by E. L. Todd
“You want to get lunch at Mega Shake?” he asked.
I’d never say no to Mega Shake. “That sounds like a great idea.”
***
I watched him eat a double-double and two orders of fries—all by himself. “Damn, you were hungry.”
“I skipped breakfast, and I hit the gym hard yesterday. Haven’t had any recovery food.” He placed a handful of fries into his mouth and chewed them quicker than Rex ever did. “I swear, I don’t normally eat like a pig.”
“I don’t think you’re a pig,” I said. “I’m impressed.”
He laughed. “I don’t think most women would be.”
“Dude, if I ate that much, my thighs would explode.”
He rolled his eyes. “Rae, you have beautiful legs. Shut up.”
“I didn’t say anything about my legs. Just my thighs. All the fat goes to my thighs—every time.”
“That’s pretty typical for women. In men, it goes to their stomachs.”
I eyed the top part of his stomach over the table. “Then where does yours go?”
“To the gym,” he said with a smile. “Weightlifting boosts your metabolism and helps you burn fat all day long.”
“I’m not much of a lifter. I like to run, but that’s about it. And unless I’m chasing after a ball, I’m pretty bored.”
He chuckled. “That makes sense. I don’t do enough cardio, so maybe we should play ball together every day.”
“One on one?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, if you want to get your ass kicked every day, that’s fine by me.”
“Here comes the shit talk…”
“I’m not shit talking. I’m just giving you a heads-up.”
“Rae, I’m not worried about it. I’m pretty sure we’d be competitive adversaries. And we’d get a serious workout.”
“I don’t know… It’s one thing to lose to a woman once, but over and over? That might get old.”
He shoved a few more fries into his mouth. “You’re cocky, aren’t you?”
“Hey, you’ve seen me on the court.”
“Well, maybe you need to get a reality check. Maybe you aren’t as good as you think you are.”
Now I was intrigued. “Oh, really?”
“Yes. Really.”
I loved a challenge, and it seemed like Zeke was bringing it. “I look forward to it.”
Chapter Two
Rex
Everyone met at Groovy Bowl when they got off work. It was the perfect place to have a meeting without that nosy little know-it-all snooping around. We sat at a high-top table in the bar area.
Kayden still wore her glasses because she came straight from work at the library. When she wore her contacts, she strained her eyes to read. Her eyes didn’t get enough air and moisture with contacts, and they began to hurt after a while. Personally, I thought she looked cute in her black-framed glasses—very sexy.
Zeke wore his dark blue scrubs because he just got off work too. He didn’t shave that morning, and I could see the facial hair coming in quickly. Jessie looked like a beauty queen, as always.
“Operation Rae’s secret birthday party is in effect.” I clapped my hands at the start of the meeting. “I was thinking we could get all get together at McHenry’s. That’s her favorite bar downtown. We could have some drinks, open some presents, and hit the dance floor.”
“That’s a pretty cool idea,” Zeke said. “I know they have a private party room. Maybe we could rent that out so we’ll have some space, just in case the bar is full. Besides, we could get a cake.”
“Good thinking,” I said. “I like cake.”
“Who doesn’t like cake?” Jessie said. “Chocolate is her favorite, so I’ll take care of that. Since the Bulls are her favorite team, I’ll have their logo put on top.”
“Yeah, that’s a great idea.” I turned to Kayden. “Do you think you can get the decorations?”
“What decorations?” Kayden asked. “Is this a children’s birthday party?”
I loved it when she was a smartass to me. Got me hard. “I thought we could have some balloons or something.”
“At a bar?” Kayden asked incredulously. “No. No decorations. The cake and presents are enough. She’s not five.”
“With a Chicago Bulls cake, she seems five,” I jabbed at no one in particular.
“We’ll invite some of her friends from work and school,” Zeke said. “So I think about twenty people will be there.”
“That’s a good number,” Jessie said. “Not too many and not too few. I hope Ash will be there. Gawd, he’s hot.”
“Yeah, whatever,” I said. “So I guess that’s about it. Pretty easy to plan, actually.”
“Rae is really simple,” Kayden said. “The most easygoing person in the world.”
I snorted because it was stupid. “Try living with her. I left a fork in the sink, and she screamed at me.”
“Because it was covered with mustard,” Zeke argued. “That shit stains.”
“Whatever,” I said. “The house has to be in tip-top shape. Otherwise, it’s the end of the world.”
“It is her place,” Jessie said. “I mean, who wants to live like a pig?”
“And you did leave a dripping milk carton on the floor,” Kayden said.
I turned my furious eyes on her, feeling betrayed when she took Rae’s side over mine.
Kayden shrugged then looked away. “Just saying…”
“Looks like it’s settled, then,” Zeke said. “I think she’s going to have a good time. She seemed a little down when I talked to her a few days ago. We should cheer her up.”
“Oh yeah,” Jessie said. “How did it go with Ryker?”
“Good,” Zeke said. “Rae was totally fine with it. I can tell he wants her back.”
“Say what?” I blurted. “What are you talking about?”
