by RC Boldt
She stood up from the couch and began to pace. “I sound stupid, right? I know. I just always imagined I would find this guy who couldn’t wait to see me or talk to me at the end of the day and I would get butterflies when he kissed me.
“I want to be with someone who will sit at the bar when we go out to dinner if that’s what we have to do to see the game I’ve been wanting to watch and not have him make some excuse that the people at the bar aren’t good enough to sit near us. Someone who will be there at the finish line, cheering me on when I run a half-marathon and not “too busy” with his old fraternity brothers doing a pub crawl like they’ve done dozens of times before.
“I want to be the girl who comes first, the girl he makes time for. I want to be the girl who makes him say ‘My life has changed since I met her.’” Voice breaking on the last few words, she cleared her throat. She stopped pacing, looking distressed when she looked back at Mac.
Eyes glistening, Raine inhaled deeply before letting out a short laugh. “I’m clearly a hot mess when it comes to dating and the guys I seem to attract. I’m really wondering if my finding that one person is just . . . not meant to be.”
Mac stood slowly, not speaking and held out his arms. She nearly flung herself into them, feeling as though they were her safe place. As her tears trickled silently down her cheeks, she realized that Mac’s shirt was getting really damp from her tears.
“I’m sorry about your shirt. I’m just being pathetic. I’ll be over it, soon, I promise.” Her voice was muffled against him.
She felt Mac’s chest rumble slightly beneath her cheek. “Raine, this shirt is the least of my worries.” He smoothed down her hair with one hand while the other was wrapped tightly around her back. She felt him press a kiss the top of her head before continuing. “You’re not the least bit pathetic. Admitting you want those things isn’t wrong.”
“It isn’t?”
“Not at all, Raine.” He spoke softly, “When people go through trying times, whether it’s losing someone we’ve come to know like family, or go through something like dealing with cancer, it changes you. Puts things in perspective.”
He exhaled slowly. “There is nothing wrong with you wanting more, Raine. Not a damn thing. It’s in the cards for you and it will happen.”
What if I want more with you?
The thought startled her and she jerked in his arms, afraid that she had spoken the words aloud. She knew she probably had a deer in the headlights look right then.
He looked down at her, concerned. “Raine? You okay?”
“Um, sure. I’m just . . . I, uh, think that the Gators play at noon tomorrow and I wasn’t sure if I remembered to ask you if you want to . . .” she trailed off and winced at how badly she was throwing the bogus reason together. “Watch it with me?”
Mac studied her curiously for a moment. “Of course I will, Raine.”
“Great!” she said with far too much exuberance. “I’m going to use the restroom real quick,” she forced her tone to sound more normal. “You still have any good microbrews?” she asked with a hopeful look.
“I hid a few from Foster just for you,” he smiled, his dimple making an appearance and making her weak in the knees.
“Awesome. I’ll be right back.” Raine turned and hurried on her way down the hallway.
MAC FOUND HIMSELF staring after Raine for what seemed like forever, simply trying to figure out what spooked her, causing that panicked look to come out of nowhere. Finally, he shrugged and chalked it up to her being upset and headed over to the fridge to get two more beers. He assumed she was getting changed and staying over like she often did. As he turned from grabbing the beers from the refrigerator, about to walk back into the living room, he froze.
Raine was walking down the hall, her long, tanned legs contrasting with the pair of white, loose cotton shorts and a blue tank top that must’ve had one of those built in bra-like things. Her face was scrubbed free of makeup and her hair had been piled atop her head in a clip. She walked up to him in the kitchen and took the beer from him with a smile of thanks before turning and heading over to the couch. As she turned her back to him, he couldn’t resist his eyes from falling down to her ass.
Mac closed his eyes, mentally cursing himself for checking out his best friend and simultaneously trying to recite his times tables to get his cock to calm down before sitting next to her on the couch.
Maybe Foster had been on to something. He hadn’t given much thought to the lack of sex in his life lately. Which was odd considering how much of it he normally had. It was just that, lately, it had been great hanging out with Raine and the others. He enjoyed not having to worry about taking a woman back to her place, possibly having mediocre sex, and then hightailing it out of there afterward to ensure the clingy factor didn’t kick in.
