Hummingbird Heartbeat

“I agree and don’t get me wrong, I adore Ryan,” Scarlett scooted closer to my seat and lowered her voice as she leaned in. “But there is something between you and Chris that I’ve never seen before, it’s like it was destined from the beginning for you both to grown old together.”

“Don’t start that shit,” I was beyond frustrated with my own feelings, to have them and Scarlett’s ideas, it was too much for me to handle. “I’m happy. He should have done something, Scarlett, it’s a two way street. I put myself out there; he was too scared to even try.”

“Okay,” she threw her hands up in defeat. “I’m sorry I even said anything.”

“I’m sorry I snapped,” I apologized quietly. “I’m just afraid that I’ll lose being this happy, I’ve never been in love with someone who loves me back, like Ryan and I.”

“I understand,” she nodded and smiled at me. “We all good? Cause I love you and I don’t want to fight with you.”

“I don’t want to fight with you either. I’m ruthless, I’ll make you cry. I don’t want to feel bad,” I said as seriously as I possibly could, Scarlett cracked a smile and snorted.

“Yeah right, you big teddy bear,” she responded, swatting me with the magazine she was reading.

“After watching Ryan do a few outfit twirls, want to go get some coffee-“I stopped talking mid-sentence when I heard my cell phone blaring Chris’ ringtone from my purse. “Hello sweet darling!”

“Hey Frankie, are you busy?” he asked instead of a full dialog that we usually did for our greetings; I glanced at Scarlett and shrugged.

“About to head to a café and then grab some lunch, why?” I asked, I didn’t feel like telling him I was with Scarlett and Ryan at Ryan’s fitting for a movie, he’d get fussy.

“I wanted to see if you’d come to lunch with me?” Chris asked. “Please Frankie; I haven’t seen you all week.”

“Yeah, stop begging,” I laughed softly. “Meet me at the Coffee Cane and we’ll go from there.”

“Okay, I’ll see you around twelve thirty then?” he murmured. I agreed and hung up.

“I got ditched but I’m not upset,” Scarlett smiled and stood up. “I had a hair appointment at twelve thirty anyways.”

“You were going to ditch me first? What a bitch,” I teased. She slapped me in the forehead before she hugged me and left.

“Ryan?” I called out to the area that was full of clothes.

“Yeah?” he responded.

“Can I come in and give you a hug, I have to go meet a friend for lunch,” I called out, glancing at the red curtain that separated the clothes from the rest of the building.

“Yeah come in and give me a smooch before you go!” Ryan yelled back. I smiled from pure happiness and walked through the red curtains. Ryan was standing in front of a three way mirror with the stylist measuring him. “Come here, beautiful.”

“Your extremely happy today,” I concluded and did as he asked. I kissed him on the lips. “I’ll probably end up staying with Scar tonight so don’t wait up on me.”

“Alright, I love you and have fun,” he pecked my lips again and turned back to the mirror.

“Bye,” I waved and left the trailer and headed towards my car. I arrived at the Coffee Cane ten minutes early due to no traffic and was surprised to see that Chris was already there and he was talking to a very pretty waitress.

“Um, no thanks, waiting for a friend,” he murmured to her as I walked up behind his chair. I slid into the seat across from him and smiled up at the woman and then to him.

“You rang?” I teased.

“Two white chocolate mochas please,” he ordered from the girl, who nodded solemnly and left quickly. “She was a little on the creepy side of stalker central.”

“I arrived just in time to save you then,” I grinned and looked at him expectantly. “So what’s up?”

“Nothing, just wanted to catch up. I feel like I’ve lost my best friend and personal assistant all at the same time,” he smiled and cleared his throat. “So, you and Ryan are pretty serious now I hear.”

“I’m sorry I haven’t seen you around much this past week, uh Ryan moved into my apartment so we’ve been busy unpacking his stuff,” I paused to look up and catch his facial expression. “I guess we’re pretty serious, huh?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. His expression I couldn’t read.

“I’m happy,” I interrupted the silence that grew uncomfortable. “Please don’t make me feel guilty for that.”

“Why would I do that?” he asked, faking a look and laughter. “Okay, fine, it’s obvious I don’t like it, hell I don’t like him. He’s taking you from me. He’ll hurt you; he’s not good enough to walk the ground you walk on.”

“No, Chris I’m actually getting a life that isn’t centered around you and you’re not dealing with it,” I looked up from my lap. “I may marry Ryan, I may live happily ever after with him or I might break up with him tomorrow, I don’t know, but you can’t keep being the center of my life, not anymore.”

“You never gave me a chance to say yes,” he said, laying his hands on the table.

“What?” he caught me off guard, I was ready to argue my point.

“That night that you kissed me, I said we should think about it,” he paused and looked me dead in the eyes. “You never gave me a chance to say yes.”

“I waited over a decade to hear you say that,” I smiled as I picked up my purse and sat it in my lap; I glanced up at him as the first tear fell. “And it’s too late for that, a little too late to care.”

“Frankie-“Chris grabbed for me when I stood up with my purse in hand.