I smile. She has no idea how close she just hit with what went on last night.
“No, we’re not. We’ve decided to wait until at least the third date for any more proposals. It was getting way out of hand.”
“And?” she prompts, dragging the word out.
“It was fan-freakin’-tastic. Completely perfect. He’s completely perfect. We watched Step Brothers, ate pizza, had ice cream, and then wild monkey sex right there on the kitchen table.”
“SHUT UP! YOU DID NOT!”
“You’re right. We didn’t. Your slut title is still safe.”
“Bitch,” she says, sticking her tongue out at me.
“You still love me. But seriously, it was easily the best date I’ve ever been on. He was sweet, funny, inquisitive, sexy as sin—the whole package.”
“Good. It’s about damn time you were happy. I think you’ve found your match in Hudson.”
I hope so.
I toss the fry I’ve been holding for the past few minutes back down onto my plate and push it away. “All right, I’m officially stuffed,” I say, slouching down and resting my hands on my slightly soft stomach. “What’s next? You said you wanted to hit up Jane’s on Main. Want to head there now?”
“Please. I need to find me some new boots to go with my new sweater dress.”
“Let’s get going then. I’m want to try to sneak in a few hours with the Winchesters before work tonight.”
Maura rolls her eyes. “I don’t see the appeal in those two.”
“Watch your tongue, woman! I’ll make you walk to the store,” I say, shooting daggers at her.
She shrugs, unfazed by my threat.
Turns out we both walk anyway, deciding we need the exercise after devouring those burgers, fries, and floats.
“Hey girls!” Jane, the tall brunette boutique owner calls out when we walk in.
“Hey Jane!” we say in unison.
We may come here a little too much. Okay, fine, probably over half of our wardrobes come from here. In fact, we’re here so often, it’s safe to say Jane is like our unofficial fairy godmother. Sure, she’s only a couple years older than us, but we go to her for everything. This is our spot whenever something happens in our lives and we need to cope with things. Sometimes we walk in looking for something specific, and sometimes we come to walk around and chitchat with Jane since she gives the best advice.
This visit is a mix of the two.
“Looking for anything specific today, Maura?” Jane knows what’s up; she gets that Maura’s the fashion-lover out of the two of us.
“Boots. I need cute boots. Rocker chic. Have anything?”
Jane throws her a look saying she should know better than to question her. “Follow me.”
We follow her over to a rack full of adorable boots. Maura squeals and starts grabbing some to try on. I walk away and browse through the vintage tees and funky cardigans.
“So, this weekend, are you nervous at all?” I ask loudly so Maura can hear me, not caring if Jane hears us. I know she’d never breathe a word of any of it.
“Are you kidding? Hell fucking yes I’m nervous! You’ve met my parents. They’re crazy as hell! I think they may respect Tanner for his service, but I doubt that’s going to be enough. I kind of feel bad for him, but he’s the one who insists on meeting them since he’ll be gone soon.”
“Really? That surprises me. Tanner doesn’t seem to be the ‘meet the parents’ type of guy.”
“You know, I didn’t expect that at first either. He’s this good-time guy who is kind of an asshole and he seems sleazy—even I can’t deny that—but he’s not. Like I said before, I think it’s just a front he puts on around everyone else. That guy is nothing but a total sweetheart to me and perfect boyfriend material.”
“Well, good, but I cannot even imagine how your parents are going to react. This is the first guy you’ve ever introduced them to. You didn’t even take what’s-his-nuts home for the weekend.”
“Reminder not necessary. That’s part of the reason I’m freaking out. How about these?” she asks, appearing at the end of the aisle, modeling the boots for me.
“Hmm. What color is the dress?”
“Teal?”
“Why is that a question?”
“Because I suck at naming colors. Just go with teal.”
“Then I like. Very cute, and they’d look good with a summer dress.”
“Rae?”
“Hmm?”
“Did you just…give me fashion advice?” she asks, surprise coloring her voice.
I shrug. “Hey, I’m not that bad at putting an outfit together. I manage to look pretty damn decent most days.”