Settling down onto the couch beside Raine, he leaned back into the soft leather and immediately felt her lift her legs to place them over his thighs like she normally did. Without any thought, he laid his hand over her ankle, feeling the silky softness of her skin beneath his fingers.
Taking a sip of his beer, he watched the late University of Hawaii game with her and that’s when he realized two things:
The possibility of mediocre sex and dealing with some clingy female paled in comparison to hanging out on a Friday night with his best friend, her legs on his lap, drinking their beer and watching football;
And that he’d probably grown an ovary because, holy shit, he was choosing this over sex.
“BAD NEWS,” TATE told Raine as she joined them at their usual table at Shenanigans for karaoke night. “Dean’s been in a little fender bender and can’t make it.” Putting up her hand when Raine opened her mouth, she continued. “He’s fine, but his car is definitely not. They’re currently trying to find a stand-in for him tonight.” She gestured to the employees talking amongst themselves near the bar.
“Glad Dean’s okay.” Raine sighed. “Any word on whether the DJ in the other room is any good tonight?”
“Not sure. Laney was going to go and check it out.”
“Mac said he was on his way over here when I was leaving so he should’ve beat me here. Where are the guys at?” Raine looked around the bar trying to see if she might spot them.
“Speak of the devil.” Tate tipped her head in the direction of Zach heading their way with Lawson shortly behind.
“You ladies are looking lovely as always,” Lawson remarked, giving them both a kiss on the cheek in greeting. Zach, smart ass that he was, came up and pointed to his cheek. Knowing the drill, Raine and Tate each planted a kiss on him before they took their seats.
“Where’s Laney?” Zach asked. He was trying to look for her in the crowd.
Raine and Tate exchanged a look before Tate answered. “She was checking on the DJ’s status for tonight since Dean’s not going to make it.”
Raine was under the impression that Zach had a thing for Laney although he had never actually said anything to indicate it.
Lawson made it a point to stretch his arms up as if to warm up for a workout. “I take it that means we’re most likely going to work hard at owning the dance floor tonight?”
“As if we need to work hard at owning it,” Raine scoffed. Then, winking at him, she said, “Hey, you better watch your stretching. Don’t want to accidentally cut yourself on someone.”
Lawson laughed loudly. “Now, Raine, you’re the only one that kinda shit happens to.”
“I still can’t believe that actually happened, Raine.” Tate shook her head in disbelief.
“What happened that you can’t believe?” a deep, familiar voice asked.
Her head turned in surprise to see Mac. But he wasn’t alone. He, in fact, had brought along a woman. Tonight’s variety was of the tall, willowy and very obviously bleached blonde variety. She wore a skintight leopard print dress with matching heels. It almost made Raine feel like they were on a safari. She could swear she heard Lawson ‘meow’ at her.
&nb
sp; “Hey, Mac.” She tried to say it cheerfully, but probably fell short.
He slid into one of the available chairs at the table with the blonde taking the one next to him. He introduced her as “Tina.” She quietly said hello so it made Raine feel badly for not being too accepting of the leopard print overdose.
“What was this about something they couldn’t believe happened?” His curious gaze held hers.
“Yeah, come on, Raine.” Lawson winked at her. “You should share the story.” Looking over at Mac and Tina, he said reverently, “It’s become a classic, really.”
“Oh, stop.” Raine laughed at his exaggeration. “Okay, so this was back in college at a bar that served pretty much anyone. Laney and I went with these two older guys from our Civics class and I was super nervous to be doing something illegal.”
“Shocker there,” Zach remarked, dryly. “Some things never change.”
Giving him a look, she continued. “Anyway, I was awkward and nervous and I went to stretch my arm out to my side and I bumped into a guy’s . . . zipper.”
“Go on, Raine, and tell them what happened,” Lawson prompted, leaning closer in anticipation.
“I felt something sting my finger but didn’t think anything of it. I just apologized profusely to the guy I bumped into. When I looked down a few seconds later, I saw that my middle finger was bleeding really bad. It turned out I had cut myself on his zipper pull somehow.”
