Wild Card

by Elsie Silver

I’m stuck in an airport, and everyone is annoying me.

real

When life gives you lemons…” It squeezes the acid right in your fucking eyes.

I like him

Yeah, it’s like when life gives you lemons, don’t be an asshole to the service staff. Or something like that.”

so that's not the expression but it'll work

I’m twenty-seven, Bash.”

okay twelve years not bad. but that means his son is younger than she is? like 23? 24?

God, he must think I’m totally nuts. Maybe he already has children. I could be lusting over a perfectly happy family man.

bout that

Bash shakes his head. “Found out I have a kid I never knew about. Met him for the first time yesterday.”

okay this also explains more things, bc how would you not know your boyfriends dad

Different things.” He shrugs, the ghost of a smile still dancing over his lips. “He’s twenty-four.”

damn I'm good

Bash: Hey, Gwen. It’s Bash. We drank shitty margaritas together two weeks ago. I sent a text when I got home, but I don’t think it went through.

something tells me she lost her phone

Bash, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Gwen. Gwen Dawson.” The word girlfriend falls through me, landing hard and heavy in my gut. Yeah. What are the fucking chances?

oh fuck that's not what I was expecting

There’s a kind way to let a girl down, and it isn’t by letting her constantly check her phone like a desperate teenager hoping that the cute boy she’s obsessed with might text her. For months.

oop someone got the number wrong

Tripp leans close and drops another casual kiss on my hair with a light chuckle. “Easy, girl. Don’t eat too much.”

the hell?

Easy, girl? I pause, my brows furrowing as I stare down at the two bite-size pieces of food on the napkin in my hand, wondering if I misheard my “boyfriend.” Did he really just tell me not to eat too much?

beat his ass

“The fuck did you just say to her?” Bash’s voice is cold as ice from across the table.

GET HIM

“All in good fun, right, babe?” He winks at me, like I’m in on his joke, and turns his attention to his dad, who is staring daggers at him.

no. not at all

“No. Not in good fun,” Bash says. “That was plain rude.” Tripp scoffs and waves him off. “It was a joke. I just meant save some room for dinner. Don’t make it into something else.”

i don’t like tripp, i no longer care if you sleep with his dad

“Gwen? Open up.” Bash chooses now to follow through? Infuriating. He’s got no business. “I don’t think that would be very appropriate” is what I say back.

who cares

Then I turn back to face Bash, wanting to reassure him that I understand. “I love how honest you’re being with us about your expectations and what you need. Clear communication will make sharing the space easier for everyone.” Clyde nods solemnly. “Bash, we understand. This is your trash can, and we’re just living in it.”

CACKLING

Bash: Hey, just letting you know that I’m all good. Back home and healing well. Tripp: Better than my news, which is that we didn’t clinch a playoff spot. I’ll touch base when I’m in a better mood.

most people would’ve asked if their dad was okay

“The thing is, Gwen, next time you want to watch me, you should just ask.” My brain function stutters as my eyes snap to his. “Pardon me?” “You heard me.”

HOT. ASK RN

I swing the front door open, quelling my rising irritation over the fact that whoever is here is pulling me away from Gwen. They’re interrupting an important conversation, and I’m ready to tell them to fuck off. But shock renders me silent when I come face-to-face with my son. “Tripp,” I say blankly, taking in his casual attire of jeans, a plain gray hoodie, and a team cap.

oh FUCK

Except I just told your ex to come watch me next time I jerk off, so anytime except right now?

meh it’s fine

“I wasn’t expecting to see her, and now it’s like… Coming face-to-face with her makes me think I should try again. You know? I still feel like maybe there’s something there.”

maybe don’t

“Yeah, but I didn’t mess up.” He takes a swig of his drink and shakes his head. “She has no idea what she’s missing, how good we could be together.”

yk what, sleep with her anwyays

Especially when he’s wearing something that looks like a uniform right now. Navy-blue cargo pants hug his thighs in a way that I should not be openly admiring. Above a utilitarian black belt, strapped around his narrow waist, a matching navy T-shirt stretches across his broad chest. A crest printed with BC Fire Service sits over his heart.

hot.

