"That's the great thing about being the boss’s son. I can take off when there's an emergency."
"There is no emergency."
"I'm coming, Clementine."
"Oh, thank you, Mr. Madison!" she exclaimed in a sing-song voice. "I'm so thankful for your help."
"As you should be." I laughed. "And who knows, maybe I'll take you to dinner tomorrow night."
"I told you, I have a date."
"Well, maybe you'll come to your senses."
"I'm allowed to date, Rhett."
"I know that, but a loser you met online?" I made a face. "Does Nanna know?"
"Of course not," she sighed. "No one in my family knows."
"Okay." I said simply. Nanna was Clementine’s grandma, but we both called her Nanna. She felt like my real grandma and had always treated me as her grandson since I had met her as a little kid.
"By the way, Nanna asked me if you can come to the family BBQ in two weeks."
"Well, duh," I laughed.
"She also said to tell you that you can bring your girlfriend."
"What girlfriend?" I groaned. "Clemmie, you know that I don't do girlfriends. I don't want a relationship."
"Don't you ever want to get married or have kids?"
"Kids, ugh. And marriage? Why?"
"For true love? For companionship?"
"I don't believe in true love and I have you for companionship."
"But what about the other stuff?" Her voice sounded embarrassed.
"You mean sex?" I laughed and adjusted myself. "Are we going to talk about sex now?" My voice was light, but I was uncomfortable. Part of me wanted to tell her what had happened this morning, but I knew that there was no way she’d understand. I didn’t even understand.
"Whatever, Rhett." She sighed. "Have sex with nameless women and just continue being a player."
"Thank you, I will." I snapped back at her.
"Why did you call me, Rhett?" She sounded annoyed.
"I wanted to talk. Or is that a no-no now you're dating online?"
"It's midnight."
"Would you rather I say this is a booty call?" I asked, half-joking.
"Rhett!"
"What?" I laughed.
"I'm going to bed now."
"No phone sex?"
"You're gross."
"I'm touching myself now." I muttered into the phone, while I adjusted myself.
"Rhett!" She gasped. "I'm warning you."
"I'm joking," I laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Fine. Bye," she hung up and I closed my eyes. My hands reached into my boxers and I started jerking off. I imagined myself in a dark club f**king some nameless girl on the dance floor. I could feel myself growing harder and harder and as I came Clementine’s face popped into my head. I grabbed the small towel at the side of the bed and cleaned up. I lay back down and frowned. I didn’t want to think about picturing Clementine as the girl at the club. I needed to think about something else. I sighed as I thought about her going on a date. I was worried about Clementine. She was too nice a girl to be dating online. Those guys were going to eat her alive. I was going to have to make sure that she wasn't taken advantage of. I was just going to have to figure out how.
***
I woke up the next morning feeling annoyed and I didn't know why. I jumped in the shower and then headed out to pick Clementine up. I honked on the horn instead of getting out and going to the door, and waited.
"What the f**k!" I grumbled to myself as I realized I'd been waiting at least fifteen minutes. I pressed my hand against the steering wheel and honked again.
My phone beeped and I saw a text from Clementine. “Yes, Rhett?”
"If you know I'm outside, why don't you hurry your ass up?"
"I'm waiting for you to come to my door like a gentleman," she texted back and I glared at the phone. I swore she thought we lived back in the fifties and hadn't gotten the note that men didn't have to woo women anymore. Especially not guys like me.
"Do you really expect me to come to the door?"
"If this was a date, wouldn't you be on your best behavior?" She was right, of course. Both of us had gone to etiquette and then cotillion classes. We knew what was expected of fine young southerners, but I just wasn't in the mood.
"This isn't a date."
"I'll be waiting inside until you show your manners," she replied, and I could see the smug smile on her face in my head. Clementine O’Hara was loving every second of this conversation.
"I swear I'm going to drop that girl and get a new best friend," I sighed as I stepped out of my black Mustang.
"Clementine!" I shouted as I knocked on the front door.
"Oh, hi, Rhett." She opened the door slowly and grinned at me. "Imagine seeing you here."
"I've been waiting in the car for the last 30 minutes." I glared at her and she laughed.
"Don't exaggerate." She walked out of the door. "Let's go eat. I'm starved."
"What about your whole weight-loss thing to impress this guy?" I looked at her for a few seconds as we walked if the car. "I thought you didn't wanna go on your date looking like a fatass."
"Are you saying that breakfast is going to make me a fatass?" She paused and looked at me.
"If you're going to get pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, and hashbrowns like you normally do, then yes." I winked at her and she laughed.
"You're so rude, Rhett."
"That's why I don't have a girlfriend." I grinned as we got into the car.
"Yeah, that's why." She poked me in the ribs. "You're not all skin and bones yourself."
"Hey, we can be fatties together."
"You're a jerk." She turned away from me and looked out of the window.
"You're not seriously mad at me, are you?" I sighed as I stared at the side of her face. "I was just joking."
"Uh huh," she retorted and I froze, not sure what to say. Clementine was so sensitive these days. It was like she had lost her sense of humor about certain things.
"I don't really think you're a fatass, Clemmie."
"Uh huh." She still didn't look at me.
"I was just joking about the amount of food you eat." I reached out and touched her shoulder. "Don't be mad."
"I'm so angry." She started and then looked at me with twitching lips. "I'm going to..." She started again but started giggling.