Almost a week had passed since the party at Kai and Nadia’s apartment. Damien felt a little sting of disappointment each time he checked his phone and there wasn’t a text from Kai. He didn’t know what he was expecting from a woman in a long-term relationship. It was just that she had been so eager to give him her number, and to get his in return. Maybe she was just trying to be polite, but he thought they had hit it off pretty well and had a lot in common. He could text her, but he was scared of rejection, even just as friends. Maybe he would go the roundabout way and text Nadia. She was fun to be around too but a little less intimidating because there was nothing more than a friend vibe there. He could just ask how she’s been doing since the plea deal was accepted, no big deal… Maybe tomorrow.
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“So Nadia, have you heard from Damien at all since the party?” Kai asked expectantly. They didn’t exactly make concrete plans to hang out or anything, but she kind of got the impression Damien wanted to see her again. Odds are, if he hadn’t texted by now, he probably wouldn’t, and this was bumming her out.
“No he hasn’t, were you expecting him to?”
“Well, you told him we should all hang out, and I said the same thing before he left and he seemed into it.”
“I could invite him to our movie night tonight. I am a little tired of being the third wheel with you and Kyle.”
“Oh, are you interested in Damien? I thought you said he wasn’t your type?” Kai felt a twinge of jealousy at the possibility of her cousin dating Damien.
“Don’t worry, I can’t deny that he is hot, but I picture him with someone more… like you. I know you’ve claimed him, even if you can’t have him….yet,” Nadia teased playfully.
Dammit, why did Nadia have to know her so well? “Stop Nadia, the only man I have a ‘claim’ on is Kyle.” Despite what people say, it is possible for guys and girls to be just friends.”
“Okay then, if that’s what you choose to believe, I will definitely be inviting Damien tonight.”
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Kai checked her phone and saw a text message notification from Kyle:
Hey Babe, I have to go out with some clients tonight, so I won’t be able to make it.
Kai tried to be understanding. Big law firms were notorious for working their young lawyers to the bone, often expecting them to work 60-80 hours per week. But it seemed like Kyle was cancelling plans more and more often, expecting Kai to come running over when he finally got home around midnight. Kai felt more like a booty call lately than Kyle’s girlfriend. But she also knew Kyle was close to becoming a junior partner in the firm. Hopefully this dedication would pay off and Kyle would have more control of his career and his schedule in the long run.
“Kyle cancelled on me again. It will just be you, me, and Damien tonight.”
“Looks like, I’m back to being the third wheel again.” Nadia laughed
“Nadia the joke is getting old.”
“All right, I’m done…for now.”
There was a knock on the door. Kai opened it and there was Damien looking softer and more casual than usual in an effortlessly sexy way. Kai really needed to learn to stop being so affected by him. He was carrying two large carryout bags that smelled heavenly. “Hi Damien, come in.”
“Nadia told me you both liked Thai food so I stopped at Bangkok House on the way.”
“What exceptional service! I think we should have you over more often. Did Nadia tell you that was my favorite restaurant?”
“No actually, that is my favorite restaurant too. I guess that’s another thing we have in common.”
“That’s refreshing. Kyle is more of a meat and potatoes guy, so I don’t go there as often as I used to.”
“Speaking of the devil,” quipped Nadia, “Kai just told me that Kyle had to cancel tonight. More food for the rest of us!”
Kai shot Nadia sideways look, She knew Nadia wasn’t Kyle’s biggest fan, but Nadia was hard to please. She was supportive of their relationship most of the time, but every once in a while she would throw in those little jabs, and it bothered Kai.
After dinner they sat down to watch a movie. Nadia hurried and grabbed the loveseat leaving the couch for Kai and Damien. Of course she would, thought Kai as she made sure to move as far to one side as she could. She noticed that Damien did the same. Whether it was because he wanted to make it clear he was only interested in being friends, or that he wanted to respect the fact that Kai was in a relationship, Kai wasn’t sure, but she was grateful either way. She didn’t need any incidental touching making her have feelings.
“What should we watch? How about The Notebook?” Nadia suggested.
“No!” Kai and Damien practically shouted in Unison. Kai was not about to watch a tearjerker romance with Damien right next to her, and apparently Damien felt the same. “Have you seen Orange County?” Kai asked Damien.
“Yes, it is one of my favorite Jack Black movies! Sounds perfect.”
“Okay,” Nadia conceded. “You two win this time, but next time it’s my choice.”
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That first movie night had been so much fun that they decided to make it a Friday night ritual, and had kept it up almost a year now. Sometimes they would go out, and other nights they would stay in and relax. Kyle joined a few times, but it became rare that he had a Friday evening free from client obligations. He had even started having more frequent weekend trips, which he assured Kai were necessary to secure the big clients.
Nadia and Damien went on their own dates here and there, but pretty much nothing lasted more than three dates for either of them. Kai was selfishly relieved when these relationships didn’t pan out. She practically felt single with Kyle’s work schedule, and didn’t want to sit home by herself every weekend. And if she was honest with herself, she was jealous any time Damien showed interest in another woman. She was able to bury her feelings and be happy being friends most of the time. But any time another woman came in the picture, Kai was reminded the feelings were still there.
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Damien loved the friendship he had developed with Kai and Nadia. He had been kind of a loner before they came into his life, and they made him realize he actually enjoyed being social with the right people. He buried his romantic feelings for Kai as best he could because she had become such a constant in his life, and he didn’t want to do anything to risk her friendship. She was still with Kyle and made no indication that she would be leaving him any time soon. Every once in a awhile, Kai would say or do something that left Damien wondering if there were mutual feelings, but nothing clear enough to let Damien risk putting his feelings out there.
Damien had never been a fan of Kyle for obvious reasons, but he was trying to trust Kai’s judgement. It was really hard for him to be objective with all things considered. However, as time went on, and Kyle got busier at the office, Damien was noticing a pattern he had seen many times before. He didn’t want to jump to conclusions and tell Kai that Kyle might be cheating, but he was pretty sure Kyle was cheating. He could just investigate it himself, but it was too risky because Kyle knew who he was.
So here Damien was on a Monday evening, waiting at a neighborhood dive bar for his private investigator friend Mike to arrive with some intel.
“Damien! Long time no see!” Damien stood to greet Mike as Mike shook his hand and gave him a clap on the back. “I’m glad I could be of service, but would it kill you to call me every once in a while just to drink beer and shoot the shit?”
“Sorry Mike, you know I’m a bit of a recluse. It’s nothing personal.”
“Yes, I do know. Which leads me to question, how did you get wrapped up in this woman’s personal business? I take it you weren’t asking for a consult because the case was difficult. I just sat outside of this Kyle guy’s apartment for a few hours the last three days and I got plenty of evidence.”
Damien took a look at the photos, and they were clear as day; Kyle was cheating on Kai. In each of the photos, a petite, fair-skinned redhead, opposite of Kai in so many ways, appeared with Kyle. There were several photos of the pair entering and leaving Kyle’s apartment building. In the last set of photos, Kyle and the woman were shown kissing before Kyle sent the woman off in a cab. Even though it was what Damien had expected, it was still shocking to see the proof. He didn’t like the guy, and didn’t think he was right for Kai, but he didn’t want to see Kai get hurt either.
“Wow. There it is. Now I just have to figure out how to tell Kai without devastating her.”
“This woman must mean something special to you Damien. I do not envy the situation you have gotten yourself in, but good luck. Can I convince you to drown your sorrows in a drink before you get to figuring that all out?”
“Thanks Mike, I could use a drink…or maybe 5.”