Categories > Celebrities > Fall Out Boy > How a Rock Star Ruined My Marriage
That afternoon after lunch the phone on my desk rang. I answered it like I always do. “Student records. This is Lizzy.”
“So, you like the flowers, huh? What about the clothes?” the voice on the other end asked.
“Pete?” I was more than just a little surprised.
“Has anyone else sent you flowers and clothes today?” He asked with a chuckle.
“No. I just…This is a surprise. The flowers are beautiful. Very beautiful. Thank you. And as far as the clothes, I like them. But I haven’t had a chance to try any of them on yet.” I told him.
“Well, why not?” He asked.
“Um…Because I’m at work?” I laughed. “Hey, how’d you get this number?”
“Looked it up. It wasn’t hard, you know.” Pete told me. “So, can I get your personal number? Or am I going to have to get the number for every O’Halloran in the D.C. area and call all of them until I find you?”
“Well, that won’t do you any good because I’m not listed under O’Halloran. That’s my name, not Jason’s. I’ll give you my cell. But if I don’t answer it’s because I can’t.” I told him. I gave him my cell number. It felt dirty giving him my number. And as much as I didn’t want to admit it, it also felt good to give it to him.
“I thought you said you were from D.C.? The address you gave me was for Manassas Virginia. Where’s that?” Pete asked.
“It’s a suburb. It’s easier to tell people I’m from D.C., because unless you’re from around here, or a big civil war buff, you won’t know where it is.” I told him.
“Civil war buff? Why’s that?”
“Because two of the bloodiest battles were fought here.” I informed him.
“Oh, that’s, that’s actually kind of interesting. Well, I know you’re at work, so I’ll let you go. I really just wanted to hear your voice again. I’ll call you again soon. Bye Lizzy.”
“Bye Pete.” I said before I hung up.
I finished my day and ran the errands after work I needed to do. I stopped by the dry cleaners and picked up Jason’s clothes. He was leaving on Thursday for work. His job takes him away for a couple of weeks at a time. He’ll be home for two or three weeks, then away for two or three. He and his team go to different Air Force bases and upgrade their computer systems. He’s been gone as long as a month before. That’s why he couldn’t come with me to my Grandmother's funeral, he was at a base.
Thursday came and I sent Jason off. He would be gone for seventeen days this time. When he first started this job I didn’t like it, but now I’m used to it. I missed him when he was gone, but I kept myself busy with my friends. I was getting daily emails from Pete. And he called a couple of times too. I talked to him when I could.
Friday at work Maranda and I were discussing what to do for lunch when I got a call from the front desk.
“Student records, this is Lizzy.” I answered my phone.
“Lizzy, Mr. Wentz is here to see you.” Amy, our receptionist, told me. She had no idea who he was. Amy is about 60 and due for retirement soon.
“I’ll be right there.” I said before I hung up and then stood up. I couldn’t see reception from where my desk was. Shit! What is he doing here?
“Liz, what’s wrong?” Maranda asked me when she saw my face.
“I have a visitor.” I said as I walked out of our cubicle. I walked up to reception and found Pete waiting for me.
“Hey Lizzy.” He greeted me with that shit eating grin of his.
“Pete? What are you doing here?” I asked as I walked up to him.
“I’m in town and thought I’d see what you’re doing for lunch. So, can I take you out?” He asked.
I blinked a few times before I said. “Yeah, sure. I just have to finish something. Come on back. I’ll show you where I work.” I led the way back to my desk. I tried not to see the looks on my co-workers' faces.
“So, this is what an online university looks like. Are all the professors here too?” Pete asked as we walked to my cubicle.
“No, the teaching staff live all over the world. Just like the students. Here’s my desk.” I walked into our cubicle and Maranda turned around. I thought she was going to choke on the water she was drinking. “Maranda , this is my friend Pete. Pete, this is my friend and cube mate Maranda .” I introduced them.
“Hi Maranda , nice to meet you.” Pete said as he held out his hand to shake.
Maranda stopped coughing and managed to say. “Nice to meet you too Pete.” Then she took his hand and shook it.
“Give me just a minute to finish this, and we can go.” I said to Pete.
