East Down South

by Eliza Freer

  PAUL: Probably Tony himself. he’s really excited you’re coming. he might have a little crush on you.

  ME: No thank you please. new goal for tomorrow. finding tony a girl.

  RILEY: Ha

  BLAKE: Easier said than done.

  SIMON: Hard to top you east

  ME: Awwwwwwww. okay. see you tomorrow

  PAUL: ;)

  RILEY: xo

  BLAKE: Till then babe

  SIMON: Peace

  I roll my eyes at my boys. Tomorrow’s gonna be a big day.

  Chapter 21

  The next afternoon I drive to Tassie’s to pick her up for a mystery date. Tassie’s mystery dates usually consist of mall visits, frozen yogurt or movies so I’m never very concerned when it comes to letting her call the shots. I pull up to Tassie’s and she’s waiting on her front porch for me.

  “Yankee! I haven’t seen Cory P in ages! I forget you even have a car. Or know how to drive. Or have a driver’s license.” Tassie teases as she bounces down to my car.

  “Okay Schecky. I would tell you Cory has missed you too, but with all the attitude you’re flashing, I think I’ll withhold my car’s affection from you. Consider her the automobile equivalent of Lucille Bluth.” Cory P is my car’s name. Cory because it’s a Corolla, and P because it’s purple. We’re remarkably original.

  Tassie laughs. “Unless there’s a flask hidden somewhere in here, Cory has nothin’ on Lucille.”

  I sigh and start to pull away from her curb. “Fair enough. Where are we headed by the way?”

  Tassie rubs her hands together. “Well. I thought maybe we’d do something a little different today.”

  I put my car back in park and turn to face her. “Tass. I have to be at Wilder’s at six. I don’t have time to sky dive, bungee jump, or ride in a hot air balloon. So, how different are we talkin’?”

  Tassie smacks me on the arm. “Chill out Evel Kinievel. I am thrilled those things are on a list of activities you and I will do someday, but no, I made us reservations at Meditations Spa where we will be massaged, salted and scrubbed into utter bliss and relaxation. It’ll be a perfect way to kick off your exciting night of both Wilder and a bar full of rowdy boys.”

  I grab Tassie’s head and give her a big kiss on the cheek. “God, you’re brilliant. Lead the way best friend of mine!”

  Tassie plugs the address into my navigation, which lets us know we’re only thirty minutes away from the most relaxing afternoon I’ve had in months. “Oh, by the way. I booked us all couples treatments because I refuse to not spend every minute with you, so, ya know, if they ask.”

  I laugh. “Tass, I don’t think it’s a prerequisite that we have to be a couple to have couple’s treatments. However, I’d be lucky to have you.”

  Tassie winks at me. "Bitch you wish. So, tell me. What’s the deal with tonight?”

  “Well, Dad’s dropping me at Wilder’s around sixish, and the guys will be there to grab me at like eight forty-five. Paul and Simon have yet to meet Wilder so they’ve stated they’re going to come in and group intimidate him, but we’ll see about that.”

  Tassie barks out a laugh. “Oh, please. Simon and Paul are like pussycats. He’s already met Riley and Blake and they’re the real threat anyway, so he’s safe.”

  I nod and chuckle. “Agreed. But I can’t exactly tell Sy and P that they need the year to bone up on their intimidation lessons. I’m sure by the time they’re the captains they’ll be able to intimidate their fair share of people.”

  Tassie narrows her eyes. “Debatable, but okay. So, what are you wearing?”

  I sigh. “I don’t know. That’s why before I take you home today you’re going to help me pick out an outfit. Food’s on me after the spa as a bribe.”

  Tassie lets out an over dramatic sigh. “Must I do EVERYTHING for you? Fine, fine. But I want burgers and fries and shakes. Be ready to pony up.”

  I smile. “Deal. But, yeah, so tonight I’m hanging with Wilder and probably Kyle for a couple hours before people get to his house for the party. I haven’t met any of his friends outside of Kyle, if he has them, which he claims he does, so this should be interesting. Now that we’re “official” and I’m the girlfriend it should be a good boyfriend theft deterrent dependent upon how many female friends he has.”

  Tassie nods. “Which, by the looks of that man of yours, I’d say he has quite a few female “friends” who will all hate you immediately.”