“Yeah, yeah, fair enough. All right, I’m sold. Jane! Ring this bitch up, please!”
I shake my head and laugh. I grab the light pink crocheted half-cardigan I’ve been eyeing and follow Maura to the front.
“These are perfect for you, Maurie!” Jane exclaims.
“Right? I scored big this time,” Maura replies, just as excited.
“How are things going, ladies? Any fun news?”
Maura and I both sigh.
“I think we’re both smitten,” I tell Jane. “Like for reals smitten. And Maura here is a sex fiend now.”
“Rae Kamden!” Maura punches me in the arm. “You are such a brat. It was one time!”
Jane just laughs us off. “You two are such a handful. If I didn’t adore you girls so much, I’d almost feel bad for your fellas.”
“Hell, I adore us and I do feel bad for them.” I lean in close to the counter. “Especially Tanner. Dude had no idea what he got himself into with this one,” I mock-whisper, jerking my head in Maura’s direction a few times.
“You are so not my best friend anymore. You’re evil.”
I roll my eyes. “Liar.”
Maura huffs, mumbling something incoherent to herself.
“You two…I swear. Makes me wish my best friend were still around, and that I had a guy, because judging by those smiles, you found yourselves some good men.”
“I know I did,” Maura says on a sigh.
Jane gives me a look, waiting on me to fess up. I try to play it cool and shrug. “Hudson’s okay so far. He has a great ass so I’m not complaining.”
“Oh, whatever! You were practically drooling over your date last night.”
“She’s right, Rae. I can see it in your eyes. This one is different. He’s good for you.”
I shift my eyes away and try to divert the attention from me because I know she’s right.
Hudson is different. Every time I think about him, my heart races and I get those stupid flutters in my stomach. A part of me wants them—craves them, even—but the other part is terrified of them, and rightly so. Relationships can suck. I’m already so in like with Hudson that I know if this one tanks—even this early—it’s going to hurt, and I’m not okay with that.
“He has friends, ya know. Tucker and Gaige. I can hook you up,” I tell Jane.
“Nah, I don’t have time for dating. Anyway, girls, anything else for you today?”
Meet Jane, master attention-diverter. I give her a look, letting her know she didn’t fool me. She gives me back a minimal shrug. I know we’ll get her to break one day.
“That’s all I need this trip. I’m sure I’ll be back next week for some therapy shopping after this weekend,” Maura says.
Jane winces. “Yeah…good luck with that.”
“Thanks. I’m going to need it.”
After Jane hooks us up with our usual frequent shopper discount and we say our goodbyes, we hoof it back to Vern’s for our cars.
“You’re working tonight, right?” Maura asks, opening her car door.
“Unfortunately. I’m on the schedule until Sunday.”
“Blech! See you tonight then. I’ll be the hot girl buzzing about.”
With a wink and an air kiss, she’s gone.
15
Hudson
“Is it weird of
me to come here after last night?”
“Nah, man,” Tuck reassures me for the millionth time. “Chicks dig that shit. Plus, it’s guys’ night. We do this almost every Thursday. We just changed venues this time.”
I nod. “Right, right.”
“It’s cool, dude. I showed up at a girl’s work the day after our first date one time,” Gaige says. “I mean, yeah sure, she put a restraining order on my ass pretty quick, but it was only for thirty days. You’re good.”
Tucker and I exchange a look, then stare at Gaige in bewilderment because this is the first we’ve heard of this.
Gaige rolls his eyes. “Laugh, you fuckers. It was a joke. Ha ha. Funny.”
“That was the worst joke ever,” Tucker tells him.
“Oh, Tuck, you wound me. I can always count on you to knock me down a few pegs. Thank you,” Gaige replies sarcastically, clutching his chest.
“You’re both cracked in the head. I feel bad for your future wives and children.”
“Don’t worry.” Tucker grins. “We feel equally as bad for yours.”
I bump his shoulder. “Asshole.”
“Hey boys, what can I get for ya?”
