I wore the wrong outfit for tonight. Nic and I have to cancel girls’ night because of how busy the bar is going to get with it being Ladies’ Night and with some employees calling in sick. Shawn came early to hang out but was quickly put to work. Nic is in her office making change so I take this opportunity to go change before the main rush comes in.
“Nic, I need to run home,” I rush out, trying to keep a watch at the bar and talk to her.
“Why?” She looks up from the desk with a confused face.
“I have to change. This isn’t the best outfit to be working out there.”
“Why? You’re going to kill in tips tonight.”
“I’m not wearing underwear, and I don’t want to bend over and show everyone my pussy.” Nicarra opens the bottom drawer of her desk and tosses me a pair of red lace panties. I hold them up. “Are these even clean?”
“Yes.” Nic rolls her eyes. I slip on the underwear and feel a lot better about bartending. I sit down on a case of beer bottles to talk to Nic. “Cash is coming tonight with his wife.” I was busy last year when she first came to town so I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting her. Cash and I have had lunch a few times and he just gushes about her. I usually roll my eyes at him because it’s always, “Abby this, Abby that, and baby coming.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting her.”
“You’re going to love the whole group. I guess from what Shawn was saying they all moved here.”
“Kind of like us, huh?” She nods, I stand up to start leaving the office. “I better get back out there before Carl and Missy destroy the bar.” My hand is on the knob, but I’m frozen when Nicarra starts talking to me.
“What’s going on with you? You seem distracted.”
“What do you mean?” I act stupid.
“Reagan, your eyes are pleading to talk. It’s like you need to talk but are afraid to do it.”
“Nic, I do need to talk, but we’re just too busy to talk right now. Can we do lunch one-day next week? I really need you, Cash, and Shawn.” I sniffle trying to stop the tears from flowing. Nicarra comes behind me and hugs me tight.
“I love you and we’re here for you.” I nod because I can’t speak. After a few minutes, we head out to start our busy night.
“Reggy!” I hear my nickname coming from the voice of Cash who has a big smile on his face.
“Cash, how the hell are you?” I move from behind the bar to give him hug. He squeezes back. I hear someone clearing her throat.
“Reagan, this is my beautiful and sexy wife, Abby. Abby, this is the fourth member of my closest friends, Reagan or Reggy, as I call her.”
“Abby, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Nicarra, Cash, and Shawn can’t stop talking about you.” Abby is looking me up and down not sure what to think about me. “I heard a lot about you, but apparently not everything.” Oh, boy. She doesn’t like me already, and I hope this doesn’t prevent Cash and me from being friends.
“All righty then, I need to get back behind the bar. It was nice meeting you finally. Cash better treat you well, or I’ll castrate him.” Cash covers up his manhood and laughs. He leans in to kiss my cheek. I don’t know if he is stupid or doesn’t realize that Abby doesn’t like me. Cash heads to the table first as I hear Abby say to the blonde chick standing next her, “Slut,” as they walk away. My heart drops. I look at my outfit, feel the tears starting to form, but before I can go to the office, I hear someone yelling my name.
I walk over to the bar to hear Shawn yelling my nickname as I get closer to see Max standing with him. I put a big smile on my face.
“Max! What are you doing here?” Shawn looks between the two of us as he wiggles his eyebrows at us. Shawn knows, he leaves to go find Nicarra, laughing, and I can hear her comments now.
“I’m here with Shawn, Cash, and my sister, Abby. What happened to your girls’ night?”
“Nicarra had some girls call off. Wait, your sister is Cash’s Abby?” Max nods and my stomach just flops. Abby hates me already, and what would she think about me fucking her brother?
“You know Cash?” Max points at me then motions behind him.
“Yeah, I grew up with these guys.”
“Reggy, huh?” I nod as I’m making drinks for the group of people standing at the bar.
“Oh, boy.”
“What?” I look up to meet his eyes. They twinkle as he watches me.
