21 Days

by Bethany Lopez

  I grabbed Scott into a bear hug and said, “Long time no see.”

  “Yeah,” Scott replied, his eyes shifting to Victoria. “We’ll have to make some time to get together.”

  My ears perked up at the sound of heels walking across the floor inside, and I turned so I could watch Sasha join the party. She was a force to be reckoned with. Tall, stacked, and curvy like only a woman can be, her long red hair was curly and wild, and she always looked dressed to impress. The girl knew how to make an entrance, and I had always enjoyed watching her. She was feisty and loud, and I loved to give her shit, because I knew she could take it as well as she could dish it out.

  I wasn’t disappointed. Sasha was dressed for work, and while Victoria made business attire look painful, Sasha made it look powerful. She wore a black pencil skirt with a flowing top the color of emeralds, which made her hair and eyes pop. She was magnificent, and my body responded immediately, just like it always did when Sasha was in a ten-mile radius. We’d been fighting and flirting for the past eight years, but had never taken our relationship past friendship.

  Sasha made her way around the crowd, kissing and hugging as she went from person to person. When she got to Victoria, she leaned in and gave her an air kiss on each cheek. I bit back a chuckle; even her actions were laced with sarcasm.

  I noticed she held on a few minutes longer when hugging Brock, and tried to squash the annoyance that ran through me. I could never be mad at Sasha for being herself. Hell … she was like to female version of me, but I did get pissed at the guys she sometime associated with. I knew she could do so much better. Not that Brock wasn’t a good dude, her lingering just didn’t sit well with me.

  When she turned to me, I gave her a grin and said, “Lookin’ good, Red.”

  She smiled back saucily and said, “Don’t you know it,” before leaning in to give me a kiss on the cheek.

  “Does anyone need a drink?” Shelly asked from the doorway. She looked fresh and happy with her brown hair pulled back into a ponytail and a simple summer dress flowing around her legs.

  “I’ll get it,” I responded as I walked back inside and followed her into the kitchen.

  I pulled a beer out of the six pack in the fridge, twisting the cap and throwing it in the little yellow trash can, then leaning on the counter to watch Shelly plate up pinwheels. They were delicious little spicy bites of heaven that Shelly always made when we got together. She knew how much I loved them.

  “Do you need help?” I asked.

  Shelly looked over her shoulder at me. “No, but I could use a taste tester.”

  “I’m your man,” I replied, smiling when she giggled at me. “It’s good to see you so happy, Shel.” I said as I popped the offered pinwheel into my mouth.

  She just smiled brightly at me and asked, “Well?”

  “Perfect as always,” I replied after I swallowed the bite.

  “How are you doing, TJ?” Shelly asked, turning to lean back against the counter. Her eyes searched my face. “I know this is going to be a tough time for both you and Cal. With you losing the apartment, do you need a place to stay? You know you are always welcome here.”

  I felt my heart squeeze, not just at her thoughtfulness, but at the reminder that I would once again be homeless.

  “That’s sweet, Shel, but I’m not going to intrude on you guys like that. I’ll figure something out.”

  Shelly frowned. “TJ … You could never be an intrusion. You’re our friend, our family, you’re always welcome to stay with us.”

  I felt my heart begin to pound at her words, and I worried that I would do something totally embarrassing, like start to cry. I shuffled my feet, and looked up eagerly when I heard Sasha heading our way, hoping for a distraction. I should have known better.

  “What’s going on in here?” Sasha asked, taking in our expressions when she entered the kitchen.

  “We were just talking about the fact that the shop is closing, so not only will TJ and Cal be out of a job, but TJ is losing his apartment. I was telling him he should stay here with Cal and I until he finds a place,” Shelly offered.

  Sasha looked at me, and I’m sure she read the panic all over my face, as well as my need to flee this conversation.

  “I’ve got that extra bedroom, Shel, so TJ’s gonna stay with me,” Sasha said matter of factly.

