In Other Words

by Jennifer Woodhull

  By the third stanza of the song, most of the patrons in the beer garden, who are mercifully pretty drunk, are laughing, dancing, and clapping in time to the song. When we get to the end of the routine, I’m a little nervous. I’m the flyer in our squad. I worry that they won’t be able to stand me up in the boots I have on, but we’ve come this far, so I figure there’s no turning back now.

  During the last verse, both girls brace their arms, and I fall against them. I pull my legs straight, parallel to my torso, and they flip me up so I’m standing on their entwined palms. The crowd cheers, then I move to one leg, arms and other leg outstretched, and the cheers grow louder.

  Finally, they toss me up and I spin, them catching me with outstretched arms, and depositing me back on the ground. On the last few notes of the song, we stand side by side, and each do a frontward splits, one right after the other, and raise our arms high above our heads.

  When we’re finished, the crowd at the restaurant is laughing wildly and applauding. I smile up at Dex and give him a wink. He’s grinning from ear-to-ear. He stops filming, and jogs over to give me his hand. I take it, and when he pulls me to my feet, he pulls me into his arms.

  “I can’t believe you can still do that shit, Clair.” He pulls me tight to his side. “You never fail to surprise…you always impress.”

  “Impressive is right!” Cole walks up beside Dex. “All of you. Great job,” he adds, looking around at my friends before returning his gaze to me. “I’d totally hire you as our cheerleaders…if it were up to me, that is.”

  I don’t realize until we’re back at the table that my arm is still draped around Dex. Anna steals my seat, and I’m happy to give it up. Cole is flanked by Anna on one side and Lily on the other. That’s just fine by me, since I can now take the seat on the corner next to Dex.

  “Who do you think will be the lucky bachelorette?” I laugh as I lean in to whisper.

  Dex shrugs and leans back. “Does it matter? Aren’t they basically the same girl?” He raises his brows over his glasses and gives me a mischievous grin.

  “Stop it!” I tease, smacking his arm with my palm, and when my fingers hit firm muscle, I feel a little jolt of electricity.

  “I have an idea,” Cole announces, talking past my friends and looking directly at Dex and me. “I know a place that plays great salsa music. Some of my teammates go there sometimes. Want to head over and check it out?”

  Cole may be looking at me, but Lily and Anna squeal a reply of yes, before I have a chance to say a word. I look over at Dex and he looks nervous.

  “Maybe you guys should go ahead.” His eyes are on his empty beer bottle as he peels the corner of the label.

  “No way,” I protest. “Come along.”

  “I…don’t think so.” He won’t meet my eye. It’s classic, nervous Dex. Dancing is the most social of social forays, so I’m not surprised that he’s not interested.

  “Please?” I ask, but he doesn’t respond. I sit back down next to him and curl my fingers around a deliciously muscular forearm.

  “Pretty please with disaccharides on top?” I move my head almost onto the table and turn my face up to him so he has to see my grin. Finally, he smiles.

  “You had me at disaccharides.” He lolls his head from side to side and laughs.

  CHAPTER 4

  Sinclair

  SOMEHOW, WE MANAGED TO find a rideshare SUV big enough for us to all pile into together. Once we’re in the club, Dex parks himself at the bar and I grab a stool beside him. My friends drag Cole out onto the dance floor, and I feel almost sorry for the guy trying to keep up with them. At one point, I’m watching him, spinning back and forth between Anna and Lily. He looks up and catches my eye and mouths the words, “Help me.” I can’t contain my laughter.

  I lean my shoulder into Dex’s. “Your friend seems really nice.”

  “He is.” His lips are curled up into a half smile, but it doesn’t make it all the ways to his eyes. The little wrinkle on the bridge of his nose and the way his brow is just slightly dipped are enough to tell me something is on his mind.

  “I don’t think that was a complete sentence,” I reply. “Or if it was, it wasn’t a complete thought.”

  “How do you do that?”

  “Do what?” I shrug, taking another sip of my beer.

  “Always know when I’m thinking of something else.”

  “I don’t know. Just pretty good at reading people, I suppose.”

