Chapter 15 #2
“So tell me more about your hunkalicious boyfriend.” Jen’s dark eyes are sparkling.
We’re at one of the local college hangouts.
It’s two stories, the bottom level a very casual restaurant/burger joint, the top level a huge bar and dance floor.
They don’t let anyone underage upstairs, which totally bums me out.
I’m literally writhing where I sit in the booth, my body overtaken by the muted throbbing beat that comes from upstairs.
“What do you want to know?” I play coy on purpose, stirring my straw in my glass of soda.
I sort of wish for harder stuff. Jen’s a little buzzed—I can see it in the flush in her face, the light in her eyes.
I’m less than six months away from my twenty-first birthday, and not that I’m a party girl or anything, but it’ll be nice to be able to booze it up whenever I want.
“How’d you meet?”
Such a simple question that requires a not-so-simple answer. “It’s sort of hard to explain.”
“He’s gorgeous, you know. And popular as hell, you little shit. You told me he was no one I knew. Everyone in town knows Drew Callahan.” Jen sips from her drink, her lips curved in a smirk. “Is he amazing in bed, or what?”
Jen gets a little liquored up and she’s making all sorts of crazy statements. I don’t even know how to answer that. I’m used to girls accusing me of stealing their boyfriends, not of friends asking how my boyfriend is in bed.
“Your cheeks are red, so I’m guessing the answer is unbelievable.” Jen shakes her head, a wistful expression on her face. “I miss sex.”
I’m taken aback. I totally had it pegged that she and Colin were doing the nasty, as my brother so eloquently states it. “By that statement, I guess you’re not having it?”
“Nope.” Jen shakes her head. “I know what you’re thinking. I bet you assumed Colin and I are together.”
I still say nothing, not wanting to voice my suspicions.
“Well, we’re not. He’s just a friend.” She glances around, as though someone’s lurking in the background and might hear us. “If I told you something, would you promise to keep it a secret?”
“Sure.” I swear I have a sign around my neck that says excellent secret keeper.
Jen leans across the table ominously and lowers her voice. “Colin was my older brother’s best friend.”
I frown. “Was?”
A pained expression crosses her face. “My brother died. In Iraq.”
“Oh.” I reach across the table and give her hand a squeeze. “I’m so sorry.”
She shrugs, though the hurt is still in her gaze.
“It was a few years ago, and everyone was completely devastated, especially Colin. Danny’s death …
threw my family completely off. We all splintered apart and I ended up running away.
I couldn’t go back home. There was just no way I could stay there with all that pain and misery surrounding me.
So I ended up here. Working dead-end jobs, trying to keep my head above water. ”
Sounds familiar. At least I’m not alone. I’m thankful for having Owen, and even my mom to a point. She’s awful, but she hasn’t flat-out deserted us.
“I was working one night a few months ago and Colin just … walked in. Like out of nowhere. Told me he’d been looking for me, he had a job lined up and a place to stay if I wanted it.
I figured he worked for The District, you know?
Was like the restaurant manager or whatever.
When I realized he owned the place—that he owns multiple restaurants and he’s filthy rich—I couldn’t believe it.
He’s done so much with his life.” The dreamy look on Jen’s face was unmistakable.
She’s crushing majorly on her dead brother’s best friend. I freaking knew it. I just didn’t realize they had a past connection. A really strong connection that runs deep.
“Are you in love with him?” I ask quietly.
“What? No!” Jen shakes her head, trying her best to make a quick recovery.
But I know a liar when I see one.
“He’s like family to me. Like another big brother,” she insists, her eyes locking with mine. “Don’t tell anyone, okay? I don’t want any of the girls at the restaurant to know. Plus, Colin doesn’t want anyone to know either. He doesn’t want to look like he plays favorites.”
“But you live with him. Everyone knows it.”
“He’s done this sort of thing before. Letting his employees live with him.” She shrugs. “He just wants to make sure everyone’s okay and has a roof over their head. He asked me about you, wanted to make sure you weren’t living in a shack somewhere.”
“He knows where I live.” I proceeded to tell her how he texted me, then came by my place to pick me up.
“See how nice he is? He just wanted to help you out.”
Jen’s so enamored of Colin he can do no wrong. I always wondered at his motives with me. Not that he was ever sleazy, but he was certainly extra attentive. Far more attentive than any other boss I’ve ever had.
But maybe Jen is right. Maybe he looks out for those he worries about. I can’t fault him for that. He’s like a protective big brother.
“Enough talking about me. Let’s talk about you and your sexy boyfriend.” Jen grabs her glass and sips from her drink, all easy-breezy again. “I’m surprised he let you out of his sights tonight.”
“I deserve a girls’ night out, don’t you think?”
“Of course you do. So do I. So does every girl.” Jen grins when the music changes to a fast, heavy beat that has me moving in my seat again. “Did I happen to mention I know the bouncer upstairs?”
“No. Really?” I stop seat-dancing. “Think he’d let me in up there?”
“As long as you promise not to order anything from the bar, I bet I could convince him.” Jen laughs when I clap my hands in excitement. “I didn’t figure you for a dancer, Fable.”
“I love to dance.” I just rarely do. When do I have time to go out clubbing? Oh, and who with? “I work a lot, so I don’t get out much.”
“Well, let me work my magic and get you in there. This should be fun.” Jen whips her phone out of her pocket and starts texting, presumably the bouncer upstairs.
I glance around the room, waiting anxiously for her to figure out a plan.
She’s so nice, so easygoing and fun. I’m so glad I agreed to go out with her tonight.
I needed this. Needed a taste of freedom, a taste of friendship.
Noticing Jen’s still tapping away at her keyboard, I pull my phone out and send off a quick text to Drew. He replies within seconds.
Having fun?
As much as I can without you here.
Which is sort of the truth. All of a sudden, I miss him.
Give me a break.
I smile as I type a question.
Do you like to dance?
Not really.
I laugh softly. I’m not surprised. He is so not the dancing type.
“The bouncer can get us in,” Jen says, breaking through my Drew-induced mental fog.
I glance up from my phone with a grin. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope. But we need to get up there now, before the floor fills up and they start turning people away.” Jen tilts her head toward my hand, where I’m clutching my phone. “Texting Hunkalicious?”
Why does everyone call Drew nicknames? Owen and Lover Boy. Jen and Hunkalicious. I should call him something like Drew Bear or Drew-bee. Something silly and dumb and just for me. He’d probably die of mortification if I tried.
“Maybe,” I say with a shrug.
She smiles. “You should have him come pick you up.”
“But what about you?”
Jen shrugs. “I’m going to swing by the restaurant before I go home. Colin just messaged me and asked me if I would.”
Ah, I get it. Colin snaps his fingers and Jen comes running. I can sort of relate.
Focusing all my attention on my phone again, I type out a quick message to my hunkalicious boyfriend.
You should come and watch me dance.
Where are you?
I tell him, ending it with, Want me to tell you what I’m wearing so you can find me?
Baby, I could find you anywhere is his immediate reply.
Smiling so hard my cheeks hurt, I tuck my phone into the front pocket of my jeans and smile at Jen. “Let’s go upstairs.”