We turn toward the voice that does not belong to Rae to find a lanky blonde. She’s only spoken eight words to me and her voice is already annoying as fuck. I can hear the fakeness dripping from it.
“We have some specials on tap tonight. Any takers?” Annoying Voice Girl asks, putting a strange emphasis on tap. She puffs her chest out and inches in way too close to me.
“Uh, just Dr. Pepper for me,” I tell her with plenty of emphasis on “just”, scooting away and farther into the dark corner.
She notices my shift in direction and turns her attention to Gaige. Poor dude.
While she’s busy hitting on my two best buds, I scan the bar, hoping to catch a glimpse of Rae.
I spot her and watch as she effortlessly moves around behind the bar with a big bulky man, shelling out drinks left and right. They’re smiling easily at one another, moving around together so swiftly. I can tell from here that they’re familiar with each other.
Then, a shorter, smaller man leans over the counter and kisses the guy standing next to Rae. He then holds his fist out to Rae. She bumps it, of course. They laugh and continue to sling around drinks.
I didn’t even notice before, but there’s a dark-haired guy sitting in front of Rae. Even from the back, I can tell that it’s Perry.
She smiles at him, and my heart cracks a little.
That smile? The one she just gave a guy that isn’t me? It was easily the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen, and it wasn’t my smile.
She leans across the bar and Perry whispers something to her. She laughs. That wasn’t my laugh either.
I look away from them before my jealousy gets the better of me.
“You saw that too, huh?” Tucker asks.
I shrug.
“I’m sure it’s nothing. He’s probably just a friend,” Gaige tries to reason.
While I was watching Rae, they were watching me, and while they were trying to talk me away from inching closer and closer to the edge of a damn cliff, none of us were watching Perry.
“Hey, Hudson! Fancy running into you here.”
Fuck. Me.
Perry’s standing at the end of our table and I’m fighting the urge to either hug the guy because the website and graphics he sent me this morning were fucking amazing, or to punch him. That whispering in her ear shit still has my blood boiling. I have no idea what’s going on between the two of them, and no idea how they know each other, but damn if it doesn’t piss me right the fuck off.
I peek over at the bar and finally make eye contact with Rae.
She smiles. It’s my smile.
I feel like I can breathe for the first time in minutes.
“Hey Perry, didn’t expect to see you here,” I say with an edge to my voice. He doesn’t know me well enough to know what I really meant, but Tucker does and I get a good kick to the shin for it. “Tucker, Gaige, this is Perry, the website dude. Perry, these are my employees.”
“Just your employees? Well fuck you too, man,” Tucker says in jest. He extends a hand to Perry, who shakes it. “Tucker. Please excuse this asshole. I’m way more than an employee to this dude. We’re totes besties.”
“Totes besties? The fuck? God, you two are douchebags. Gaige. I’m the attractive, funny, and very, very best friend of Hudson here.”
You know how on that show How I Met Your Mother Barney and Marshall fought for nine seasons over who was Ted’s best friend? Welcome to my life for the last seven years.
“You wanna join us for some burgers? This place is pretty damn good,” I offer. I almost feel like a dick for secretly hoping he’ll say no and leave.
I like the guy as my designer and all, but I’m not sure I can be around him and Rae.
“Sure. Just let me go tell my girl. I saw who your waitress was and you don’t want that shit skanking up your table, trust me.”
His girl? Rae?
Yes. Of course it’s Rae.
I watch as she laughs again from behind the bar and then says something to the bartender, who looks over at our table then smiles back at Rae and nods. Then she’s following Perry over to our table, holding my stare the entire way.
Internally, I’m panicking, because I have no clue what I’m going to say to her. I didn’t text her all day, which was probably a dumbass move on my end, but only because she said she was spending girl time with Maura. Now I’m rethinking that because what if I should have contacted her, told her how much I loved our date?
Because holy hell was it everything I could have hoped for. It took everything I had not to wrap my hands up in her silky locks and smash my lips against hers for hours.
“Hey Rae, good to see you again.”