  “Not just people in general, but me, in particular.” Dex smirks at me and there’s something just a little mischievous about his look.

  “Maybe.” I chuckle. “So what is it you’re not saying.”

  “I’m…sort of jealous of him. Does that make me an asshole?” His voice is low.

  “First of all, no, it doesn’t. You are allowed to have feelings and thoughts and emotions without having to justify them to anyone. Second, I’m not sure why you’d be jealous of Cole. I mean, you’re every bit as successful as he is.” His statement completely perplexes me. From the standpoint of success and attributes, they seem pretty equally fortunate from my point of view.

  “Maybe, but, just look at him. It all seems so easy for him. He’s sure of himself. He’s good-looking and people like him.” Dex shakes his head a little. “I wish, sometimes, that it wasn’t so hard for me. Knowing what to say and do, I mean—having to put so much thought into things that should be simple.”

  “I’m fairly certain you’re more intelligent than he is. Hell, you’re more intelligent than everyone, just about.” This makes a soft smile creep across his lips. “He’s probably jealous of that giant brain of yours.” I reach over and tap the side of his head.

  “Dex,” I stand up from my barstool and step closer. “Not everyone has every skill. Lots of people would love to have what you do.” I put my palm up to his jaw and am a little taken aback by the tingle of electricity touching him sparks across my skin. “Besides, you are very handsome.”

  He looks down at first, then, without warning, slides his arm around my waist, pulls me close, and meets my gaze. “You think I’m handsome?”

  The air leaves my lungs and I stand frozen for a moment.

  “I always have thought so.” My eyes are fixed on his and I smile as I lean into his embrace.

  I think I see something glimmering there in his deep, brown eyes, and it makes my heart flutter. He leans forward ever so slightly, and opens his mouth to speak. My heart pounds with anticipation. Just then, I feel someone graze my arm as they slap a palm on his shoulder.

  He drops his arm from my waist and I turn to see Cole standing next to us. I don’t know what Dex was about to say, but the interruption makes the moment disappear faster than a soap bubble alighting on a blade of grass on a summer day. I feel like his friend stole whatever words Dex was about to utter, and part of me kind of hates him for that.

  “Dude, I’m tapping out. You gotta go in and relieve me. I may play ball for a living, but I have nowhere near the energy of those two cheerleaders.”

  “They are kind of…high energy.” I say playfully as I look over at my friends who are still dancing and laughing wildly.

  “Seriously, bro, I need a beer. Please, just go dance for a minute,” Cole begs.

  “I’m not much of a dancer.” Dex rocks back in his chair and wrinkles his brows.

  “Liar! I’ve seen you play Dance Dance Revolution. You totally rule at that game. Besides, I know my buddy Jorge taught you a few moves. Come on, get out there.” Cole tugs on Dex’s shoulder until he concedes and walks toward the dance floor.

  I know it’s not the dance moves he’s worried about but doing them in a crowd that bothers him. He looks back and before I can follow him, Cole turns to me and catches my arm. “Have a drink with me. I mean, you wouldn’t leave me over here all alone, would you?”

  I look at him, and although I’d rather go with Dex, I don’t feel like ditching his friend is the polite thing to do, especially when he’s been so graci
ous all evening. I shrug, and Dex shakes his head as he walks over to dance with my girls.

  “So, you’ve known our boy Dexter a long time, huh?”

  “Since college.”

  He orders two Coronas, and hands me one, clinking the neck of his to mine.

  “He’s a good guy. I don’t have any other friends like him.” Cole nods toward where Dex is dancing with Anna and Lily as he takes a swig of his beer.

  “There isn’t anyone like him.” I grin.

  “Agreed.” He asks me about my job and I tell him the truth—that it’s not exciting, but it did bring me back home.

  “I like being close to family.” I turn to look at my girlfriends who have circled Dex. He is trying desperately to keep up. “And friends. I have some really great ones.” I smile.

  “That cheerleader thing…you guys really cheered in college?”

  “Yep, and high school. I can’t believe they made me do that. It was so embarrassing, but they don’t take no for an answer.” I roll my eyes.

