Best Men - 9. Chapter Nine

The morning after the birthday party was the usual. I woke up, jogged for about thirty minutes, and returned to the Meyers’ house to take a quick shower. I was back in the bedroom and in the process of changing into dry clothes when the door suddenly opened. Thankfully, I had my briefs on, but nothing else when Freddy appeared at the threshold. I quickly shielded myself with my pants.

“Hey, R—Oh, shit!” Freddy quickly retreated behind the door. “Sorry for walking in on you.”

“It’s cool… What’s up?”

“Uh…I was wondering. Do you want to come with me to Donohue’s for breakfast?”

“Oh… Sure. That sounds great…but isn’t your mom cooking something for breakfast this morning?”

“Actually, she caught something and is kind of sick. Must be that undercooked vegan burger my dad made her try last night during dinner… So, are you up for it?”

Different thoughts were circulating through my mind. Freddy wanted to take me somewhere for breakfast? A few days ago he hated my guts. Then again, he seemed to have softened to me since we first encountered each other. And what could go wrong with eating with Freddy Meyers?

“Yeah, I’m down to eat at Donohue’s. Just let me, uh, get dressed first.”

“Great. I’ll see you downstairs then.”

I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. The conflict between us seemed to have lessened enough that Freddy is willing to tolerate spending time with me. However, I shouldn’t overthink this kind gesture, like he was asking me on a date or something. Most likely, he knew he had to be friendly with the other best man of his sister’s wedding. Even if in a million years that Freddy was ever interested in me, I didn’t think we could work as a couple. Also, the whole idea of being interested in my former girlfriend’s brother was wrong. Freddy would be getting his sister’s sloppy seconds and that dampened any possibility in my head that Freddy and I could ever work in a relationship.

After quickly getting dressed and checking my appearance in the mirror, I walked downstairs and saw Freddy there by the front door. He smiled at me, another surprise for me, and he led me to his police cruiser. I got inside and we were off.

Five minutes later, Freddy parked his cruiser in front of Donohue’s, and we entered the bakery. As expected, no one was inside the establishment since it was so early in the morning. Despite that, I saw Ariel and her distinctive afro at the front counter.

Ariel looked at our direction and smiled. “Hey! I was just thinking about the two of you. Great to have you back.”

“Great to see you again, Ariel!” I said before looking at the blackboard menu on the wall.

“So, what do you guys want this morning?”

“What do you recommend?” Freddy asked.

“I recommend almost everything on the menu. However, I got something that I’ve been working on just before you two arrived that’s not on the menu.” Ariel leaned forward. “Think of it as my secret stash.”

“Oh, I’d like to try it then,” I said.

Ariel smiled and retreated from the front counter.

“She better not be talking about drugs, like weed baked into brownies or something like that,” Freddy said.

I just chuckled at that assumption as Ariel returned with what looked like a tray full of bread rolls. “Woah. What kind of bread is that?”

“It’s Japanese, milk bread to be specific. I saw so many people eat it on their mukbang channels and thought I should replicate the recipe myself. Try it. It’s so light and chewy.”

Freddy raised an eyebrow, but I didn’t have any hesitation as I pulled a roll from the tray and took a bite. Ariel was not kidding. It was indeed very light and chewy, and most importantly it tasted amazing. Freddy noticed me hum in satisfaction and tried the bread himself. He didn’t say anything, but his face gave away the fact that he was enjoying what he was eating as well.

“So…?” Ariel said.

We both raised our thumbs, and Ariel’s smile widened.

“Glad you two like it. It’ll be two dollars and fifty cents per roll but consider the ones you’re eating as a free sample,” Ariel stated.

“We’ll have more,” I announced.

“I’ll go grab some plates for you two then.”

Soon Freddy and I took a seat at a nearby table, and we ate our milk bread rolls with coffee on the side. We then paid for the meal, both of us bantering about how much each of us would pay before we agreed on a fifty-fifty split. We mostly ate in silence, which I appreciated since I could relish the taste of what I was eating and enjoy the calm atmosphere of the empty bakery.

After finishing my fifth bread roll, which were the size of my hand by the way, I took a sip of my coffee when someone new entered the store. The person appeared to be a teenager, probably the same age as Ariel, who wore dark clothes and had a lazy posture as he walked to the front door.

Listening in, I heard the guy say, “Hey, Ariel. Do you have those muffins my dad asked you to make?”

“Yeah, sure! I just finished baking them. Just let me get them.”

When Ariel left the front counter, the guy leaned his elbow on the counter’s surface and yawned, looking like he just got out of bed.