  I punch her. “Thanks. You don’t think he’s the guy that hooks up with all his female friends do you?”

  Tassie shakes her head. “No, Yankee, I don’t. I just mean, some girls become friends with guys waiting for the guy to open his eyes and date them. I mean, guys do it too. You’ve got a whole football team doing that with you, so. Fair’s fair.”

  I grunt. “Um. No. None of my guys are waiting for me to date them. They’re family. They’ve known me for almost three years and they’re my protectors and friends, and it’s definitely not like that.”

  Tassie rolls her eyes. “Whatever you say. Whose birthday is it tonight?”

  “Tony’s. He’s one of the offensive lineman. Reddish-brown hair. Light brown eyes. Dimples.”

  Tassie nods. “Right, right. Now, that guy, he definitely has a crush on you. This is what, his twenty-first?”

  I nod. “Yes. And, I’d say hell no he doesn’t have a crush on me, but Paul actually mentioned he might have a crush on me, so I’ll give you that one. Although, my new goal is getting him a girl to dissuade him from that delusion.” I squeal. “Tass! What are you doing tonight? Wanna go to a guy’s twenty-first birthday?”

  Tassie chokes out a laugh. “Um. Not only am I leaving in two weeks, but you think I wanna step in the middle of a mess like that? No thank you madam.”

  I sigh. “Some friend you are.”

  “Yankee. Even if he did, you know that none of those boys would let him date you. In their minds none of them will ever be Easton Collins worthy, so the fact that Ry and B have met Wilder and are still cool with you dating him is kinda a miracle.”

  My jaw drops. “Okay with me dating him? What the hell does that mean? They don’t get a say!”

  Tassie’s eyes widen. “Seriously? Of course they do! They have something to say about everyone you spend time with. Now, whether you listen to them or not is another story, but let’s not pretend like they haven’t eighty-sixed some guys in the past. Hell, they’re the reason so many guys stay away from you in general.”

  I scoff. “They always liked you. They never tried to get in between us.”

  “East, we were friends before you were all tight with them, so that doesn’t really count. Plus, I’m fabulous and there’s nothing to find wrong with me, so they’d have no leg to stand on.”

  I shake my head and Tassie puts her hand on my arm. “But, in all seriousness. Since I won’t be around much for the next four years, I’m actually really glad you have them and their overprotective overeager personalities.”

  I laugh. “Yeah, I know. I am under no delusion that they haven’t made my dating life harder. But, I mean, in fairness it’s not like I’ve been dating girl since I got here, so they haven’t had to run tons of interference.”

  Tassie laughs so hard she tears up. “Austin Jennings, Drake McGuire, Thomas Harris all wanted you, all in junior year ALONE, and you’re telling me none of those guys ever asked for a second date because you’re not brilliant? I don’t think so. You let those guys know who you were going out with and they were disappeared from your life.”

  “They’re not the mafia, Tass! You’re giving them way, way too much credit.” I spear Tassie with a friendly glare. “Don’t forget who my dad is. He’s a scary sonofabitch when he wants to be, and one Dad talk from him doesn’t encourage repeat customers.”

  “You are adorably naive, East.”

  “Well, they’ll be encouraged by the level of badassness you attribute to them. But let’s walk this through. The likelihood that a boy is scared off bec
ause of my intense, lovable father, or that the Hamilton University football team treks down to GCHS to intimate a boy about to go on a date with their coach’s daughter.” I turn to face Tassie, keeping one eye on the road.

  Tassie twists her mouth back and forth. “Okay, I take your point. As long as you admit to me, it probably didn’t HELP matters.”

  “Fine. I concede that point. But what does suck is that Drake and I got to first base even before we went out and he was a great kisser. He did avoid me after that. Honestly, I always thought it was because I beat him in bowling and he was that insecure.” I purse my lips together. “I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse.”

  Tassie chuckles. “He was hot.”

  I squint. “What is it with guys and bowling, anyway? Is it some underhanded way to get a girl thinking about their balls or something?”

  Tassie scrunches her nose. “Yuck.”

  I shrug. “If so, they’re very misguided. Balls are gross, and bowling is the worst. They should get more creative. Watching a hot dog eating contest, maybe?”