“No wonder Abby’s mad at Cash. He never told her that you and Nicarra are females.” My lips form an O as he talks about his sister and Cash. I feel bad for him, but he deserves it. “Abby is going to love you when she gets over the fact that your one sexy girl.” I shake my head at him. Shawn comes back over to us.
“What’s going on, babycakes?” Shawn laughs. He is getting drunk so he makes jokes and then laughs at them. They really aren’t that funny.
“You’re drunk. What do you want?”
“Another round, please, are you going to come join us?” I look over at the table and see the blonde and Abby staring at me.
“I don’t think I’m really welcomed over there tonight. So, I think I’ll stay behind the bar. I’ll get those drinks made for you.” Max peers over his shoulder to check out his friends and notices the looks from the two women at the table with Cash.
“You are always welcome with us. We are The Fantastic Foursome.” Shawn leans over the bar to give me a kiss on the cheek. I push him away to fill the drink orders.
I already have two strikes against me with Abby. One: not selling Books a Latte, and two: being a female that Cash didn’t mention. Max and I are just having fun, but why does my stomach churn at the thought of Abby not liking me?
Max
I can’t believe that Reagan is part of Cash’s circle. Abby is pissed that Reggy turned out to be another female just like Nic was last year. I let Reagan know that I’ll be back; I’m going to go over to try to save Cash from himself.
“I don’t care that she is a hot female. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Abby, I don’t think about Reagan and Nicarra as females, we’re friends.” Abby’s insecurities were starting to show, especially since she is pregnant and hormonal.
“Any more females I need to know about?”
“No, Abby.” Cash sighed loudly, and I can tell he’s getting annoyed with her. “Reagan, Nicarra, and Shawn are the only friends I keep close in my life.” I look up to see Reagan coming over with drinks and the appetizers we ordered.
“Here you go, three beers, one Cosmo and a Sprite. Also, here are the cheese sticks with extra ranch, potato skins, and fried pickles. Do you need anything else while I’m here?”
“Reagan, I’m sorry for Abby’s reaction earlier,” Cash speaks up, but not before getting a dirty look from Abby. I hide my smile behind my beer as take a drink. “Abby assumed you were a dude since I never really called you Reagan.”
“You never told her that I was a female?”
“Nope,” is all Abby can say. I think she’s more embarrassed for the way she reacted earlier when they first met.
“Oh. Well, I’m sorry, Abby, but that’s on him, not me. I understand your shock, but I didn’t deserve you and your friend over there calling me a slut under your breath. These two guys are family, and I have never once thought about having sex with them. We’re going to see each other because I am a part of Cash’s life, and he is a big part of my nephew’s life. So get over yourself and keep your damn comments to yourself.” Reagan turns and walks away from us. I watch her walk into the office.
“What a bitch,” Sarah says.
“Nope, that’s Reagan. She’s head on when it comes to her relationships in her life. Like it or not, she’ll tell you how it is. I can’t believe the two of you called her a slut. Abby, I accepted your friends as my friends. I never once called them names or made them feel unwanted. Why would you do that to my friend?” Cash starts to get up to go check on Reagan.
“I’ll go check on her. You deal with this.” I point to
Sarah and Abby. He nods, but I can tell he wants to get away for a few minutes. Shawn leans into Cash to say something. Nicarra points to a door which I assume is the office.
“Reagan?” I poke my head into the office. It’s more of a storage room. There are boxes of liquor, beer bottles, and a small desk in the corner. Reagan is sitting on the desk, crying.
“Please leave,” Reagan says in-between the sobs and hiccups.
“Come here. Don’t push me away.” I sit next to her on the desk as I put my arm around her. She leans into me and cries. “Shhh. Just let it all out.” Reagan cries for a few minutes then looks up at me with bloodshot eyes, mascara running down her face, and snot coming out of her nose. I grab the tissues then hand it to them.
“I’m sorry. You should go back to your friends and sister.”
“Cash and Abby are talking things out. You need me more than she does.”
“I can’t believe I told your sister off. I’m going to lose my best friend.” Reagan starts to pant faster as the tears come again.