  What the fuck was she talking about? Sasha and I hadn’t seen each other in a couple weeks, so as far as I knew, this was the first she was hearing of mine and Cal’s plight. I guessed she understood that I wouldn’t want to stay with Cal and Shelly, so she was giving me an out.

  “That’s wonderful, Sasha,” Shelly gushed, appeased at the fact that I wouldn’t be living out of a cardboard box.

  I skirted my way out of the kitchen, eager to get back to the guys and talk about sports or something.

  I was almost home free when Sasha grabbed my arm before I reached the back door. I turned and looked at her. She looked serious, all evidence of the early flirting and joking gone.

  “I mean it, TJ, I have an extra room. This is the first I’ve heard that your shop is closing, and I’m sorry. I know you, TJ, and I know that you won’t consider staying with Cal and Shelly because they’re just getting things worked out, and now that Scott and Victoria,” she said Victoria’s name with a grimace,” are still getting married, you won’t want to stay there … I don’t think you would even ask Gaby or me, so I’m offering … Stay with me.”

  I cocked my eyebrow at her and prepared to say something sarcastic to lighten the situation, but she put her hand up to stop me. “Don’t. All joking aside, you’re one of my best friends, TJ. You need a place to stay, and I have extra room. It makes sense. Stay with me until you get on your feet.”

  “I don’t want to be some bum on your couch, Sasha,” I replied honestly. “What if I have a hard time finding another job, and can’t pull together enough cash to get a new place anytime soon? I don’t want to feel like I’m taking advantage, or you to start to feel like I’m wearing out my welcome.”

  “So how about we set a time limit? How long do you think it’ll take for you to find another place? How long would you be comfortable staying with me?” Sasha asked.

  I closed my eyes, unable to believe that I was going to take Sasha up on her offer. I hated to feel like a burden, especially to my friends, but I didn’t really have any other choice.

  “Twenty-one days,” I replied, opening my eyes and looking into hers. “I’ll be out of your hair in twenty-one days.”

  Sasha nodded and gave me a big smile, turning to go back to Shelly. I caught her arm, waiting for her to turn and look me in the eye again before saying, “Thanks, Red.”

  Chapter 4 – Sasha

  I took the throw pillows off the bed and put them neatly in the chest at the foot of the bed. I slid my hands along the dark bedspread, smoothing it out and enjoying the feel of the material underneath my hands, as I looked around the room and smiled. Not too girly, but neat and put-together enough to feel welcoming. I hoped TJ would be comfortable here, whether it was for one night, or twenty-one.

  I picked up the air freshener, spraying a few more squirts of the apple-cinnamon scent then walking out and closing the door behind me. The rest of my place was clean as usual, but I’d wanted to change the bedding and make sure everything was ready for TJ to move in. It had been a long time since anyone used the guest room, other than one hot night with a bouncer I’d brought home from a club, so I wanted to make sure that it felt fresh and clean.

  I padded barefoot through my house, tiding up and spraying the air freshener as I walked. I’d only spoken to TJ briefly since the BBQ at Shelly and Cal’s, and I’d told him to meet me here by six, so I could give him a key and make sure he was settled before I went out on my date tonight. I was meeting one of my competitors for dinner and drinks, and, although I hated leaving TJ alone on his first night, I couldn’t afford to lose my edge with Clark.

  I was checking my hair and makeup in t
he mirror when I heard a knock at the door.

  “Hey, TJ,” I said as I opened the door.

  He stood there looking almost nervous, but flashed me his killer grin and replied, “Hey, Red.”

  I looked down at the duffel bag in his hand.

  “Do you need help with the rest of your stuff?”

  “Nope,” TJ replied, lifting the bag and saying, “This is everything.”

  I looked from the bag in his hand to his face in shock.

  “TJ, that can’t be everything. What about the rest of your clothes … Shoes … Toiletries?”

  TJ chuckled.

  “Everything I need is right in here. Can I come in?”

  “Oh,” I said, still baffled at his lack of belongings. I stepped aside and waved him in. “Come on in.”

