It’s Only Temporary by Iona Rose

Connor

My vibrating phone woke me up from deep sleep. Bianca’s hand was draped over my chest and I gently moved it. I was glad that my phone had been on silent and the vibration had not woken her up.

She needed her sleep. We had had sex more times than I could count and before Bianca fell sleep, she had sleepily said she didn’t think she would wake up the following day.

There was a message on my phone and I swiped to read it. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that it was from Angie.

Angie: Hey you…

I blinked and read the two-word message again. Why was she texting me when she had made it clear that our relationship was over? Sudden anger came over me and as I typed back a message, I wasn’t too bothered with politeness. You didn’t get to dump someone over text message and then send then a message as if you were friends.

Me: What’s up?

A second after I hit send, my phone lit up with a call. It was Angie. I pressed disconnect and texted her.

Me: Don’t call. Can’t talk. Text.

It didn’t escape my notice that we’d been in this very situation before I drunkenly asked Bianca to come with me to Colorado. The only difference was that our roles were reversed.

I remember how desperate I’d been trying to call her and her phone going to voice mail. I wasn’t a vengeful person but I did get a measure of satisfaction to send that last message.

Angie: I’m in Colorado.

My insides turned to water. I glanced at Bianca, guilt gnawing at me even if technically I was doing nothing wrong. It didn’t feel that way though. Bianca and I had made no commitment to each other but it went without saying that if you were sleeping with someone, that in itself implied some form of commitment. Even if the commitment was fidelity. That’s what I believed anyway.

Texting with Angie with Bianca naked next to me felt like cheating.

I read the message again and forced myself to calm down. It didn’t matter if Angie was in Colorado. I was done with her.

Me: That’s nice for you.

Angie: I totally get why you are angry with me but I need to see you. I came all this way to talk to you.

My heart pounded hard against my chest. The only reason she would come all the way to Colorado was because she had changed her mind about us. Which left the question, how did I feel about that?

I looked at Bianca’s sleeping form. I knew there was no future with her as she had made it very clear that she was not interested in marriage. I, on the other hand wanted the whole package.

A wife, kids, a house in the suburbs… everything that came with being a family man. I’d grown up admiring my parents and the relationship they had. I’d foolishly thought that I’d found it in Angie.

Coming to Colorado with Bianca had shown me that there were good people out there. People like her. I knew I’d meet the right person one day, when my heart was not so bruised.

Even if Bianca had been the marrying type of woman, it still wouldn’t have been right for us. For all I knew, the affair was a way for me to rebound from a bad relationship and being dumped.

I turned my attention back to the last text message. I had to meet Angie. That much was clear. I couldn’t tell her the things I needed to over the phone.

Me: Fine. Where are you staying?

She texted back giving me the name of a hotel that was thankfully far from the resort. If I remembered correctly, it would take me forty-five minutes to get there.

Me: I’ll come by at 1.

Angie: Why so late? Can’t you come in earlier?

Me: No. I have plans for the morning.

I wasn’t lying. Bianca and I had plans to go skiing again and this time, we were going for the difficult trail. There was no way I was changing my plans for Angie. That settled, I put my phone back on the table and unable to sleep, I got up and made for the bathroom.

After my shower, I returned to the room in a towel and found Bianca sitting up in bed scrawling on a notebook. I’d noticed she did that a lot in the mornings.

“Inspiration?” I asked kissing her on the forehead.

She smiled. “Yes. Lately my creativity levels have shot up and I keep getting ideas for new pieces. It’s exciting.”

“It’s the mind-blowing sex we’re having,” I told her. “Hormones released during sex go straight to the creative side of your brain,” I said solemnly and making up stuff as I went.

She raised an eyebrow at me. “Is that a fact?”

“It could be.”

“If it is, then I’ll have to get someone when I get back home to take over your services.”

She said it jokingly but my heart did not want that because it jerked violently in my chest, surprising me. The thought of Bianca with another man did not sit well with me, which was crazy as I’d known her for less than a week.

I growled. “Don’t you dare.”

I grabbed a t-shirt and some boxer briefs and put them on. Bianca wore a disappointed look.

“I thought you were coming back to bed,” she said.

“A man is not like a machine. We need replenishment to continue working. I’ll bring you a breakfast tray. How does that sound?”

“Thanks but I’ll finish here and jump into the shower. Don’t wait for me. I’ll find you when I’m done,” she said.

