Arizona Skies

Over the next two weeks, I settled into New Orleans quite well. I was staying with another woman my mother knew from college. The woman had an extra room for me to stay in for which I was grateful. I was glad that I didn't have to pay for my room while staying in New Orleans.

I was currently sitting at a desk looking over some details for the Jensen-Richards wedding. As I looked over the flower details, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I checked to make sure that no one was around then pulled out my phone. I opened the text and saw that Justin had texted me.

Hey how's New Orleans? Has everything been going well?

I smiled. Justin always texted me at the right time, when I needed someone to talk to. Things have been great. A whirlwind actually. Been super busy. Call me tonight? I get off work at 5 and we can catch up.

A few minutes later, he replied saying he'd call me around 7 since My Girl Friday had practice at 4 and he figured they wouldn't be done before 7.

Work droned on and on. My only form of entertainment was my new friend Chelsea; she did whatever job there was for her to do because she didn't have a specific job.

"Hey Ky, do you want to hang out after work?" Chelsea asked me around 4:30.

"Like what? I need to get home before 6:30," I told her.

"Oooh, why? Got a date?" she asked laughing.

"No, I don't have a date," I told her.

"Well would you want to go on a date tonight?" she asked.

"Umm, are you asking me out? Because, I don't swing that way," I told her.

She laughed and smiled at me. "No silly. I have a date tonight and the guy I'm going out with has his cousin staying with him for awhile. Up until now I didn't have any single friends but you're single."

"Chels, I just broke up with my boyfriend a couple weeks ago. I don't think I'm ready to get back out into the dating field," I told her.

"There's no better way to forget a guy than by going out with another one. And who knows, maybe you two will hit it off. He's really good looking by the way."

"Fine, you've talked me into it," I told her. I really did need to stop thinking about John and she was right. The only way to get over someone is to focus my energy elsewhere, specifically onto another guy.

"Good, I'll text Dean and tell him to bring a long his cousin Ryan," she told me pulling out her phone.

At five, Chelsea and I left and she followed me back to my house, well, the house I was staying. She followed me inside, I introduced her to the people I was staying with, then she followed me upstairs so that I could get ready. Once I was ready, I followed her back out to her car.

We arrived at Chipotle around six. Dean and his cousin Ryan were waiting in the parking lot for us. As Chelsea parked, she pointed out which guy was which. "The shorter one with brown hair is Dean and the taller one with blonde hair is Ryan."

"Damn you're right, he's really hot," I told her smiling.

After Chelsea and I had gotten out of the car, we walked over to the guys and she introduced us. "Dean, Ryan, this is Kylee. Kylee, this is Dean and Ryan," she said. "Now let's go inside because I don't know about you guys but I'm fucking starving."

After we had eaten, we decided to go to a club. Almost immediately after we got there, Dean and Chelsea went out onto the dance floor. I found us a table while Ryan went and got everyone's drinks. When he got back, he sat down next to me.

"So Kylee, Chelsea was telling me that you're going to be a wedding planner," he started.

"Yeah, that's what I want to do. I'm doing some interning for it right now and in the fall I'm going to college to take some business classes," I told him.

"That's really interesting actually. I graduated from high school last year and I still don't know what I want to do with my life. I've been attending college but I'm still undecided," he told me.

"Chelsea said that you were visiting Dean right now. Where are you visiting from?" I asked him.

"Arizona," he replied smiling.

"No way. I live in Arizona. What part?" I asked.

"Phoenix," he replied sipping his drink. "I moved there in eighth grade."

"That's crazy. I live in the Phoenix area too," I told him.

We sat there talking for another ten minutes before he asked me to dance. I followed him out onto the dance floor. We started dancing but things didn't feel right. I started thinking about junior prom and the first time John and I had grinded together. It was really awkward and we both had laughed but we'd loved it because we were with each other. I suddenly felt like I was cheating on John even though I had broken up with him.

I stopped dancing and Ryan looked down at me with a questioning look on his face. "I'm sorry; I can't do this. I need to go sit down," I told him, starting to feel upset. I walked back to the table and sat down. He sat next to me a moment later and asked me what was wrong. I shook my head; I couldn't tell him why I couldn't dance with him.

"Kylee, are you feeling lightheaded?" he asked. "Do you not feel good?"

"Ryan, I'm not sick. I just can't dance with you," I told him, feeling really stupid.

"Why? What's the problem?" he asked.

"I'm not going to dump on you," I told him. "I'll just sum it up as I'm not exactly over my ex."

"There's nothing wrong with that. We don't have to have sex, we don't have to kiss. None of that matters. If you want to be friends then we can be friends right now," he said.

"Ryan, you're a great guy but I'm never going to be over him. He proposed to me a month ago, I told him yes, but then I broke up with him before I came here. Nothing can happen between us," I told him getting up. "I'm going to catch a cab and maybe I'll see you around."

"You don't need to get a cab. I'll go get Dean's keys and drive you home. I'm sure that Chelsea won't mind bringing him home," he said.

"Okay," I said nodding.

When Ryan and I had arrived back at where I was staying, I turned in my seat and smiled at him. "Thank you for bringing me back here. You really didn't have to. Especially since I was probably the worst date ever."

"Kylee, your ex was a really lucky guy. I hope you two get back together," he said.

"Here's my number," I told him handing him a piece of paper. "We should hang out sometime. And I bet I have some single friends back in AZ that would love you."

He laughed and smiled. "Sounds like a plan."

When I got back into my room I pulled out my phone, scrolled through my contacts, and when I found the one I wanted, pressed 'send.' He answered on the second ring.

"Hey. Where are you guys going to be tomorrow?"