“Tucker, always a pleasure.” She turns to me. “Long time, no see. Or text. Or call. Or anything.” She winks, and I know I’m off the hook.
“Hey, Gaige, do phones work both ways?” I ask with a smirk, still holding eye contact with Rae.
“Yes, I do believe so, Hudson.” I can hear the smile in his voice.
“Huh, fancy that.”
Rae bumps my shoulder. “Touché.”
“I see you all have already met,” Perry says, taking a seat. “I feel a bit out of the loop then. I only know Hudson.”
“Quick rundown: Tucker sucks at video games, Gaige is quiet, and Hudson is a total smartass and proposes on the first date. You’re all caught up. Congrats,” Rae tells Perry, giving him a pat on the back.
“Proposing, huh? You’re moving a bit fast there, bud.”
“To be fair, Tuck, she was technically the first one to propose, on the group date. Did you forget already, Rae?”
She lifts her hand to her forehead. “Oh my,” she mocks. “How could I possibly forget? Hey, you know what, thanks for ditching me on the first date by the way. I had such high hopes for us, Tucker.”
He chuckles. “After I ditched, I realized my mistake in leaving you with this tool. My deepest apologies. Can I make it up to you?”
“Hey, fucker, find your own girl to date!”
“Already have the boys after you, huh Rae?” Perry nods in satisfaction. “Nice.”
Rae flips her hair in a mocking gesture. “As if we didn’t all know that would happen.”
Perry fist-bumps her.
“You’re all so weird,” Gaige mumbles.
“I doubt any of us would deny that. So, what do you boys want? I’m taking over so you don’t have to endure the painful company of Clarissa all night. She’s, uh, clingy.”
“And crazy,” Perry adds.
Rae nods toward Perry. “That’s saying something coming from him.”
He shrugs. “True enough.”
We take turns ordering burgers, wings, and fries, and before I know it, Rae is capping her pen and sticking her pad into her back pocket.
“Sweet deal, dudes. I’ll be bac
k later. Holler if you need anything.”
“Yo, Tuck, where’s Tanner tonight?” Gaige asks once it’s just the four of us guys left. “I’m not missing him—no offense or anything—but he’s been tagging along for weeks now and then all of a sudden he’s not here. What gives?”
Tucker looks to Perry. “Brother,” he says in explanation. “I don’t know where he’s at tonight. He’s been out with Maura every night she’s not at work so I’m surprised he isn’t here since she is.”
“Wait, Maura? As in Rae’s best friend Maura?” Perry asks. We all nod. Perry looks at Tucker. “She’s dating your brother?”
Again, Tucker nods.
His eyes light up and he grins. It reminds me of how he looks when he’s talking about Rae. I don’t know how to take that. “Holy crap. Poor Tanner.”
“Wasn’t expecting you to say that,” Tuck tells him. “My brother is…well, he’s a damn asshole. I love him to death because he’s my brother, but he doesn’t rank high on, well, just about anyone’s list.”
“Well since she’s besties with my girl, I’ve known Maura my entire life. I know how off her rocker she can be. She used to be shy and quiet but she’s…let’s say blossomed in the past few years. Girl will give you whiplash.”
Again with his “my girl” shit. Who is this guy to her?
“I know on our little double date she and Rae seemed to have quite a few similarities. It was comical and slightly unnerving.”
“They have their moments. They’re different, but also kind of the same. It’s weird. I love them both dearly though—but that info doesn’t leave this table.”
His joke gets lost on me because I’m too busy trying not to strangle him for using “love” and “Rae” in same sentence. Luckily, Tucker and Gaige keep up the conversation while I count the ways I could hide his body.
“Be right back, dudes,” Perry suddenly says, getting up from the table and heading toward the bar.
As soon as he’s gone, Tucker turns to me.
“So?”
“So what?”
“Who is he? I can’t figure it out. He talks like he knows her better than anyone else does. Maybe he’s an ex,” Tucker ponders.
“Maybe he’s family, you dumbasses,” Gaige mutters.
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