There’s no way in hell I’m going to let her be the responsible one. She already has too much responsibility. Far more than anyone should at her age. “I’ll be happy to drive you lovely ladies around.” After the auction I was supposed to play pool with the guys at Sullivan’s, but Jenna getting a chance to have fun is more important. “Where do you plan on going?”
“We thought we’d head into Poughkeepsie since there’s only Sullivan’s here.”
“Poughkeepsie it is.” I grin and return to the bar and order a Coke. This could turn out to be one hell of an interesting night.
Sixteen
“Him!” Nana screams and waves her paddle around. I thought that would be her reaction to Dylan, since she’s known him for years, and remembers him. But she barely blinked when he was announced. In fact, I thought she was getting bored with the whole auction and was about to take her home. Then Cole comes out. He struts down the catwalk and I can’t help but giggle. The minute his skills were listed off, which was “can fix any engine in or out of the garage”, Nana’s paddle was in the air.
No matter how much I try to explain the bidding process, and that he’s already trying to fix her car, she doesn’t understand. “I want him,” she insists when I try to push her arm down. She already has the highest bid and is intent on claiming Cole.
I can’t really blame her. He is hot in the black tuxedo and the bubble gum pink vest with his dark eyes twinkling with mischief and promise. Goodness, it’s warm in here.
A part of me wishes that I still thought of Cole as a man whore, who’ll fuck any female that’s willing. Now that I know differently I can’t help wonder what kind of hard body is hidden beneath that sophisticated light wool. What has he been denying the women of New York?
Goodness, what the hell am I thinking? If Cole hasn’t shown any interest in the other bridesmaids, he sure as hell won’t be interested in me. We’ve spent hours together this past week and there’s no indication he thinks of me any differently than he does the others. And, I need to remember that.
I try to take the paddle from Nana but she has a death grip on it. I glance around the table at the bridal party. They’re laughing at Cole and a few look in my direction. It’s embarrassing when Nana behaves this way and I make a mental note to get rid of all potential invitations for future events, including Alyssa’s wedding next week. I won’t be able to do my duty as bridesmaid and keep an eye on Nana at the same time.
“Five hundred going once. Going twice. Sold to Mrs. Ferguson.”
Great, Nana just paid five hundred dollars to have a car fixed that I’m intentionally keeping disabled. She has the money and it’s for a good cause. Everything that’s raised, or at least any profit after paying for this event, goes right back to Baxter.
“He’s mine?” Nana asks.
“Yes.”
She starts to get up from her seat and I place a hand on her arm. “Where are you going?”
“To get him.”
A group of people at the next laugh and I try to ignore my embarrassment. “He will come over….” I have to look at the program to see what dates he’s listed as his availability. “In three weeks.”
“Three weeks?” She cries.
“That’s when he’s free for the weekend to work on the car.”
“Shit.” She leans back in her chair crosses her arms over her chest and pouts. Well, at least she isn’t making a scene.
I grab my purse and stand. “I’ll be right back.” I want to pay the cashier while Nana is fairly calm and in one place.
The auction is still going on and I hope nobody else offers to fix cars.
“Your grandmother really wanted Cole.” Mag laughs as she takes my check. She’s set up at the edge of the bar.
“Don’t we all?” Morgan nearly purrs. She’s standing next to me waiting to order another drink. She’s been eyeing Cole all night. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s salivating.
Morgan’s the type of girl all guys want. Tall, long legged, busty, blue-eyed, and blonde. I’ve known her for about four years and like hanging out with her. But right now, I’m not liking her all that much. She’s set her eyes on Cole and my stomach churns with the idea that he’ll be ending the night with her. It doesn’t matter that he only goes to a diner, I just don’t like the idea of him giving someone else attention when I want it.
And, I hate that it bothers me. There’s nothing between us, but the more we’ve spent time together, the more that high school crush I once had is rearing its ugly head. Tonight will be no different than those high school years. Why the hell would Cole even notice me with Morgan around?