Zeke turned to me, that confident look in his eyes. “When he called her back over, I saw it in his expression. Then she touched him on the shoulder, and I saw it again too. He knows he was a dumbass and shouldn’t have thrown her away. The only reason he hasn’t tried to make it work is because he knows she’s over him.”
Jessie stared at Zeke like it was the first time she really looked at him. Surprise was in her eyes, as well as awe. “I didn’t realize you were so observant.”
When it came to Rae, he was always observant.
“Yeah,” Kayden said. “You got all of that from a look?”
“Are you some kind of genius?” I asked. “You can read minds now?”
“No,” Zeke replied. “But I’ve seen Ryker with her enough times to know what he’s thinking. But it doesn’t matter because she’ll never take him back anyway, not after what he did.”
“She better not,” Jessie said. “Because I’d slap him every time I was in the same room as him.”
“You wouldn’t need to,” I said. “Because I’d kill him the first time he set foot in the apartment.” Ryker fucked my sister over once, and he would never get the opportunity to do it again.
Jessie looked around the bowling alley and saw how many people were coming and going. It was busy, especially for a Wednesday. “Business seems to be booming. There’s got to be a few hundred people in here.”
“Things have been great.” I opened my wallet and pulled out a check. “Speaking of which…I finally have a payment for you.” I set it on the table next to Zeke’s beer. “That’s the first half. I’ll have the second in another month or so.”
Zeke held it up and took a closer look at it. “Wow. I wasn’t expecting this for a while.”
“I’ve been frugal so I could pay you guys back quicker.”
“You didn’t need to do that,” Zeke said. “I don’t need this right away.”
“But I want to be done with it,” I said. “The sooner I get it out of the way, the sooner I can stop worrying about it. And I won’t feel guilty about spending money on other things. Once my debt is paid, I can go buy a new PS4 and as
many games as I want.”
Zeke chuckled. “Well, I think Rae and I wouldn’t have cared if you did.”
“Whatever,” I said. “Halfway finished.”
“You’re giving Rae a check too?” he asked.
“I will when I get home.” She probably wouldn’t even care about the money. All she wants is for me to move out as quickly as possible. I didn’t like being there either, especially since Kayden and I were fooling around all the time. I had to sneak off and pretend I was doing other things besides screwing my sister’s best friend. If I had my own place, it would be a lot simpler. “I’m halfway to moving the hell out of there.”
Zeke folded the check and placed it in his wallet. “I can assure you, Rae is even more excited about that day than you are.”
***
Rae was going to be home at any minute, and my job was to get her dressed up and ready to go out. Everyone would be waiting for her to show up at the bar, and they would jump out the second she walked inside.
Planning surprise birthday parties wasn’t really my thing, but my sister had a tough year and I wanted to do something to lift her spirits. She hid her pain as much as possible once Ryker dumped her, but I knew she struggled the entire time. She deserved this—and not just because it was her birthday.
A knock sounded on the door.
Who the hell was that? They knew we were supposed to meet at the bar. I opened the door and expected to see a member of the gang. Instead, I came face-to-face with some random guy holding a vase of flowers. “Uh…what the hell is this?”
“Delivery for Rae.” He handed them over and had me sign the clipboard. “Have a good day.” He walked off to fulfill his next delivery.
I set the heavy vase on the table and looked at the two dozen freshly trimmed roses that reeked of springtime. I certainly didn’t get her flowers, and I didn’t know anyone who would. I spotted the card inside the envelope but knew I shouldn’t read it.
None of my business.
Didn’t matter.
Who cares?
But what if it was Ryker?
What if he was trying to fuck with her again?
I could just read the card and slip it back inside. Rae wouldn’t know the difference.
Right?
Huge breach of privacy.
Definitely a dick move.
But I had the best intentions, so it was okay.
Wasn’t it?
I stared at the card for another minute before I caved and opened the damn thing.
I pulled the card from the sleeve and read the words that had been typed.
Rae,
Thank you for coming last week. It meant a lot to me.
Have a special birthday.
-Ryker-
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Zeke was right on the money. Ryker was totally trying to get back with her. Why the hell would he send her two dozen roses like this if his intentions weren’t romantic? What a fucking douchebag. After the shit he put her through, he had the audacity to come crawling back?
Couldn’t believe this.
I couldn’t let her see this card. It would just ruin her birthday and confuse her. The past three months were difficult enough. She didn’t need to be reminded of the man she confessed her undying love to, only to hear him not say it back.
I knew I shouldn’t do what I was about to do, but I couldn’t let her see any of this. It would just mess with her head.
I grabbed the vase and the card and went across the hall to the trash chute. I shoved everything inside and closed the hatch, hearing it shatter when it finally hit the bottom. The second I walked back inside, I washed my hands like I just disposed of a body. And not a moment too soon because Rae walked in immediately afterward.
“Hey.” She set her purse on the counter and pulled her hair out of the bun she wore.
“Happy birthday.” I hadn’t seen her that morning because I went into work early.
“Thanks.” She gave me a smile, something I hadn’t seen much over the past three months. “I’m getting old.”