  “The place looks great as always, Sash,” TJ said as he looked around. “Thanks again for letting me stay.”

  “Of course,” I replied. “I’ll show you to your room.”

  I walked passed TJ and felt his eyes on me as he followed behind. I opened the door and stepped aside, allowing him to enter the room first.

  TJ walked in and placed his bag on top of the dresser, looking around and turning to me, his hands in his pockets. “This is more than perfect.”

  I smiled, happy that he was here, and that I had the means to help a friend when he needed it. I’d often felt burdened by my parents’ money and the life that they’d chosen to live, but in times like this, I was grateful to have it. TJ and I didn’t always see eye to eye, and we loved to tease each other, but when it came down to it, he was one of the most important people in my life.

  “Great, well … I’ll let you get settled. I’ve put the spare key on the counter in the kitchen, and there’s food in the fridge, make yourself at home. I shouldn’t be home too late. We can go over rules of the house when I get back.”

  TJ followed me out of the spare room and into mine. I sat on the bed to put on my shoes and he asked, “What if I break one of the rules of the house without knowing it? Shouldn’t I know what the rules are now?”

  I caught his smile as I stood and shrugged on my tailored suit jacket.

  “How about I hit up the important ones now, and we can discuss the rest later?” I suggested, my eyebrow raised.

  “Sounds good.”

  I nodded and held up one perfectly manicured finger. “First, put the toilet seat down. The last thing I need is to wake up in the middle of the night and fall ass first into your piss. Second, no jacking off in my bed … for obvious reasons.” TJ couldn’t hide his grin at that, but I didn’t return it. “Third, no chicks in my house. I know you’re single, but please … go to their house to have sex. I don’t want this to become your love den.”

  “Love den?” TJ asked with a chuckle. “Alright, Red, I can handle those terms. So, what about you?”

  “What do you mean?” I asked, picking up my purse as I got ready to leave. “What about me?”

  “Well, you’re going on some hot date right now. Do I need to make myself scarce and put in some ear buds, so as not to interrupt the wild monkey sex?”

  I punched him lightly on the arm.

  “You aren’t going to interrupt …”

  “Oh, so you want me to participate?” he countered, wiggling his eyebrows.

  I stopped in my tracks and gave him a dirty look, then shrugged.

  “I guess I walked right into that one,” I responded with a laugh. “No, TJ, I’m not going to bring home some guy while you’re here. I said no girls for you, and there will be no guys for me.”

  “This is your place, Red, I don’t expect you to stop living your life because I’m here,” TJ replied, his face serious.

  “It’s not a big deal. Besides, how weird would it be if I brought some guy home and you were in the other room.” I shuddered just thinking about it. “Totally inappropriate.”

  I fluffed out my hair and gave TJ a kiss on the cheek. “See you later!”

  “Have a good night, Red.”

  “You too, TJ,” I said, turning to give him a smile before I left. “I’m happy you’re here.”

  “Me too,” he replied with a wink, then gave me a small wave with his fingers as I walked out the door.

  Chapter 5 – TJ

  Once Sasha left, I put the contents of my bag into the dresser and the bathroom in the hall. Two minutes later, I was walking around checking out her digs. I’d been to Sasha’s place a few times since she moved in, although it wasn’t normally the place we all chose to hang out. More often than not, we started at our local bar, then ended up at Scott’s or Cal’s. Sasha had always been pretty private about her space. I knew she enjoyed having the finer things in life, but she’d always shied away from flaunting it, even in high school. We may have gone to her house once back in those days, and it was so awkward, we never went back. Most of our time was spent at Cal’s parent’s place, until we’d ventured out on our own.

  I looked at the pictures on the mantel. There were various shots of the six of us, in different places, and in different combinations. Some of just the girls, some just the guys, and a few of all of us together. The memories that surfaced as I perused them brought a smile to my face, but my smile dropped when I realized there were none of Sasha’s parents.

  I guess in that way, we were a lot alike. Although our upbringings couldn’t have been more different, neither of us had family that we claimed, at least none that meant as much to us as our friends did.

