Dates, Duds & Mistletoe

eight

Three times.

Three times they'd had sex the night before—not a care in the world as snow continued to fall outside. After the first round, they'd migrated to the bedroom, though quickly found they weren't at all tired and were both keen to explore each other's bodies well into the night.

Which made it that much more unpleasant when they were both awoken the next morning before dawn by Elliott's phone alarm.

"Ugh, please shut that off," Hailey said, burrowing her head into the pillows further as Elliott chuckled, rolling away from her to silence the blaring monstrosity.

"Sorry," he whispered, inching back towards the middle of the bed to wrap his arms around her. "My job has made me a morning person."

And seeing that it was Friday, and therefore a workday, Elliott couldn't stick around. The snow had calmed down during the night, and with the plows having gone out to clean the streets, there was no hope for two snow days in a row.

"As long as I can go back to sleep, I'll be happy," Hailey mumbled into the pillows.

Elliott chuckled, kissing her bare shoulder before getting up. Thankfully, he didn't turn the light on as he pulled his boxers on and headed for the bathroom, as well as a search for the rest of his clothes.

Wanting to at least say goodbye, Hailey pushed herself into a seated position in the bed, holding the sheet up to cover her body. As she waited for Elliott to return, his phone began to buzz and in her tired state, thinking it was another form of an alarm, Hailey reached to grab his phone.

Only it wasn't an alarm.

An early morning phone call from someone named Leslie ended just as she looked at the screen, which then showed a slew of notifications. She didn't think anything of the messages, not wanting to snoop, but two of the notifications at the top unsettled her.

Mixr messages from two women who weren't her.

One simply said 'Hey, any chance you want to meet for a drink this weekend?' while the other seemed to be from someone he'd gone out with.

'Had a great time when we went out for dinner. Do you think we could do it again soon?'

Granted, she didn't know when Elliott went to dinner with this woman, but she didn't know anyone who waited a week or two to follow up after a date.

A fist tightened around her heart, immediately souring her mood. Damn dating apps, they didn't do shit for actual relationships.

But maybe it was good she was seeing it now, before she got more invested. After all, she'd met him at the Mixr event, so why did she think he'd be any less of a dud then the rest of the men she'd met that evening?

By the time Elliott returned to her bedroom, she'd put his phone back where it'd been on her nightstand. Reaching over her for it, his shirt was wrinkled, making it clear as day he was wearing the outfit for a second day in a row, and while the unease circulated Hailey's stomach about the message she'd seen, he didn't notice.

"I'll call you later?" he asked, leaning in to give her a kiss.

Though she nodded, Hailey turned her head at the last second, making it so that his lips grazed her cheek. "Sorry, morning breath," she said, coming up with a quick excuse.

After all, if he was really only in this for a quick lay, she didn't expect a call from him any time soon.

He chuckled, not picking up on her true feelings. "Alright, see you."

"See you."

Her eyes trailed after him as he left her room. After a few seconds, she heard her front door open and fall shut behind him, and knowing she was alone once again, she fell back into her pillows and groaned.

Why couldn't she find a guy who wouldn't play games? One who was genuinely interested in her.

What a dream that would be.