  Tassie laughs. “I thought you couldn’t watch those. Something about not understanding how they can dip the buns into Kool-Aid.”

  I shudder. “Don’t remind me.” I gag. “So, so gross. I can’t even eat soggy cereal.”

  I pull into the spa parking lot and find a space close to the entrance. I shut off my car and Tassie turns to me. “Back on topic, take the win the team loves you. Smack them all later for making your dating life harder, but you have Wilder now so what’s it matter?”

  I unbuckle my seat belt and hop out of the car. Once Tassie is out I lock the doors with the clicker on my keys. “I guess. Don’t think we won’t talk about your boyfriends in high school. In what order are our treatments?”

  Tassie claps her hands together. “Well! First we are massaged, then salted, then scrubbed. I think. I think massaged first because like toxins come out of your skin or something and then you scrub it away. Like energy or chi or something.”

  I laugh and link my arm with Tassie’s. “You’re so precise and scientific! I love it!”

  Tassie and I enter the spa and she gives them our names. They direct us to the giant pitcher of cucumber and grapefruit water and tell us to hydrate to help with the massages. We sip our waters for a few minutes before two very handsome men walk into the waiting area and lead us back to the couple’s massage room. Tassie and I undress and get under our sheets.

  My masseur, Dirk, is a tattooed giant of a man who has the best hands I’ve ever felt on my body ever. Yes, ever. Tassie’s masseur, James, is just as big as Dirk but much more clean shaven and put together. Tucked in polo shirt and brown belt where Dirk’s shirt hangs loose over his dark wash jeans that do lovely things for his leg muscles. It’s probably sexist to ogle your masseur, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with appreciating beauty.

  I gasp and stick one arm up, disrupting Dirk. “Brandt Robinson!” I cackle, sounding a bit deranged.

  Tassie gasps back. “Boo! No! Me talking about guys you never had a second date with is nothing like making out with Brandt Robinson one time in the Star Lab because I was bored.”

  I laugh. I can tell Dirk is trying to keep me still. James doesn’t seem super happy with Tassie either. “You made out with him a month before prom knowing he had a crush on you. I mean he told EVERYONE you guys were going together, Tass. He cut his hair because you said you think men with short hair are sexier. And his hair hung down to his shoulders. Talk about being into you.”

  Tassie snorts. “He did look better with that short hair. So, I did him a solid there. I did feel bad about that though. But I had the oldest date at the junior prom.”

  I feel Dirk’s hands still on my back. I glance up. “He was twenty. Don’t worry. He wasn’t someone’s dad or something.”

  Tass groans. “Wow, East, that’s gross. Yes, Mr. Magic Hands, he was a friend in college. Not like the dad of someone I babysat for.”

  I take a deep breath, hoping to calm myself down and not irritate Dirk any longer. It doesn’t last too long as I whistle at Tassie. “Hey. Remember Jamie Jameson? You told him you’d let him get to second base if he, alone, did that home ec project where you take home the crying baby. Very maternal of you.” I groan. “I hated that baby.”

  Tassie snorts out a laugh. “I would’ve rather have done the home ec project. Jamie kissed like he was putting my mouth through a car wash.” She shudders at the memory then lifts both of her hands out to the side of her body and wiggles her fingers. “He had this nervous disorder where his skin would peel off his hands. I think I had his skin cells on my bra even after a couple washes.”

  I gag. “Tassie! Okay, memory lane is closed.” I shudder. “Sorry, Dirk and James.”

  Our gentle giants say nothing in return.

  After we’ve moaned and groaned our way through an hour of massage therapy, we’re headed to the baths where Tassie and I choose the scents of the salt baths we want to soak in. Lavender Camomile for Tassie, Vanilla Jasmine for me. I nearly doze off relaxing in the warm water. After another forty-five minutes, we’re ushered to our final room, the body scrub. We each stick with the scents we’d previously chosen, and after I’ve been scrubbed from head to toe, my skin feels buttery smooth.

  As Tassie and I walk out of the spa almost three hours later she rubs her hands down my arms. “Girl Wilder is going to go crazy for how soft you are.” She sniffs me. “Let alone that you smell like ambrosia. It’s too bad you have a party to go to tonight or you’d definitely be getting some.”