  I made my way to the kitchen and opened the fridge. There was soy milk, yogurt, fresh fruits and vegetables, and a lot of other healthy shit. I was definitely going to have to hit up the store sooner rather than later.

  I grabbed my keys and headed out.

  Twenty minutes later I was back with a package of hot dogs, some buns, a bag of pretzels, and a six pack of beer. After I ate my dinner and cleaned up, I picked a movie out of Sasha’s collection and settled down with my beer to relax. I tried not to think about everything I had to do the next day: a painting job in the morning with Brock, followed by searching for a place to live and a new job. When the opening song began to play, I let the stress melt away and let myself get caught up in the story.

  I was chuckling over an exchange between Judd Nelson and Molly Ringwald when Sasha walked in the door. I looked up at the clock and back at her in surprise.

  “You home already?”

  Sasha closed the door behind her and shrugged. “Yeah, it was more of a business thing than an actual date. Besides, Clark’s a total douche … It’s one of those keep your enemies closer things.” She walked over, then squealed when she looked at the TV. “Breakfast Club? Pause it, I’m gonna go get changed."

  I laughed quietly as she barreled toward her bedroom, pulling her shoes off as she swung the door closed behind her. I pressed pause and got up to get another beer. Since I was there, I pulled the chilled bottle of white wine out of the fridge and poured a glass for Sasha.

  I was placing our drinks on coasters when she came rushing back out. I laughed when she jumped onto the couch and tucked her legs behind her with a big smile on her face. Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun and she was wearing pink plaid pajama pants with a pink tank top. She looked adorable.

  “Ready?” I asked, holding up the remote and aiming it at the TV.

  “Yes,” Sasha said enthusiastically. “I can’t believe you’re watching this!”

  “Why not? We used to get together and have John Hughes viewing parties all the time.”

  “I know, but I always figured you guys just came to those because you were trying to impress the girls and get laid,” she said with a grin.

  “Well … We were. Of course we were, we were teenage guys, but I also love John Hughes,” I replied. “It was a win win.”

  Sasha laughed, delighted, then gestured toward the TV. “Start it already.”

  I started the movie back up, and when Sasha stretched out, I picked up her foot and started massaging it without ev
en thinking. I rubbed her foot absently as I watched, laughing when Ally Sheedy poured the Pixie Sticks on her sandwich.

  This movie was a classic.

  Sasha pulled her feet back and sat up, reaching for her wine. “Thanks,” she said with a smile before she took a sip.

  I tipped my head and leaned over to grab my beer.

  We sat back and, when Sasha sat closer to me, I moved my arm to the back of the couch so she could lean against me, then I dropped my hand to her arm. After a few minutes, I heard Sasha’s breathing even out, and knew she had dozed off. She always seemed to move at warp speed, and when she crashed, she crashed hard. As her breathing got deeper, she started to slip, and before I knew it, her head was in my lap. My body responded before my head even registered what had happened.

  “Shit,” I hissed as I tried to slip a pillow in between Sasha’s head and my now hard dick.

  When I had the pillow tucked safely between us, I tried to relax and focus on the movie again, but my brain was no longer functioning, and I was suddenly very aware of the fact that Sasha’s ample cleavage was peeking out of her tiny pink tank top. The movie forgotten, I ran my eyes from her French manicured toes, along her long legs, and back to her breasts.

  Stop! This is Sasha, asshole.

  I ripped my gaze from her and back to the TV, trying to focus on Ally Sheedy’s makeover. The last few minutes seemed to last forever, and when the credits finally rolled, I was ready to mimic Judd Nelson’s fist pump.

  “Hey, Red,” I said softly as I shook her shoulder. “The movie’s over, time for bed.”

  I clenched my teeth as I watched her stretch as her eyelashes fluttered open.

  “I fell asleep?” she asked groggily.

  “Yeah, why don’t you head on to bed? I’ll turn the TV off and clean this stuff up,” I said, motioning to the drinks on her coffee table.