“Since I’m four years older than you, remember when you get old, I get older.”
“True,” she said with a chuckle. “Well, I’m going to shower.”
“Good. Because I want to take you out for a drink.”
“You?” she asked suspiciously.
“Yes, me. And there’s something I want to give you.”
“First of all, I’m shocked that you even remembered my birthday. And now you got me a present too?”
“I know.” I shrugged in modesty. “It’s crazy.”
“Give me thirty minutes, and I’ll be ready to go.”
“Great. And dress nice. I don’t want people to think I’m hanging out with a hag.”
She flipped me off before she walked away.
***
I sent a quick text to Zeke. About to walk in. Get ready.
K.
Rae noticed my fast fingers on the keyboard. “Anyone else coming?”
I shoved my phone into my pocket. “I just asked Zeke if he’s doing anything tonight. Hasn’t said anything yet.”
“He texted me happy birthday earlier today. That was nice of him.”
“I’m surprised he remembered.”
“No. Zeke always remembers my birthday.”
We walked into the bar, and I steered her toward the back room.
“Where are we going? The bar is this way.”
Why was she such a pain in the ass? “I want to show you something.”
“I already know where the bathrooms are.”
Shut the hell up. “Jessie told me she’s waiting in the back. Come on.”
She finally dropped her resistance.
We walked to the back, and I opened the door so Rae could walk inside first.
Immediately, everyone jumped up and screamed, “Happy birthday!”
Rae nearly jumped out of her skin, covering her mouth as she screamed. “Oh my god! You guys scared the shit out of me.”
“That’s what birthdays are for, girl.” Jessie held her drink up to the sky.
Rae looked over her shoulder at me. “You knew about this?”
“Obviously,” I said like a smartass.
“Know about it?” Zeke said with a laugh. “He’s the one who planned the whole thing.”
Rae looked at me again, and this time, her expression was different. She didn’t give me that hateful little sister expression I saw every single day. This look was full of affection and fondness. She didn’t know what to say, and instead of smiling, her features softened. “That was sweet…”
I didn’t like these emotional moments we sometimes had. They were rare, and they were rare for a reason. I’d never been the kind of guy to wear his heart on his sleeve or express how he felt about anything. Emotional intimacy terrified me, actually.
“Thank you, Rex.” Rae walked up to me and extended her arms to hug me.
I returned the embrace, but I did it quickly, trying to get it over with so we could move on and have fun. “Of course. I do like you…sometimes.”
“Only on my birthday?” When she smiled, she knew I was just teasing her.
“Only.”
“Well, thank you for liking me for today.” She walked away to say hi to everyone else. First, she greeted Zeke and gave him a hug.
He didn’t hug her quickly and then move away. He wrapped his arms tight around her waist and held her against his chest. He even closed his eyes and whispered something in her ear.
Perhaps I was reading too much into it, but that hug didn’t exactly seem platonic.
She moved away and greeted everyone else. Her presents were stacked on the table alongside the cake Jessie picked up for her. “Oh my god!” She covered her mouth as she stared at the cake designed with the logo of her favorite team. “This is the best cake ever.”
“It was my idea!” Jessie raised her hand.
“Dude, it’s perfect.” Rae hugged her for a second time.
/>
Zeke came to my side and gently nudged me. “This party was a success.”
“It hasn’t even started yet.”
“But look how happy she is.” Zeke watched her say hello to her friends, hugging everyone and enjoying being the center of attention. His gaze lingered longer than necessary before he looked back at me.
“Is Rochelle coming?”
“Yeah,” he said with no visible reaction. “She had to work late, so she’ll be here in an hour or so.”
“Oh, cool.”
Jessie climbed on one of the tables and held up her drink. “Let’s get this party started!”
***
Kayden brushed up against me in the corner where it was dark and secluded. She wore a tight dress that made her tits look totally fuckable. Her hair was done, her makeup was sexy, and she wore heels that made her legs stretch on for days.
She knew exactly what she was doing.
I looked down at her with a warning in my eyes. “Baby, be good.”
“No one is watching.” Her hand moved to my crotch in the dark, and she traced the definition of my cock in my jeans. “And there’s always the bathroom.”
I closed my eyes and imagined her fingers wrapped tightly around my length. “I wish.”
“Come on. Let’s be adventurous.”
“Or let’s wait until the end of the night.” I grabbed her wrist and pulled it away. “I’ll stay over tonight.”
“Promise?” She looked up at me and pouted her lips.
Now I wanted that soft mouth around my junk. “Promise.”
Jessie walked right past us, and thankfully, she didn’t notice anything concerning. “Let’s open gifts!”
Rae was a little buzzed and staggered in her heels. “You guys got me presents? You guys…” She swayed slightly to the side.
“Of course.” Jessie gripped her by the wrist, but since she was hammered, that didn’t really help.
Zeke came to the rescue and guided Rae into a chair. “Here. Take a seat, and I’ll pass the gifts along.”
Rae held up her drink and clanked it against his arm like she was toasting him. “Zeke, you’re the best. You know that?”