“Why do you think that you’re losing Cash?”
“If Abby doesn’t like me, he will stop coming around, won’t be allowed to see me. I’ve had it happen before, and I can’t lose him. Jonathan can’t lose him. “
“Baby, you’re not losing anyone. I promise. Abby and Sarah were being catty because of her insecurities from when we were growing up. I think you and Abby are going to be really close once tonight is over.”
“I hope so. Wait until she finds out that we’re dating. Oh, boy, is she going to really hate me.”
“We’re dating?” I tilt my head toward her with a smirk on my face.
“Umm, sorry. No, we’re just neighbors having fun.” She tries to get out of my hold. I tuck a stray hair behind her hair as she stares at me, looking embarrassed.
“What if I want to take you out on date?”
“I might say yes.” Reagan laughs as she jumps off the desk to look at herself in the mirror. “Ugh, I look a mess.”
“You look beautiful.” She rolls her eyes at me. Our eyes connect through the mirror, and I wink at her. Reagan has me throwing out my own rule book. “You have to go back to the bar?”
“Yeah, I need to get cleaned up and head back there. I’m getting paid, and the tips are going to help me with my move.” I grab her hips to bring her back to me. I need to be touching her, kissing her, and making her realize that I want to be with her.
“Come back to Pennsylvania with me for the week. I’m assuming Granny J is actually Joan. Do you think she would watch Jonathan?”
“Why would you want me to go with you? I didn’t know you were leaving.” Reagan pouts so I kiss her nose.
“There is a friend, more like a mentor is who is dying from Alzheimer’s. I need to go say goodbye to him but I want to spend time with you. You’re not working, so it’s the perfect time. What do you say?”
“I can’t say yes or no without making arrangements for Jonathan. When do you leave?”
“We can leave tomorrow and drive.” Reagan smiles and nods.
“I need to get out there and get some work done. Thank you for being here with me.”
“I don’t want to be anywhere else.” I kiss her lips tenderly as her body melts into mine. We break apart, trying to catch our breath. We walk out together smiling, laughing, and holding hands.
She is mine, and I am hers. Now I just need to figure out what the hell that means.
Reagan
Max drops my hand as I head over to the bar. Nicarra and Shawn stop talking to watch us, but I ignore them, or at least try to as I take some drink orders.
“Care to explain that?”
“Not right now.” I smile at Nic trying to get her to realize that I’m not wanting to talk about it.
“I want to talk about it now.” I turn to see Nic standing next to me with her hands on her hips. There is no way that I can’t get out of this conversation.
“What do you want to know?”
“When? How? Where? Max?” I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Max is the guy who helped me with Creepy Chad that day I was late for pizza with you. Ever since that night, we’ve been hanging out, had a couple of sleepovers. He is someone that I like spending time with, and I guess we’re sorta dating.”
“What?”
“I’m not repeating myself.” It’s last call so we start cashing out all of the tabs, getting ready to close for the night. Max is sitting at the bar as I saunter over to him. “Can I help you?”
“What time do you get off?” Max’s smile lights up the room.
“Cheesy. Probably about three, why?”
“Want me to stick around?” I shake my head. “I don’t mind. I don’t want you here alone.”
“She isn’t alone, I’m here.” Nic comes over to stand next to me. She’s wiping the bar off, gathering the glasses that were left there.
“See, I’m not alone. Besides, Shawn stays to help us. He doesn’t want us here alone, either.”
“Am I still going to see you tonight?” Max asks me, playing with my fingers.
“Yeah, do you want me to knock on your door when I get back to the apartment building?”
“Sure.” Max seems disappointed by the furrowed brows and pouty lips that I don’t want him to wait around for me. I walk around the bar to stand in front of him, wrap my arms around his neck, and kiss him. “What was that for?”
“Just because. I think couples do that, but I’m rusty at this part.”
“Me too. Knock when you get home then I’ll come over.” He kisses me bye then walks out the door. I can’t hide my smile.