“Hey, Clyde, was Elvis Presley’s death faked?”

yes

“Hey, Clyde, was the moon landing faked by the government?”

yes

“Hey, Clyde, did they add fluoride to water sources just to make people sickly?”

probably

“Hey, Clyde, is the earth flat or round?”

round

“Hey, Clyde, who built the pyramids, Egypti...

plot twist both

“Coming right up. What my girl wants, she gets.”

🫠

takes one look at the food laid out and then pulls up a seat beside Gwen. “I wish Bash were in love with me. Then maybe he’d make me nice breakfasts too.”

i love clyde. so much.

Dread creeps up my throat as I flick the dead bolt and pull the door open. Then I come face-to-face with Tripp.

oh my god go AWAY

surprise. You still got my number?” “I know, I know. But I’m actually not here to see you.”

SHE DOESNT WANT TO SEE YOU

Gwen, who looks downright uncomfortable. And Clyde, who looks one second away from beating Tripp to death with the cast-iron skillet still sitting on the stove.

do it clyde

“I just can’t stop thinking about you,” Tripp says, facing Gwen with his back to me. “I just think we could give this a go, and you’d see everything you’ve been missing out on.”

is he effing fr

Tripp offers me a tight smile. “Good. I told Bash I wanted to stay and hang out, get to know his friends a bit. But he said I’d have to take that up with you.”

no gtfo

He scoffs. “I mean, she’s here working with you. Why would my dad take her up in his airplane just for fun?”

what’re you up to

Clyde continues like a steam engine down the tracks. “A beer in his hand, big old hickey on his neck.”

CLYDE FUCK OFF BESTIE

“Please don’t kill me,” West says. “I really had no idea that one was going to explode.” Rhys scoffs, crossing his arms. “West, you told me earlier that you shook one and put it back in the cooler just to see who would be the one to open it.”

i love them

I make it to the top of the stairs before I run into Tripp.

bc ofc he’s there

But the perfect moment comes to a screeching, heart-stopping, stomach-dropping halt when I look up and see Tripp at the front reception desk, arms propped against the flat surface. Sizzling fury dances over his every feature.

oh hey..... how y'all doing

“Hey, Dad.” He spits the word. “Good to see ya. And you, Gwen.”

be so mf fr rn

“I figured I’d come by to pick your brain about some weird vibes I was catching during her birthday. I thought maybe I was out to lunch, thought I was making it all up until I mentioned it to my mom last night. She apparently doesn’t tell me much, but she at least had the balls to tell me about my birthday party. That she saw you slip into a powder room with my girlfriend before you tore out of their house in a rampage, leaving a hole in the wall.”

so this is awkward

“No, Gwen, I don’t want to hear from you. I want to hear from Bash. I want you”—he points at me—“to look me in the eye and tell me you are not fucking my girlfriend.”

easy. he's not fucking your girlfriend bc THATS NOT YOUR GIRLFRIEND

“If you think I’m going to stand here and let you talk about her like that, you’ve got another thing coming. So watch your damn mouth.”

going for his dad was the right choice.

My voice isn’t quiet at all when I confess, “I saw her first!”

are you 8?

It’s a childish sentiment, and yet it’s true.

at least youre self aware

“Oh, well, how cute for you, Gwen. Bouncing from dick to dick, ticking off the family tree like a shopping li⁠—”

if it's one thing men have it's the AUDACITY

Finish that sentence and I swear to god not a single thing will stop me from teaching you a fucking lesson, Tripp.”

do it anyways

Oh, a lesson, Dad? You already taught me that you’ll pick some random chick over your own son, so I can’t wait to see what else you’ll come up with.” “When you act like this, it makes the decision pretty fucking easy,” I bite back.

damn😭