I thought I’d gotten over my infatuation, but apparently not. I kind of wish he would have stayed out of my life because now I’ve got to deal with this and get those feeling buried. I sure as hell don’t want to revisit those painful nights of longing for what would never be mine.
“You’re in for some fun tonight,” Morgan announces after I park the van. I hold the door into the first bar for the ladies and they head straight to a back table where more of Alyssa’s friends are waiting. At least I assume they are her friends because they cheer when she enters.
“We’ll be walking for the rest of the night, until we go back,” Stephany informs me.
“I’ll just take a seat at the bar.” I head in that direction because this is a strictly female celebration. “Let me know when you’re ready to go to the next bar.”
“Oh, no.” Shelby links her arm in mine, pulling me along with the ladies. “You’re part of the party.”
This is not what I signed on for. Just driving and observing from afar. Not sitting in the middle of it. “There aren’t going to be strippers, are there?” The last thing I want to see is some guy’s junk.
“Not unless you’re willing,” she winks up at him.
“Damn, I forgot my tear away tux at home. Sorry!”
Jenna snorts and quickly covers her mouth. For Jenna, I’d happily buy a tear away and go about entertaining her. Privately, of course.
The ladies put a tiara with veil on Alyssa and then hand out a button to each person – me included. It’s bright pink and reads “Alyssa’s bachelorette party”.
“It matches your vest.” Kayla laughs.
I tried to shove mine in a pocket.
Alyssa takes it from you. “You’re wearing that.” And pins it to my lapel.
Stephany starts grabbing multi-colored shopping bags with cloth handles from a back table and handing them out to everyone. I decline when she offers me one.
She shoves it at me. “Oh no, Cole Preston, you never know when you might need something in here.” She leans in. “Someday you’re going to want to take a girl somewhere besides a diner.” Then she pulls back and looks me in the eye. “Unless you’re gay. Are you gay? I mean, it’s okay if you are, though it would be a terrible shame for the female population.”
How the hell do I even answer that? Were they all secretly wondering since I didn’t sleep with them when I had the chance? Does Jenna think I’m gay and that’s why she’s finally friendly?
Shit. I’ve got to fix that misconception before it’s too late.
Unless, I can work it to my advantage. Let her believe what she will and maybe she’ll let me closer?
It’s worth a shot.
But it’s fucking dishonest.
Shit.
I grab a chair away from the party and set the bag down on the floor. I’m not even going to look inside. It’s nothing like the goody bags I got at parties when I was a kid. Those were small and full of candy. These are five times the size and I’m pretty sure there’s no candy inside.
“There’s a bag for everyone,” Stephany announces. “Why should the bride be the one having all the fun? She’s already got the guy. These are for us, ladies. Especially the single ones.”
“Did Stephany put these together, or all the bridesmaids?” I ask Jenna. I have to admit, the curiosity is getting to me, but I can look inside when I
get home, alone, with no females watching on.
“Just Stephany,” she whispers back. “She loves to shop and has the credit cards to do it with.” She glimpses down inside of her bag and then quickly closes it again, her face bright red.
Okay, now I can’t wait to find out what’s in there if it’s caused Jenna so much embarrassment.
I signal for the waitress and order a round of shots for the ladies. Might as well get this party started. Alyssa and a few of the others start looking through their bags and I nearly choke on my Coke when Morgan begins waving around condoms on a stick. Do I even want to know what else is in the bag?
The waitress returns and I wait until the shots are passed around and raise my Coke. “To the Bride and all of her lovely friends.”
They toast, toss it back, and begin taking things out of one of the bags. The table is soon littered with more condoms on a stick, a colorful French tickler condom, and penis suckers, which I will not be sucking on. If my bag contains the same, I’ll at least be able to replace the probably expired condoms in my nightstand.