  I smile as I unlock my car and we slide inside. “Who’s to say I won’t go back to Wilder’s after Tony’s party?”

  Tassie whoops in the passenger seat and plugs my home address into the GPS. “Get it, girl!”

  We gab about Tassie’s packing, her classes she’ll be taking once she gets to Boston, and her plans to attack the dating scene essentially as soon as she steps foot on campus. I don’t put it past her. Tassie’s got skills. I grabbed us enough food to feed four people from a drive-through and we make ourselves comfortable at the kitchen counter. After we finish way too much food, we head upstairs to assess my wardrobe situation.

  “Okay. So.” Tassie throws clothes from my closet onto my bed. “Dark wash skinny jeans. The ones with the rips and the Union Jack flag underneath. White v-neck t-shirt and…” She taps her foot on the floor while I watch her from my bed. “And your oversized boyfriend red tuxedo looking jacket thing.”

  I twist my head to the side. “You sure? Is that too fancy?”

  Tassie sighs. “Yankee you’re pairing it with ripped jeans and a white t-shirt. It’s perfect. If you want to complete the red, white and blue ensemble you can wear those blue suede boots. If not, your black motorcycle boots work too.”

  I dart into my closet and grab my black motorcycle boots. “These work for me just fine, thank you.” I glance at the clock. It’s already nearly five. “Help me finish getting ready? I don’t have tons of time.”

  Tassie nods giddily. “Definitely. Plus, you don’t even need to shower which will save us so much time. I trust you with your hair, you can do that curl wave thing, but I get to do your make-up.”

  I roll my eyes. “Fine. Let’s go.”

  Forty-five minutes later after being poked and prodded by Tassie, my dad yells up the stairs. “East, kiddo, we’ve gotta go if you want to be at Wilder’s at six.”

  I yell back “Okay, Pops, just a minute.”

  I quickly shoot off a text to Wilder.

  ME: Leaving my house now. Will be to you in fifteen.

  WILDER: See you soon kitten

  I roll my eyes at the use of kitten and turn to face Tassie. “Final looks. You approve?”

  Tassie nods her head hard. “Oh, yes, definitely. Now, since we spent all our time on you, how am I getting home?”

  I toss her my car keys. “Take Cory P. and I’ll get her from you tomorrow or the next day. That cool?”

&
nbsp; Tassie tosses the keys up in the air again and catches them. “Right-o chica.” She tosses me my cell phone, house key, credit card, ID and cash. “Essentials. Be sure you’re set.”

  I stuff my pockets and we run down the stairs where my dad is waiting by the front door. Tassie hugs my dad and kisses me on the cheek. “Okay, well just text me. Let me know about your night and when you want Cory.”

  I nod and give her a hug. “Deal.” I turn to face Dad as Tassie runs out the door. “Let’s hit the road, Pops.”

  Dad rolls his eyes and we head out the front door to his car. I pause on the front porch while he locks the door. “Hey, so. Please be careful tonight. I know you’re surrounded by people who make sure you’re safe, but I have to say it. It’s illegal if I don’t, I think.”

  I narrow my eyes at my dad. “I think maybe you should audit a law or criminology class. You need a refresher on the legal system.”

  Dad unlocks the car and we hop in. He inputs Wilder’s address into his GPS, and we head out. “Did I ever tell you I wanted to be a lawyer at one point?”

  My jaw drops. “No! Why did you decide not to do that?”

  Dad scoffs. “Well, first off, I was eight. But then I found out I’d have to go to school for way too long, and work eighteen hour days in an office. Right after that I jumped to a more sensible career path.”

  “College football coach?”

  Dad laughs. “No. Archaeologist.”

  “Um. What?”

  “Truthfully, I just wanted to research dinosaurs. I guess research is the wrong word. I wanted to talk about and deal exclusively with dinosaurs and that seemed like it fit.”

  “And then you realized that’s not what an archaeologist does?”

  Dad nods. “Yep. One visit to the Natural History Museum and those dreams went up in smoke. Then I was going to be a pro football player, and then I had probably three more dream careers before I stuck to football coach. I was once quite professionally ambitious.”

  I laugh. “Well I think you chose right.” I point to a blue house as we pull onto Wilder’s street. “It’s that one. He said blue house.”