I quickly slipped behind my computer and finished what I had to. I grabbed my purse and told him I was ready. We headed out and he walked me to his car, a Porsche and rented I’m sure. I was a little surprised it wasn’t flasher.
“Do you know where we’re going?” I asked him.
“Anywhere you want.” He said back, flashing his smile.
“Okay, how do you feel about TexMex?” I asked.
“Fine with me.”
“Alright, make a right out of the parking lot and then a left at the light.” I said as I slipped into the passenger’s seat.
We got to the restaurant and got seated. As we waited for our food I was leaning on my elbows on the table. I asked. “What are you doing here Pete?”
“I was in town and thought I would take you to lunch.” He told me. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. He smiled a very charming smile at me.
I sat back pulling away from him. “No, really, what are you doing here?”
“I wanted to see you.” He confessed as he dipped his head down and looked up at me through his bangs. He sneered just a little at the same time. It was actually a very sexy look. He was fully aware what effect he had on both men and women.
“Why?” We needed to remember our boundaries.
“Because, when I see something I want, I go for it.” He said. The confidence and charisma just rolled off of him.
“What exactly is it you want?” I asked him.
“Haven’t you figured that out yet Lizzy? I want you.” He told me, looking me directly in the eye.
“You can’t have me Pete. I’m already taken, remember? And if I remember correctly, so are you.”
“Well, you can always change your mind. I did.” He said with a smile and a slight shrug. He leaned back against the booth we were sitting in and rested one arm along the back of the seat.
“What do you mean you changed your mind?” I asked.
“I called it off with Ashlee. How can I marry someone if I really want someone else?” He told me.
“I’ll be your friend, but nothing more. I’m not going to leave Jason.” I told him.
“I’ll take your friendship, for now.” He said.
Our food was brought out and we ate. I found out he was in town for the weekend. He will be leaving on Sunday. He and the rest of the band were leaving for a tour of Australia and New Zealand in about a week. I also found out the only reason he was here was to see me. I had made the mistake of telling him Jason was out of town for work when I talked to him the other day.
When lunch was over, he took me back to work. I agreed to have dinner with him.
I’m still not sure what the fuck I was thinking.
“So, you like the flowers, huh? What about the clothes?” the voice on the other end asked.
“Pete?” I was more than just a little surprised.
“Has anyone else sent you flowers and clothes today?” He asked with a chuckle.
“No. I just…This is a surprise. The flowers are beautiful. Very beautiful. Thank you. And as far as the clothes, I like them. But I haven’t had a chance to try any of them on yet.” I told him.
“Well, why not?” He asked.
“Um…Because I’m at work?” I laughed. “Hey, how’d you get this number?”
“Looked it up. It wasn’t hard, you know.” Pete told me. “So, can I get your personal number? Or am I going to have to get the number for every O’Halloran in the D.C. area and call all of them until I find you?”
“Well, that won’t do you any good because I’m not listed under O’Halloran. That’s my name, not Jason’s. I’ll give you my cell. But if I don’t answer it’s because I can’t.” I told him. I gave him my cell number. It felt dirty giving him my number. And as much as I didn’t want to admit it, it also felt good to give it to him.
“I thought you said you were from D.C.? The address you gave me was for Manassas Virginia. Where’s that?” Pete asked.
“It’s a suburb. It’s easier to tell people I’m from D.C., because unless you’re from around here, or a big civil war buff, you won’t know where it is.” I told him.
“Civil war buff? Why’s that?”
“Because two of the bloodiest battles were fought here.” I informed him.
“Oh, that’s, that’s actually kind of interesting. Well, I know you’re at work, so I’ll let you go. I really just wanted to hear your voice again. I’ll call you again soon. Bye Lizzy.”
“Bye Pete.” I said before I hung up.
I finished my day and ran the errands after work I needed to do. I stopped by the dry cleaners and picked up Jason’s clothes. He was leaving on Thursday for work. His job takes him away for a couple of weeks at a time. He’ll be home for two or three weeks, then away for two or three. He and his team go to different Air Force bases and upgrade their computer systems. He’s been gone as long as a month before. That’s why he couldn’t come with me to my Grandmother's funeral, he was at a base.