The vibrating cock ring, which Morgan seems especially excited about, is a surprise as is the lipstick vibrator. It’s just a shame I have nobody to play with.
I glance over at Jenna, she’s quietly sipping a drink. Ever since the toys started coming out, along with more penis candy than anyone can eat in a lifetime, she hasn’t been able to look me in the eye. Whenever she does accidently, and I am sure it is by accident, her face flushes red and it’s all I can do not to laugh.
The rest of the items include nipple clamps, penis pasta, furry handcuffs, heated massage oils and a blindfold. I’m surprised there isn’t a whip in there somewhere.
At this rate, I’ll need to clean out a separate drawer for all of this stuff, if I end up keeping it.
Jenna’s face is crimson. I’m definitely holding on to each and every item. If I’m going to be playing with anyone, it will be her. I wonder how she likes cuffs.
“Cole, take me home.” Morgan is leaning on me and I have my arm around her waist. Not that I have any intention of going anywhere with her, but I’m afraid if I let go she’ll fall flat on her face.
When the ladies were done with the Poughkeepsie bars, we ended up at Sullivan’s Pub. Shamus, the owner, stayed open late for the private party when the ladies showed up. Kian, Joey, Ben and Dylan were just about to leave, but stayed back to have fun. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I offered it drive, but it certainly was an education I wasn’t expecting. My own little version of “Girls Gone Wild”. Is that show even on anymore?
The drinking, dancing and sexual innuendos had me embarrassed more times than I could count. With the exception of Jenna. She’s definitely the quiet one of the group and more reserved. Not that she didn’t laugh at the jokes, she just didn’t make any.
“Let’s get you in the van with the others.” I try to lead Morgan toward the van and hope none of them puke during the short drive to Alyssa’s house. Even though it isn’t my car, I’d still feel obligated to clean it up and I hate, more than anything in the world, cleaning up puke.
“We should fuck. How come you won’t fuck me?” Morgan slurs. Unfortunately, I understand her clear enough.
“Because I’m saving myself.”
“Guys like you should be savored, not saved.” She pushes her beasts against me and wraps one of her legs around my hip. “Let me savor you.”
“Into the van, Morgan.” This is getting embarrassing. Dylan and the others are hooting and no doubt I’ll get a lot of ribbing about this later. Morgan is by far the drunkest of them all, though the other attendants aren’t far behind.
Except Jenna. Even though none of them had to pay for a single drink tonight, she sipped slowly from her wine and when given a shot she gave it to one of the others. “I never mix wine with hard liquor. I need to start moving tomorrow. Not vomiting my guts out all morning.”
Other than the one drink I had at the auction, I didn’t have anything else tonight.
Kian is standing in the middle of the sidewalk patting his pockets.
“What’s wrong?”
“Can’t find my keys.”
Shamus has already locked the doors and turned off the front lights. “I’ll give you a lift.” Though, he could walk home from here.
“You didn’t bring your car,” Dylan reminds him. “We’re crashing at your house tonight.”
“Oh, yeah.” He turns and heads down the sidewalk toward the end of the square. Dylan, Ben, and Joey are with him. There four of them should make it back okay. I’d offer them a lift but I don’t think I could get everyone in the van without people sitting on laps, not that any of them would mind, except perhaps Kian. Once he met Alexia, all other females practically ceased to exist and I doubt even in his inebriated stated it would make a difference.
Morgan stumbles around the front of the van and gets into the front passenger seat. It’s where she’s sat whenever we drove anywhere. Jenna takes the very back. About as far away from me as she can get. I don’t know if it’s me or she just likes to be away from the center of the crowd.
Everyone’s spending the night at Alyssa’s except Jenna. I park the van and they all pour out and stumble toward the front door. Morgan turns back and smiles. “Sure you don’t want to come in.” She lifts her bag. “We could have some fun.”
“Get some sleep, Morgan.” I fish the keys out of my pocket. I followed them back here after the auction and left my truck parked in front of the house so I’d have it when I was done.
