long time. Don’t take that away from him, because I can tell you when you go back there there is a chance you will find something you don’t like.” Austin said.

He walked away from her. She stood in the doorway looking down at the ground. Her cell phone started ringing. She pulled it out of her pocket. “Hello.” She answered.

“Honey…” Tyler’s voice was on the other end of the line. “Where are you?” He asked.

“I’m at Austin’s house…” She said, thinking what Austin had told her over in her head a million times. “Can you come pick me up…?”

“Of course baby…are you alright?”

“Just come get me.” She said.

“Alright, I’ll be right there. Don’t do anything stupid.” He said. He hung up and ran down the stairs to his car.

Jackie was still standing in the front foyer of Austin’s house. She looked down at her left hand and her knees buckled, sending her to the ground. She cried for what seemed like a long time before Austin knelt down beside her, rubbing her back with the palm of his hand. “What happened?” He asked.

“I’m such…and idiot.” She cried. “I almost…threw away…the best thing I ever…had.” Her words were broken and forced between sobs. “And I almost…fucked it…all up.”

“Don’t cry.” He said and tried to calm her down. He was never sure what to do when a woman cried, so he just ran his hand between her shoulders in a calming way. “You aren’t an idiot…I shouldn’t have yelled at you a minute ago. But you’re so frustrating.” He laughed. She let out another sob.

“I know.” She cried. “I’m so stupid! He…does everything…for me…and the baby…how could…I leave the…father of my baby.”

“It’s alright honey. We all freak out a little bit sometimes.” Austin said. “Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

“I almost gave up everything I’ve ever wanted.”

“We all do it sometimes. It takes a lot to realize what you’ve done and make up for it.”

The door bell rang twice in a row. Austin helped Jackie back to her feet and opened the door. Tyler was standing there in a black t-shirt and black jeans with his hands behind his back. Jackie looked at him and he looked at the ground.

“Hi.” Austin said. “I take it you’re here for your fiancée.”

“Yea, I am.” Tyler said softly. He was looking at the ground.

“Well she’s here.” Austin said and moved out of the way. Jackie took a step towards her fiancé and looked at the ground also.

“I’m sorry.” She said.

“Me too…” He said. “For telling you to leave…I didn’t mean it.”

“I shouldn’t have been so stubborn.” She said. He nodded. He looked up at her before dropping down to one knee. He produced from behind his back a dozen red roses. She took the flowers, looking at him with surprise.

“Technically…you broke off our engagement.” He said, “When you pulled your ring off. So, let me do this the right way.” He continued and put his hand in his pocket. She looked at him with confusion. He pulled out a velvet box. He opened the box. “Will you marry me?” He asked. She looked at him with her jaw unhinged. It was a brand new ring, with three princess cut stones, one large one in the center and two smaller ones on either side. And three small embedded square cut rings on each side of the band.

“Oh my god….” She said.

“Please.”

“Of course I will!” She said and knelt down with him, kissing him on his lips, running her fingers through his hair. He slipped the new ring onto her finger and kissed her again. “What happened to the first ring?”

“It’s at home…you never purpose with the same ring twice.” He smiled, his forehead pressed to hers. She laughed a little bit and sniffed. “I love you.” He said.

“I love you too.” She said back and put her arms around him.