Thursday came and I sent Jason off. He would be gone for seventeen days this time. When he first started this job I didn’t like it, but now I’m used to it. I missed him when he was gone, but I kept myself busy with my friends. I was getting daily emails from Pete. And he called a couple of times too. I talked to him when I could.
Friday at work Maranda and I were discussing what to do for lunch when I got a call from the front desk.
“Student records, this is Lizzy.” I answered my phone.
“Lizzy, Mr. Wentz is here to see you.” Amy, our receptionist, told me. She had no idea who he was. Amy is about 60 and due for retirement soon.
“I’ll be right there.” I said before I hung up and then stood up. I couldn’t see reception from where my desk was. Shit! What is he doing here?
“Liz, what’s wrong?” Maranda asked me when she saw my face.
“I have a visitor.” I said as I walked out of our cubicle. I walked up to reception and found Pete waiting for me.
“Hey Lizzy.” He greeted me with that shit eating grin of his.
“Pete? What are you doing here?” I asked as I walked up to him.
“I’m in town and thought I’d see what you’re doing for lunch. So, can I take you out?” He asked.
I blinked a few times before I said. “Yeah, sure. I just have to finish something. Come on back. I’ll show you where I work.” I led the way back to my desk. I tried not to see the looks on my co-workers' faces.
“So, this is what an online university looks like. Are all the professors here too?” Pete asked as we walked to my cubicle.
“No, the teaching staff live all over the world. Just like the students. Here’s my desk.” I walked into our cubicle and Maranda turned around. I thought she was going to choke on the water she was drinking. “Maranda , this is my friend Pete. Pete, this is my friend and cube mate Maranda .” I introduced them.
“Hi Maranda , nice to meet you.” Pete said as he held out his hand to shake.
Maranda stopped coughing and managed to say. “Nice to meet you too Pete.” Then she took his hand and shook it.
“Give me just a minute to finish this, and we can go.” I said to Pete.
I quickly slipped behind my computer and finished what I had to. I grabbed my purse and told him I was ready. We headed out and he walked me to his car, a Porsche and rented I’m sure. I was a little surprised it wasn’t flasher.
“Do you know where we’re going?” I asked him.
“Anywhere you want.” He said back, flashing his smile.
“Okay, how do you feel about TexMex?” I asked.
“Fine with me.”
“Alright, make a right out of the parking lot and then a left at the light.” I said as I slipped into the passenger’s seat.
We got to the restaurant and got seated. As we waited for our food I was leaning on my elbows on the table. I asked. “What are you doing here Pete?”
“I was in town and thought I would take you to lunch.” He told me. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. He smiled a very charming smile at me.
I sat back pulling away from him. “No, really, what are you doing here?”
“I wanted to see you.” He confessed as he dipped his head down and looked up at me through his bangs. He sneered just a little at the same time. It was actually a very sexy look. He was fully aware what effect he had on both men and women.
“Why?” We needed to remember our boundaries.
“Because, when I see something I want, I go for it.” He said. The confidence and charisma just rolled off of him.
“What exactly is it you want?” I asked him.
“Haven’t you figured that out yet Lizzy? I want you.” He told me, looking me directly in the eye.
“You can’t have me Pete. I’m already taken, remember? And if I remember correctly, so are you.”
“Well, you can always change your mind. I did.” He said with a smile and a slight shrug. He leaned back against the booth we were sitting in and rested one arm along the back of the seat.
“What do you mean you changed your mind?” I asked.
“I called it off with Ashlee. How can I marry someone if I really want someone else?” He told me.
“I’ll be your friend, but nothing more. I’m not going to leave Jason.” I told him.
“I’ll take your friendship, for now.” He said.
Our food was brought out and we ate. I found out he was in town for the weekend. He will be leaving on Sunday. He and the rest of the band were leaving for a tour of Australia and New Zealand in about a week. I also found out the only reason he was here was to see me. I had made the mistake of telling him Jason was out of town for work when I talked to him the other day.
When lunch was over, he took me back to work. I agreed to have dinner with him.
I’m still not sure what the fuck I was thinking.
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