  “Are you kidding? It was sexy as hell,” Cole downs another swig of beer. I don’t respond, and he continues.

  “I’m sorry. I probably shouldn’t say that, but it’s true. There’s not much that’s sexier than a beautiful woman who’s also athletic and strong.”

  He redeems himself a little with this comment. I wrongly assumed he was going down the sexy cheerleader fantasy path.

  “Thank you. It does take a lot of physical strength and coordination. Most people don’t realize that.”

  He asks me about my other hobbies, and I tell him about my love of language, adding that I speak French and a little German.

  “Whoa, that’s impressive!” He raises an eyebrow. “One of my teammates, Evens Azor, speaks French. I’m sure he doesn’t sound half as sexy doing it as you do, though.” He smirks. “He’s Haitian. Maybe I can introduce you sometime.”

  I don’t respond, but just smile politely.

  “Maybe I could give you a behind-the-scenes tour of the ball park.”

  “Maybe.” My reply is non-committal.

  His voice drops lower. “Or maybe take you to a nice dinner sometime?”

  I just smile, looking down at my beer bottle. We’ve barely spoken a handful of words to each other. We just met. I’m not sure he knows enough about me to know whether he wants to go out with me based on anything other than raw physical attraction. If there’s one thing I learned from dating Rob, it’s that dating based on looks alone never lasts long.

  “You…you don’t like me, do you?” He asks, his eyes looking up at me from under his brows.

  “No, it’s not that. I—well, I don’t know you. I don’t know whether I like you or not. I know Dex likes you, and I like people who are good to my friend.”

  “I like Dexter. He’s a good guy. He’s funny as shit, and I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone half as smart as him.”

  “So you really like him? You don’t see his company as just an investment? He’s more than a paycheck to you?” Since he’s had the success, people have tried to take advantage of Dex before, so I’m always a little leery of people’s motives.

  “A paycheck?” He chuckles, his mouth slackening, his eyes going wide. “Look, I think you’ve got me all wrong. I invested in his company, sure. That was just a smart investment, though. We were at a charitable event together. He came to me for input, my opinion as an athlete, on some of the technology he’s developing. I just liked the guy. We hit it off and became friends.”

  “Look, I don’t know how to say this without sounding like a smug asshole, so I’ll just say it. I don’t need Dexter’s money, or the money from my investment with his company. I make a good salary. A really good salary. I’m completely insured, too, so if I blow out my knee stealing a base, or bust my ass walking down an icy sidewalk, I’m still covered.” He shrugs. “I also have a backup plan. You’ve heard of Sunshine Coffee?”

  “I have.”

  “That company has been in my family for a hundred fifty years and counting. So, ya see, I don’t need anything from Dexter. I’m friends with him because I like him, and I invested in Alder Extrinsic because I believe in what he’s doing. I don’t understand it, really, but he seems to think what they’re doing is good work with value, and I believe in the guy, so…well, there you go.”

  “Wow. I’m—I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.” I’m embarrassed at my assumptions.

  “It’s okay. My pride is only moderately battered. I might recover.” He winks and flashes me a million-dollar smile. “But you can make it up to me by going to dinner with me,” he says, grinning mischievously.

  What harm could it do? I look over on the dance floor, where Dex is now dancing with a cute brunette who is hanging all over him. As the song changes, they step to the side. She giggles and they each pull their phones from their pockets. My heart pangs just a little with jealousy, and I swallow that feeling down.

  “Sinclair?” Cole’s voice pulls my focus away from the girl giving Dex her number. The girl whose hand is lingering on his arm longer than I want it to.

  “Sorry?” I reply, forcing myself to turn and face him.

  “Is there a camera around here or something? I’m working awfully hard here to keep your attention. I kinda feel like I’m being set up on one of those prank shows.” He smirks and tilts his head to the side.

  “I’m…so sorry. I’m being completely rude. My mind was somewhere else.”