“Spill it.” Shawn’s sitting next to me. “I talked to my mom earlier tonight. She and Jonathan had a nice conversation. She told me to ask you what’s going on.” I sigh, frustrated.
“I got fired from my job so Jonathan and I are moving to the apartment above the bookstore.”
“Oh, honey, why did you get fired?”
“That’s the thing, I don’t know. I didn’t go to work on Friday, but I did call to let them know, because I was so emotionally spent and Jonathan needed me. Abby called me wanting to buy the bookstore, Max dropped a piece of paper that had ‘hire a private investigator to find Reagan Cramer’ on it. I flipped out and acted like a teenager and not a thirty-year-old woman, but I apologized to him and we told him about Kennedy. Jonathan was in no shape to go to school, and I wasn’t leaving him alone.”
“Wow. So you didn’t know Abby was Max’s sister and Cash’s wife?”
“Yeah, and now she hates me because Cash is an idiot, and I won’t sell to her. Jonathan wants me to reopen the store.”
“I bet that took you by surprise.” Nicarra hands me a glass of water.
“Yeah, he is mad at me for avoiding it.” Shawn grabs my hand to hold, giving me his support, his strength. Cash is the one who stayed with me for a month after Kennedy died to make sure I ate, and got Jonathan off to school. Don was no help whatsoever. Shawn is being that support now, and I’m thankful for The Fantastic Foursome. “Do you think Abby will like me?”
“Well, you’re dating her brother, won’t sell her your business, and her husband kept your gender a secret.” Nicarra’s laughing, and I can’t help but laugh too.
“I’m fucked.” I throw my rag on the bar and put my head down with it.
We finish cleaning then we walk to our cars.
“Max asked me to go to Pennsylvania with him for the week.”
“Go, I got Jonathan. I’ll stay at the apartment with him,” Shawn says as he opens my car door.
“You don’t think it’s sudden or crazy?”
“Yes, but you need to get away, and if you go, then you can see if this is something you both want.”
I hug Shawn tight. “I love you, you know that right?”
“Never doubted it. I’ll be over tomorrow afternoon with Jonathan. I’m headed to Mom’s house.” I wave bye to Shawn and Nicarra as I head home to see my man. I
knock on Max’s door to let him know that I’m home, and the door opens on its own. I walk in and say, “Max?” I look around to see candles lit on the counter, the coffee table, and entertainment stand, and “Don’t Close Your Eyes” by Keith Whitley plays softly in the background. I put my hand on my heart. No one has ever done this for me.
“Max?”
He comes out of his office with a smile on his face. “Hi.”
He grabs my hands to kiss me. He walks me over to the center of the living room, carefully moving the coffee table out of the way.
We dance to the music, our breathing in sync, his heart beating sounded through my ear that is laying on his chest. This man is driving me crazy. I feel tears start to form in my eyes. I wish Kennedy was here so I could talk to her about Max and what I’m doing. She would know what to say and make me listen to my heart more, instead of always being cautious. Max must feel my mood change since he stops dancing with me to look into my eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s silly, let’s keep dancing.” I try to cuddle back up with him, but he is stronger than me.
“Something has made you cry, so what’s going on.”
“I was just thinking about my sister and how I wish she was here to talk to about you, my feelings, and what the hell I’m doing.” I sit down on the couch, bringing my knees up to my chin. “I don’t do relationships. My marriage was an impulse, an afterthought. Don didn’t want to be a male figure to Jonathan so he left us. Nicarra use to make fun of me for being so guarded, not letting anyone into my life. You come in and everything changes. Max, I’m out of my comfort zone here, and I’m terrified that this is a bad idea.”
“I don’t do relationships, either. My past is pretty bad, and I don’t want to taint your life, but I can’t stay away. You make me want to be a boyfriend, good role model for Jonathan, and that man who you can lean on for support. I saw how Shawn and Cash were protective of you, and I was jealous.”
Love Me Like You Mean It Page 8