“And I had to try and make a toilet paper tourniquet to stop the bleeding,” Laney interjected as she slid into a chair. “But the best part was that the guy totally thought she had done it on purpose and kept hounding her for her number.”
“He did buy all our beers that night,” Raine shrugged.
“I still say you should’ve gone out with him after all that.” Zach shook his head at her. “I mean, you basically felt the guy up.”
“He clearly enjoyed it so it’s not like it was a hardship for him,” Laney gave him a sharp look.
“How do you know that for sure, Laney? Wait, I know! We should reenact it to be sure.” Zach made as if to stand up.
Laney’s eyes narrowed and an evil smile came over her face. “Sure, Zach. Let me ‘accidentally’ smack my hand into your junk.” Her smile grew wider. “I just can’t promise it will be gentle like Raine’s experience,” she told him sweetly.
“Wait, I don’t get it,” Tina interrupted.
All heads turned her way. “What exactly do you not get?” Zach asked, drawing out each word.
The blonde looked confused. “Why is it funny that she cut her finger?”
Lawson and Zach exchanged a look before Zach leaned in closer to Tina. “She cut herself on some dude’s zipper pull. As in the thing that’s right near a guy’s junk.”
Tina stared back at him and Raine swore there were birds chirping above her head. After a moment of no one saying anything, Lawson abruptly stood up from his chair and called out, “Who wants to help me go get the next round of drinks?”
“Me!” Tate quickly piped up, jumping out of her seat, nearly tipping the chair over in her rush to leave the awkward scene.
Zach looked panicked. “Um, I’m sure they’re going to need, uh, help . . . or something.”
“Hey, Zach?” Raine gave him a sweet smile. “Can you do me a favor and get me shot?”
He gave her a confused look, knowing she rarely did any shots since she was such an utter lightweight. “Uh, sure? What kind of shot do you want?”
Raine tilted her head to the side innocently. “I’d love a shot that’s called something like ‘Sense of’ something . . .” She trailed off, as if trying to recall the name of it. Tapping her finger to her lips in thought, she said, “It rhymes with rumor . . .”
“Sense of humor?” Zach answered slowly.
Snapping her fingers, Raine exclaimed happily, “That’s it!”
“There’s a shot called ‘Sense of Humor’?” This question came from Miss Cheetah.
Raine ignored the look Mac was giving her and concentrated on her answer. “Yes! It’s the most amazing shot.” Frowning, as if deeply saddened, she continued. “It’s just sad that so many people don’t know about it.”
“Ooh! I’ll have one, too, please!” This was directed to Zach who now looked like a deer in headlights.
“Uh, sure, I’ll just get those shots for you ladies and be right back.” He quickly made his way to the bar.
Please hurry back. Please hurry back.
“I’d sure like to hear more about this amazing shot you speak of,” Mac’s deep, gruff voice interrupted her inner pleading for her friends’ return.
She turned to him. “Oh, just you wait,” she patted his hand in a placating gesture. “One day, you might get lucky enough to get one.” The corners of his mouth twitched while Miss Cheetah just sat there in her own oblivious world.
“Who’s getting lucky?” Foster had arrived. He slid into the seat beside Raine and put his hands together as if praying. “Please let it be me. Please let it be me.”
She shoved him, playfully. “Where’s your flavor of the week?”
“She had to wash her hair.”
Raine looked skeptical. “Really.”
“Okay, I ditched her because I realized my undying love for you, Raine.” He put his hands over his heart and made a bad attempt at batting his eyelashes at her.
“Are your friends for real?” Miss Cheetah asked Mac.
Without hesitation, he replied with a laugh. “Sadly, yes.”
“They’re weird.”
Raine narrowed her eyes at the girl beside Mac, leaning toward the table. “We’re right here, you know. We can actually hear you.”
Miss Cheetah huffed loudly. “Rude.”
“Now you listen here, you little safari—”
“Ah, easy there, feistypants,” Foster’s hand covered her mouth and he turned to face Mac and Tina. “Excuse my little lovebug and I for a moment,” Foster pulled her close into a tight hug. Talking over her shoulder, he winked at Mac and Tina. “She knows she turns me on when she gets mouthy so excuse us if we’re carried away with our passion for one another.”