  “That’s okay. I’ll forgive you…if you go to dinner with me.” He stands and steps closer as he waits for my reply. His eyes devour me as he leans in, crowding my space with his big, muscular frame. I let my gaze trail down his body, and back up over taut abs, a broad chest, and sculpted shoulders before landing on a square jaw and meeting green eyes that hold a naughty gleam.

  I steal a glance back to the dance floor, where Dex has his arms around the cute girl from before as they dance. He’s looking down at her, and they’re both smiling wide.

  I look back at Cole and give him a cautious smile.

  “Okay. Dinner.” I muster more enthusiasm than I feel. I instantly regret agreeing to the date, though I’m not sure exactly why.

  “Yes!” Cole thrusts one fist into the air. We exchange numbers.

  So, it seems that, somehow, I have a date with a ball player. I look back to the dance floor and see the cute brunette with Dex is obviously enamored with her dance partner. Maybe he’ll ask her out. Maybe he already has. He deserves to have someone. They won’t be as wonderful as him. I mean, who could be? But he should have someone to go out with. Someone to love.

  As I think those words, I know how selfish I am, and I suddenly feel sick. I want my friend to be happy. As he smiles, looking down at the girl who is beaming up at him, though, I feel, for some reason, like the whole world just tilted, slightly, on its axis.

  I look back over at Cole as he polishes off his beer. He’s a good-looking guy. Funny. Cute. Perhaps just as importantly, he’s clearly interested in me, unlike the guy I’ve crushed on for so long.

  I can’t keep waiting for things that will never happen.

  “Come dance with me?” Cole holds out his hand.

  I decide to give Cole my full attention. I give my hand to the guy that wants to go out with me, trying hard not to pine for the guy who doesn’t.

  CHAPTER 5

  Dexter

  “DUDE.” COLE DRAWS OUT the monosyllabic word on the drive back to his place where I’m dropping him off. “I mean…,” he turns to look at me and repeats quietly, “Dude. Seriously.”

  “Seriously what?”

  “Sinclair! What the fuck do you think? She’s…damn. I mean, I’ve gone out with plenty of hot girls, but Sinclair? She’s next level. She’s unfuckingbelievable.”

  The hair on the nape of my neck stiffens, and my palms grow damp. My heart is pounding so hard, I do a quick mental calculation on the odds that I’m experiencing a cardiac event of some kind.

  “She’s an amazing wo
man,” I concede. That’s like saying a category five hurricane is a little storm, or that the Northern Lights are okay. To say Clair is amazing is an understatement of epic proportions.

  “She’s so fucking pretty.” Cole lolls his head back and forth against the headrest of my Tesla.

  The phrase irritates the crap out of me. I feel like I want to punch him. Not that I’ve ever punched anyone, but that’s what this feels like—like I want to commit violence against my friend for using such a pedestrian description for a creature as singularly spectacular as Clair.

  “I don’t know though, man. She said she’d go out with me, but I’m not really sure she likes me.” Cole shakes his head. “It makes me kinda nervous. Usually, girls love me.” He turns to me and wriggles his eyebrows. “I mean, they really love me. It’s just…I don’t know. She’s different.”

  “She is different. She’s intelligent, kind, inquisitive, funny...She’s definitely not like anyone else I know.” My response is a knee-jerk reaction in defense of the woman that holds so much of my heart. I immediately regret it, though, saying these things.

  Idiot. Why are you selling him on how great she is? He’s already got something I’ll never have—a date with her.

  “What sorta stuff should I talk to her about?”

  “What do you usually talk to your dates about?”

  “I usually say. ‘Hi. I’m a famous athlete. Also, I’m rich and have a huge cock. Let’s go to your place.’ Then they say okay, and we go to their place and fuck. If they’re good at it, I keep going back, and then we’re basically dating.” He shrugs.

  I pull into Cole’s driveway. As we approach on the dark gray stones of the driveway, the stark white stone and dark glass are lit by dozens of lights. It makes an imposing façade against an inky, cloudless sky.

  As I put the car in park, I drop my head to the steering wheel and let out a long, deep breath.

  “Cole, let me be clear.” My tone is calm and measured. “Clair is my friend. She’s my best friend.”