“How are you doing, Arthur?” Freddy suddenly asked.

The guy, Arthur, turned his head and gave a simple wave. “Hey, Freddy. Sorry about what happened with the water at the bed and breakfast. Were you able to find someplace else to stay for your visit?”

“I was. Were you able to get the water back on?”

“For now. Thankfully, we managed to get a guest last night who’s paying for all the services. We’ll get by.

“That’s good to hear.”

“Here are the muffins!” Ariel called out before returning to the counter with a white box containing the muffins.

“Oh, thank you, Ariel.” Arthur reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out a wallet.

“It’s free of charge, Arthur. Don’t worry about paying.”

“You’re a savior, Ariel. Thank you.”

Ariel waved goodbye, and Arthur left the bakery while holding the box of muffins in both hands. The girl sighed as she propped her elbows on the counter and continued to look at the front entrance that moved back and forth before closing.

“You like him, don’t you?” Freddy inquired before taking a drink of his coffee.

Ariel’s eyes widened, but then she chuckled and said, “What gave it away?”

“I might have to write down a list.”

Sighing, Ariel said, “He’s not like the other guys in school, never wanting to sound macho or act cool in front of other people. He’s just…himself, and I really like that… I don’t know if he feels the same way though.”

“It can’t hurt to ask,” I interjected.

“What about you two? How did you two find out you both liked each other?” Ariel asked innocently.

Unfortunately, in a comedic cliché, Ariel asked this question while Freddy was drinking his coffee, prompting him to choke and cough. I wasn’t eating, thank goodness, since my mouth was wide open upon hearing the question.

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Freddy asked, “What…What makes you think we’re a couple?”

“You’re not?”

“No,” I said before chuckling.

“Oh, sorry! I just figured… I worked here for months now and watched couples enter this bakery to eat together. Just the way you two ate silently at your table…but I didn’t mean to assume.”

“Oh, don’t worry. We could be a couple—but we’re not,” I stated.

Freddy just nodded, wiping the table with a napkin. “I’m not on the market right now. And even if I were, we’re just friends.”

“Well, if you two ever do become a couple, this bakery makes the best wedding cakes with the tastiest buttercream frosting in the whole state, and without any fondant.”

I smiled and said, “We appreciate the offer.”

“Uh…can we have the rest of the bread rolls to-go, please?” Freddy asked as he stood up from his seat.

“Sure thing!” Ariel said.

Ariel placed the remainder of the bread rolls into a cardboard box and after Freddy offered a very generous tip in return, she thanked us for our patronage. We left the bakery and got inside the police car.

Releasing a deep breath, Freddy said, “That was an interesting breakfast.”

I chuckled. “It was… So, where else do you plan on—?”

“I mean, it’s ridiculous. You’re my sister’s ex-boyfriend. It just wouldn’t be right,” Freddy blurted out.

“Right… So, should we head home or—?”

“God, can you imagine if two of us were a couple? What would Liza think, dating her ex-boyfriend?”

Scratching the back of my head, I said, “Would it really be that crazy?”

“Of course, it would… Anyways, it’s not like you’re interested in me.” Freddy chuckled.

I bit my lower lip and continued to look at Freddy, wondering if there was any chance regardless of how low the odds would be if Freddy and I could ever be a couple. Freddy, sensing my stare, slowly turned his head and stared back at me.

I licked my lips that suddenly felt dry, and my face seemed to have heated up. Freddy cleared his throat, and his eyes then lowered to my lips and his mouth was left agape. My whole body was suddenly on fire, all just from us looking at each other in silence.

Swallowing a lump in my throat, I said, “Would…Would it really be that crazy?”

Freddy clenched his eyes shut. “I don’t think it would be right?”

I leaned forward. “Why? We’re both consenting adults. I really don’t see what’s wrong with that.”

Releasing a shaky breath, Freddy grimaced and uttered, “What would Liza say?”

I smirked. “Since when were you conscious of what others thought about you?”

“You’re a dickhead who broke my sister’s heart.”

“Beth is marrying someone who truly loves her and has moved on… How about you do the same? Or are you just using that as an excuse because you’re afraid to kiss me.”

Freddy’s eyes widened from my statement. He then sneered and said, “I’m not afraid of anything.”

Reaching my hand out, I touched Freddy’s cheek that was hot to the touch. “Then what are you waiting for?”

My heart was hammering in my chest. I didn’t know what prompted me to act so seductively, but my actions seemed to be working as Freddy’s eyes fluttered closed, and he slowly leaned forward. His plush lips coming closer to my own as he closed the distance between us.

