Oak Creek, Green Feather, and Oak Creek’s redheaded Southern belle of a wife, Bethany, were tucked into a booth at the local pub, passing around heaping plates of fried calamari—steaming, golden, and crisp.
They were halfway through the first platter when a stunning Asian woman arrived—Green Feather’s date. She kissed his cheek, slid in beside him, and offered a polite smile to the group. He always brought someone new. Never the same girl twice.
Between bites, Green Feather leaned back with a sigh.
“Truth is,” he said, “I don’t know how to relate to people. I suffer from main character syndrome.”
His date blinked. “You mean… you think the world revolves around you?”
He gave a lopsided grin. “Sort of. I’ve never met a woman I cared about more than myself. And I won’t settle for someone beneath me.”
Her smile faltered. She set down her chopsticks.
Bethany gave Oak Creek a sideways glance. He stared down at his calamari like it might rescue him.
Green Feather, unbothered, popped another piece in his mouth. “But I’ve got hope. My gem in the rough is out there. I’ll know her when I see her.”
His date grabbed her purse slowly. “You let me know if she shows up,” she said coolly.
He raised his glass. “Will do.”
“You really stuck your paw in it this time, Green Feather,” Oak Creek muttered, shaking his head. “That girl was drop-dead gorgeous.”
Bethany rolled her eyes and reached for another piece of calamari. “Men.”
Green Feather slumped back against the booth with a sigh. “It’s the new migraine meds,” he said. “They’re messing with my filter. Everything just flies out raw.”
“My words came out wrong. I didn’t mean to insult her. I only meant…” He paused, searching for grace he didn’t quite have. “It wouldn’t be fair to a woman—to settle down without loving her more than myself. That’s why I don’t commit. Even the great ones… they deserve better than half my heart.”
Bethany snorted. “You sure that’s the reason?”
Oak Creek raised a brow but stayed quiet.
Green Feather stared down at the crumbs on his plate. “I’m not trying to be a jerk,” he said softly. “I’m just waiting until I can be someone worth staying for.”
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