“Don’t forget your bag,” Stephany calls.
“Crap. Some of the bags spilled and my nieces and nephews ride in there.” Alyssa starts back toward us, a look of panic on her face. Her heel sinks into the ground and she falls over. I hurry over, help her to her feet. “I’ll take care of it. Just get inside.”
“Thanks.” She waves me away and goes to her door.
Those kids are eight and younger and I can just imagine the reaction of Alyssa’s older brother if anything is left behind and discovered.
Jenna is laughing and flips on the inside light and begins rummaging in the back, dumping items into her bag as she works her way to the front. She’s bent over and her ass is in the air.
Damn. Morgan is offering herself up on a silver platter and my dick doesn’t stir. Jenna with her fine ass, picking sex toys up off the floor has me harder than I can remember ever being.
I try and ignore her, turn away and start searching for things children should not find. There’s nothing in the front or center and we meet in the middle.
“It think we got everything.”
I help her out of the van and shut it. Her bag is fuller than it was when she got it and I wonder what duplicates she’s ended up with.
Jenna and sex toys is not something I would have ever put in the same sentence, but my mind fills with all kinds of imagines of her in a slinky or see-through nightie, cuffed to my bed, at my mercy, crying out with pleasure.
I bite back a groan as my dick becomes painfully hard.
She needs a friend right now. Not some guy trying to get under that skirt. “Come on, I’ll give you a lift.” She’s the only one without a car. She left it at her apartment and walked here but I sure as hell am not going to let her walk back home at almost two in the morning, even if it is only a few blocks up the street.
“Thanks.” She strolls to my truck and I rush ahead of her so I can open the door. She slides in and puts her bag on the floor before buckling her belt.
Despite the hour, I’m not ready for the night to end. Admittedly, I’m glad the drunk attendants are gone because I want more time with Jenna, alone, and know exactly where I’m going to take her.
Seventeen
I should have made Cole take me home, but couldn’t bring myself to object when he pulled out of the neighborhood and onto the main highway out of town. I was curious and wanted to see where he was taking me. Hell, he could be in bed with Morgan right
now, but he’d rather drive me somewhere.
I wanted to die from embarrassment, more for Morgan, than myself, when she wrapped herself around Cole and then asked him to fuck her. My heart squeezed painfully, just a bit too, afraid he’d take her up on her offer. But he didn’t even bat an eye, and behaved more of a gentleman than anything while trying to get her into the van.
He certainly is not the guy I thought he was a few weeks ago.
“It’s the only twenty-four hour restaurant that’s close,” he says as he parks in front of a truck stop.
Am I being treated to a Cole Special? Was that his intention when he asked if I wanted to get a cup of coffee after Kian and Alexia’s party? I assumed he was after something far less innocent.
To think, before the bridal shower, I didn’t want to have anything to do with his growing list of conquests. Now, a quiet conversation with Cole sounds really nice. Something else I wouldn’t have dreamed possible before last week. Besides, I’m hungry. I didn’t really eat much at the auction, too busy taking care of and worrying about Nana. It’s also the reasons I drank so little. We weren’t at any of the bars long enough to order and eat food and by the time we made it to Sullivan’s the kitchen was closed.
“Burgers or breakfast,” he asks once we are seated and the menus are placed before us along with two cups of coffee.
“What do you think’s good?”
He shrugs and looks around. There’s hardly anyone in here this time of night. Or, morning, but the few drivers here are eating breakfast. Of course, that could be because they are about to head out on the road again.
The waitress stops by our table, ready to take our order.
“We can’t decide.” Cole smiles up at her. “Breakfast or burgers.”
She glances back at the kitchen then leans in. “The cook on duty makes a mean breakfast.” She straightens. “His burgers are okay too.”
Well, that answers one question, but there are so many breakfast items to choose from.
Shadows of Memories (Baxter Academy) Page 10