Raine struggled to get free from him muffling her as well as his embrace.
“Foster,” she growled in warning. He finally let her loose just as the others came back to the table. Each of them were weighted down with drinks and carefully began to deposit them onto the table.
“Holy shit, guys. Just how much are we planning on drinking tonight?” Foster asked, staring in shock at the number of glasses and bottles on the table.
Tate, Laney, Lawson and Zach all glanced briefly at Tina and then at each other before they answered in unison, “A lot.” Rained snorted.
“And here’s your shot, milady,” Zach slid over the drink with flourish toward her. Just as she opened her mouth, he interrupted. “And I got you one, too, Miss Tina,” he told her, sliding the other shot over to her.
Raine’s eyes met Zach’s and he winked at her. “Alright, ladies. Bottoms up!”
Raine raised her shot to toast. “One shot of ‘Sense of Humor’ down the hatch!” She tossed the drink back with flourish. And then she stared at Zach for a long moment.
Trying to contain the laughter, she pressed her lips together firmly before pursing them in thought. “That had a very . . . familiar taste to it.”
“Did it?” he asked innocently. “Like something you’ve had before, perhaps? Something like, oh, I don’t know, water, maybe?”
“No, it didn’t taste like water. It was just awful tasting to me,” Tina complained, making a face in disgust as she pushed aside her empty shot glass.
Raine stared at Zach with wide eyes as if to say, ‘Is she for real?’
“‘Sense of Humor’ just isn’t for everyone, I guess.” Zach shrugged, casually, barely concealing a grin.
“I got us a table in the other room. It’s going to be a dance night!” Laney announced excitedly, swiveling her hips playfully.
�
��Stop, please. My eyes can’t see such displays, you harlot,” Foster complained to his sister.
“Really, man? Did you just use the word ‘harlot’?” Lawson looked at him, eyebrow quirked. “You suddenly sprout a uterus and join Oprah’s book club, too?”
“Shut it.”
“Weak,” Lawson and Zach crowed at Foster’s response.
“Boys!” Tate scolded them. “Let’s head to the other room before someone steals the table Laney managed to get one of the bartenders to hold for us.”
They all got up and moved themselves into the dance club part of the large multi-room bar. As soon as they all had set their drinks on the table and the girls had laid their purses down, the DJ put on Raine’s favorite Selena Gomez song. She took a quick drink of her vanilla vodka and coke and gestured for Laney and Tate to follow her onto the dance floor.
They always loved to try and make each other laugh with their dance floor antics. Lawson joined them, taking turns twirling each of girls and doing the running man and the sprinkler dance moves intermittently, causing them to nearly double over in laughter. One song turned into another and Raine had to pause to head back to the table for a drink.
Zach was sitting there with his beer watching the dance floor intently. Or, as she followed his gaze interestedly, watching Laney. Foster was nowhere to be seen so he was probably chatting up some girl or—knowing Foster—girls in one of the other rooms of the bar.
Mac was sitting across from him with Tina’s chair situated flush against his, her mouth close to his ear. Probably whispering gross, sexual things to him. Yuck.
Taking a sip of her drink, ‘Talk Dirty To Me’ began playing and she reached out her hand to Zach. “Come on and dance with me,” she called out to him. Jokingly, she added, “It’s our song!”
He shook his head, giving her a rueful smile. “Next one,” he yelled back.
Raine blew him a kiss before she returned to the dance floor. She noticed Lawson had found a cute blonde to dance with who was clearly enjoying his silly antics if her wide, unabashed grin were any indication. Tate was dancing with a tall, muscular guy with a shaved head and Laney had found herself a cute, slim redheaded guy with a sleeve of intricate looking tattoos on one arm. Just as she had resumed dancing on her own, she felt hands strongly grip her hips from behind and a body press flush against her, moving suggestively. Raine froze, certainly not enjoying the sudden invasion of her space by a stranger. Then, a voice spoke in her ear, “Move with me, baby.”