We were so close to kissing…then a blare of a siren jolted us back into reality. Freddy launched himself backwards, and I diverted my eyes through the rear window to see a police car parked right behind us. A man then stepped out of the car and began walking towards us. Freddy scrubbed his face with his hands, while I adjusted the tightness in my jeans.

The person knocked on the driver’s side window, and Freddy rolled it down.

“Freddy Meyers? Is that you?” the man asked.

“Y-Yes, it’s me,” Freddy stuttered before clearing his throat. “How are you doing this morning, Sheriff?”

“I’m doing fantastic! Your father told me you were back in town and that you were a bigshot police officer in the city, am I right?”

“That’s right. But I’m no bigshot. Just a man doing his job,” Freddy said, glancing at me before returning his attention to the Sheriff.

“And who’s this person?”

“Oh. This is Rick. He’s visiting for my sister’s wedding.”

“I see… He’s not just some guy you picked up and are about to do the Devil’s tango, is he?”

Freddy and I stared at each other, but a moment later the Sheriff laughed hysterically, and my body relaxed.

“I’m just kidding, son! Anyways, your father said you might be interested in moving back into town as well as join the local police.”

Freddy sighed. “Oh, he did, did he?”

“He sure did. There’s actually an application for my position since I’m considering retiring soon. I can see you fulfilling that role quite well based on what your father told me if you’re interested.”

“Ah. I’ll definitely consider it.”

“Good, good. It’d be nice to have a police officer from the city take over my job since I’m sure you had plenty of experience dealing with unusual cases,” the sheriff inferred.

“I sure have,” Freddy said, rubbing the back of his shoulder.

“Great. Well, it’s good to see you, fella. I’ll be heading out now. Say hi to your father for me,”

“Will do. See you, Sheriff.”

Freddy rolled the side window back up as the Sheriff entered the bakery. We were both quiet for a few moments, the sexual energy that permeated between us slowly dissipating.

Freddy then muttered something and said, “Should we head back home?”

I nodded. “Yeah. That sounds nice.”

Freddy turned on the ignition of his car and drove away from the bakery on main street. The drive was quiet with only the slight sound of the air conditioner circulating cool air inside the police cruiser.

Soon Freddy parked the car onto the driveway and got out of the car as soon as he turned off the ignition. I followed suit and entered the house through the front door.

Freddy placed his coat on the rack by the door, and I directed my steps to the stairs when a familiar person appeared from the kitchen.

“Hey, guys!” Beth called out.

“Oh, hey, Beth,” I said as Beth walked into the foyer with a cup in her hand. “Drinking some coffee?”

“No, actually it’s tea. Mom called to say she was a little sick. I had Aaron drive me here, and I made her some green tea. Where did you two go off to?”

I glanced at Freddy who said, “We just ate at Donohue’s for breakfast.”

“Yeah, we had these great Japanese milk bread rolls,” I added.

“Oh, that’s nice you two spent time together, considering you both will be the best men.” Beth giggled. “Anyways, Dad left the house to buy some antacid. I’ll just go to Mom’s bedroom and comfort her. There’s still some hot water left in the kitchen if you want to make yourself tea.”

“Thanks, Liza,” Freddy said.

Beth smiled and walked upstairs. I had a foot on the first step, and after she was gone, I looked at Freddy who was gazing down and rubbing the back of his shoulder.

I managed to break the awkwardness by saying, “Should…Should we talk about…?”

Looking up at me, Freddy grimaced. “Nah. Let’s just go to our rooms and forget what was about to happen.”

“What was about to happen?” I asked.

“Nothing. Nothing at all.”

I knew Freddy wanted to avoid the subject, but I decided to approach him instead. Freddy quickly backed away from me, bumping against the coat rack in the process. He grabbed it before it fell, and I chuckled at his clumsiness. He aimed his eyes at me, probably wondering why I was amused.

“What?” Freddy said.

“Nothing. As you said.”

Scowling, Freddy walked by me, clearly not interested in continuing this awkward conversation. However, I managed to grab him by the shoulder. Then out of nowhere, Freddy twisted around and slammed me against the wall. I had the air knocked out of me as Freddy scowled even harder.

“Don’t touch me there,” Freddy warned.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to trigger you.” Looking down at his arm that was pressed against my clavicle, I then said, “Mind letting me go?”

With narrowed eyes, Freddy then dropped his arm and as I rubbed my chest from the pressure he just applied on me, he stepped forward again. For a split second, I thought he was going to hurt me. But then his lips collided with mine, and all thoughts about getting hurt by the police officer with a scowl disappeared instantly and replaced with heated lust instead.