VJ

26 - Asking for advice

VJ

I grit my teeth as the call rings off once again. I've spent all night and half of today trying to call Chloe. Not once has she picked up. Okay, I took a couple of days to calm down. I didn’t call her, but I didn’t think she’d ignore me when I did want to talk to her!

Fine, that’s ridiculous. I have no one to blame but myself for this, but I’m annoyed! I’ve checked with Max, Chloe isn’t there, and that’s all he’d tell me. So many things have gone through my head.

Chloe is ignoring me, which wouldn’t surprise me.

She’s out there with some other guy treating her much better than I ever could.

I shouldn’t care. I should walk away and move on to the next bitc.h, but I can’t. Something is gnawing at my gut. I feel like I’m going crazy!

I throw my phone on the bed and push my fingers into my hair, pulling it in frustration and yelling simultaneously. No woman has ever gotten to me like this before.

When the fuc.k did I become the type of man who stays home trying to call a girl who has clearly finished with him?

Jesus Christ, this is ridiculous!

I drop my head back on my bed and close my eyes. I need to get this girl out of my head, and there’s only one way to do that — fresh puss.y. Grabbing my phone, I scroll through my contact list.

Helen?

No, too clingy.

Sandy?

Married now.

Delete.

I keep scrolling and deleting until I realize there’s no one in my contacts list worth calling after all these months. I laugh to myself. I’ve never once called one of these bitche.s. They give me their numbers, and I put them in my phone, never to be used. The thought was all right while it was there, I suppose.

I could go to a club or bar and have my pick of women. But the truth is, I’m not feeling it. That’s a first for me. But I can’t get Chloe out of my head. I can’t, and I don’t know why. I have no idea what she really wants from me. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.

What would I do if I did want a relationship with her?

What the hell is a romantic relationship anyway?

Why do women insist on putting labels on things?

Can’t they just be happy with what you give them?

I gave Chloe my time, my attention, my damn body. I’ve stayed away from other women when I could have been out there every night fuckin.g any woman who looked at me, but I didn’t.

Why isn’t that enough for her?

I don’t want to lose my temper with Chloe, but I can feel it bubbling inside me. I want her for my own, or I’ll lose my damn mind completely!

This is all my fault. I caused Chloe to leave me because of what I said to Nova and Willow and the fact I ignored her for days. It’s my fault, and I’ll own that the way I own everything else in this life.

“She’s not here, VJ,” I called Max, but not for the reason he thinks. Well, not completely.

“I need your advice.”

“Oh, yeah. With what?”

I close my eyes and rub my forehead with my fingertips. I don’t want to ask my younger brother for advice on dating. However, the fact is, I’ve never dated anyone before. I don’t know how to go about this. I feel like a dickhead, but if I want Chloe to take me seriously, if I want to keep her, then I have to bite the bullet.

“I need to know how you got Daisy to agree to be with you.”

“I see,” I hear him take a deep breath. “Well, first of all, I didn’t bully Daisy into being with me.”

I grit my teeth but say nothing. Most of what Max says pisses me off. I need to hear this, in any case.

“I asked Daisy on a date, and she said yes. Of course, we were kids, so it was just a date to the ice cream parlor.”

“Yeah, not going to happen. We ain’t kids, Max.”

I sense him rolling his eyes. “You asked me what I did, so I’m telling you.”

I sit up on my bed and roll my neck. “I need to know what Chloe likes. I’ve never done this before, Max. I’ve never wanted to get to know a girl beyond se.x before.”

He’s silent for a moment before he asks, “You really like her, don’t you?”

I sigh. “Yeah, I do. I don’t understand it, Max, but I want to try to give Chloe what she wants. I don’t want to be the asshole who takes away her choices.”

I know that’s what I’ve been doing, but I didn’t realize it at first. I’m so used to getting my own way that I don’t think about how someone else feels. I’ve never had to.

“I didn’t expect that to come out of your mouth.”

“Forget it!” I snap at my brother.

Bastard!

This is why I don’t ask people for anything. They make fun of the situation. I’m not a damn child, and I won’t be laughed at like one.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I grit my teeth again and get to my feet. My gut is churning, and my fist clenches. “Calm down, VJ. I’m sorry.”

I run my hand through my hair.

“I don’t want to be this angry all the time,” I admit with a sigh. “I have never asked for anything in my life, Max. But I’m asking you now to help me with this. I don’t understand what I’m feeling, but I know I don’t want to lose Chloe.”

I sense my brother smiling on the other end of the line. I roll my eyes in annoyance.

“This isn’t rocket science, VJ. It’s all new to you, I understand that. But all you have to do is ask Chloe out. Just knock on the door, smile, and politely ask her to accompany you on a date.”

I nod. I can do that.

“But where would I take her? What things does Chloe like?”

“Well, Chloe likes the simple things — long walks, movies, and boating on the lake. Hell, even picnics make her happy. Grand gestures and splashing cash all over the place are a waste of time. Chloe isn’t into all of that.”

Okay, so nothing flashy.

Keep it simple.

I can do simple.

“So, take her for a walk by the lake?”

“Yes. That would be perfect. All you need to do is ask Chloe if she’d like to go for a walk with you. Tell her that it’s your first official date, and she’ll agree, VJ.”

I make a mental note of everything Max is saying. I want to do this dating thing right, even though I know I’ll fuc.k it up somehow.

“Don’t make any demands of her, VJ. Ask Chloe questions.”

“Questions? Why the hell would I do that?”

“Yes,” Max sighs. “Questions about her life, her childhood, her work. Anything that will help you get to know Chloe better. She’ll ask you questions also, and you’ll politely answer. That way, Chloe will get to know you better, too. All Chloe wants is to know you care, even if you don’t understand it.

“The night doesn’t have to end with se.x. If Chloe wants that to happen, you’ll know. Don’t initiate se.x, VJ, not on the first date. Show Chloe that she is worth more than that to you. It will go a long way to Chloe forgiving you. Believe me.”

I rub my forehead with my fingertips. This is a lot to take in.

No se.x?

I’m supposed to take Chloe on a date and not have se.x with her at the end of it?

That’s going to be tough. But I’ll do it for Chloe because she is worth more than a quick fumble.

“If Chloe doesn’t initiate se.x, you drive her home. When you get there, you walk Chloe to her door and ask if you can see her again. No matter the answer, you kiss her softly. Say goodnight, then leave. Believe me; you’ll leave her wanting nothing more than to see you again.”

I nod to myself. It sounds simple enough. Ask Chloe out and go for a walk along the lake. Talk to her and ask questions about her life. Give her a ride home, ask if I can see her again, kiss her goodnight, then leave. I can do that.

“Thanks, Max.”

“Oh, VJ?”

“Yeah?”

“Treat her right. Chloe means a lot to me, and I’m trusting you not to hurt her.”

“Whatever, Max.” I end the call without waiting for a reply. I have a date to plan.