“Okay.” I pulled on some pants, kissed her forehead and bounded out of the room.

In the dining room, I found most of my family there having breakfast. I endured the usual teasing. I’d gotten used to it. Bianca and I were the newest couple and an easy target for dirty jokes from my cousins.

Bianca came to the dining room when I was on my second cup of coffee and everyone else had left to get ready for their day. I kept her company while she ate and afterwards, we went for our gear and excitedly headed to the trails.

As I drove away from the lodge in the borrowed van, guilt ate at me. I kept seeing an image of Bianca’s face when I told her that I wouldn’t be joining her for a shower or hot chocolate after we finished skiing.

She had looked at me for an explanation but I’d offered none. She couldn’t ask me directly as we were not really in a relationship. I felt bad but I preferred to keep quiet rather than lie. The truth was out of the question.

I wanted to quickly finish with Angie and have her leave my life. Permanently. There was no point in complicating things between Bianca and me by telling her that my fiancée had resurfaced. We were both having such a good time and we only had a few days left to enjoy ourselves.

I didn’t want anything to spoil the rest of the vacation.

It took me forty-five minutes to get to the hotel and after parking, I strolled into the hotel restaurant and immediately spotted Angie. Her white blond hair always made her stand out from a crowd, something she had always loved.

I strode across the room and when she saw me, Angie stood up and dramatically threw her hands around my neck.

“It’s so good to see you,” she said.

As usual she had doused herself in too much perfume and I could feel a sneeze coming on.

“How are the wedding plans coming along?” she said when we sat down.

I nodded. “Good.” I wasn’t in the mood for small talk.

“If you like, we can go back to the lodge together to meet everyone. I’d love to be your date tomorrow. I have the prettiest dress for a wedding,” Angie said.

She had clearly lost her mind if she thought we could just pick up where we had left off.

“No thanks. It’s too late. They already know that we’re finished,” I lied.

Angie pouted. A server came and I asked for coffee while she ordered another water. She continued sulking but I ignored it which didn’t take too much effort. I could feel her confused stare on me. She was used to me begging and cajoling her into a better mood.

I stared outside and found my thoughts drifting to Bianca. I pictured her in the shower rubbing shower gel onto her tits and my cock grew hard. I couldn’t wait to get out of there and go back to the lodge and to Bianca.

The server brought our drinks and after she left, I spoke to Angie. “What did you want to see me about?”

She stared at me and in the next instant, she was sobbing noisily and attracting the attention of people in the next tables.

“Stop crying,” I said my tone unsympathetic. I hated drama, more so in public and she knew that.

She sniffed and managed to get herself under control. In spite of everything, I felt sorry for her.

“Why are you crying?” I said.

She finished wiping her face and then looked up with red laced eyes. “Everything is crumbling around me. I lost this big job I had. The one that was going to propel me to another level. They picked another girl and said she looked younger.”

I could imagine how that must have hurt to hear. Looks were everything to Angie. My mind was on other things.

“Is that why you left me, because of that job?”

Her face reddened and I knew my answer. I shook my head. Unbelievable.

“It was a mistake,” she said and smiled amid her tears. She placed her hand over mine.

It felt as if ants were walking over me. I fought the urge to shove it off.

“We were so good together. Please tell me you forgive me.” She spoke in a small voice that I once thought was cute.

Clearly, I’d needed my head carefully examined because now it just irritated the hell out of me. She must have seen the irritation drawn on my face because she drew back her hand.

It went off like a lightbulb in my head. The reason why she wanted me back in her life. Not because she loved me or any of that nonsense she was spewing about us being good together. No.

The reason she wanted me back into her life was because her self-esteem had taken a beating and she needed me to stroke her ego as I always did.

“Look, I’m sorry you lost that job and I genuinely wish you well. As for us getting back together, I can tell you now that it’s never going to happen. You did me a favor when you dumped me. It made me see what a selfish human being you are,” I said in a mild voice.

She narrowed her eyes. “You’ve found someone else, haven’t you, you cheating bastard!”

I raised an eyebrow. “How can you accuse me of cheating when we were not together.” I stood up. “I wish you all the best.”

I expected her to continue throwing insults at me as I walked off but she didn’t. I took gulps of fresh air when I stepped out. It had been a mistake to agree to meet with Angie. Nothing good had come out of it, not even friendship.