East Down South

by Eliza Freer

  “Come on, Femme. You have to give me something. I basically made this date happen with my dollar vote and your future happiness on the line. I get it was romantic and sweet and blah blah, but tell me the juicy stuff. Ya know, the hot stuff. I think I paid for the pleasure of the details.”

  I pause before I hand an iced coffee to the customer waiting at the bar. “Okay, so let’s back this up. So you’re assuming, or hoping, that Wilder and I slept together after this one date, ONE DATE, Iz, and insinuating that you and other customers paid for us to share that experience. This feels a little too close to your calling me a hooker and, like, everyone chipped in to pay for the pleasure of my company, like he’s some fifteen year old needing to lose his virginity.”

  Izzy stops and her mouth drops open. She tilts her head to the side considering my statement. “Do people really do that? Is that a real thing? I mean I see it in movies about how guys grow up to be douchebags and, ya know, shame on Daddy for buying them their first time from someone twice their age, but I don’t think that’s real life.” She steps back to the pastry case to pull out a danish for a customer. “I worry about your grip on reality, Femme.”

  Cam turns away from the espresso machine at this moment to join in the conversation. “I’m with East. It does sound like you’re calling her a community hooker. Not that she services the community, just that she was communally paid for.”

  I turn and stare at Cam, stopping the transaction I’m in the middle of briefly. I shake my head, needing to finish this quickly so I can fire off a retort without giving our customers any more jaw dropping sex worker talk. We are likely the most inappropriate coffee shop in Galveston County.

  “Cam, if at all possible you just made that sound worse than Izzy. Can we please move on from the hooker talk? It was supposed to be a quick one liner and it’s turned into a whole conversation that’s making me feel a little too much like an extra in The Girlfriend Experience.”

  Izzy switches places with me so I’m waiting on pastry orders and she’s at the register. “What’s The Girlfriend Experience?”

  Cam responds. “It’s a show on Starz, Iz. The age old story of a college girl needing extra scratch so she signs up with an escort service. Like many young women do. So if you’re wanting to talk about unrealistic representations of men and women in sexual situations…”

  Izzy lets out a loud sigh. “Fine, fine, I get it, I get it. I defer to you all on fifteen year old boys in sexual situations, which neither of you should brag about.”

  Cam and I laugh together as he calls out three more coffee orders and I slide a blueberry muffin onto the counter next to the latte he just made. I pause by the counter to take a breather from our sex conversation. Foamy is in the shop today and has been pulled into this conversation by Izzy more than once.

  “Foamy, back me up here.” Izzy pleads. “Don’t you feel after all the effort put in by all of us, we deserve dirty details?”

  Glad we’ve moved on from the sex stuff, I spear Foamy with a glare. “Of course he doesn’t. He’s a gentleman. Right, Foamy?”

  He laughs at the pair of us. “I think I’ll plead the fifth on that one. That feels a little too…just too much for my two cents. You might be some of my favorite people, but that’s diving a little deep into uncomfortable territory for me.”

  I glare at Izzy. “See! You’re even making Foamy uncomfortable. Why don’t you count what pastries we need to order, and I’ll man the register.” I bump her hip so she moves over.

  “Fine, but answer me this, how big is he? Come on, Femme, even in a bathing suit you have to have some idea.”

  I keep my head down punching in an order to hide my blush. I tilt my head to the side, pretending to think. “I’d say probably 6’1”? I haven’t checked his license or anything, but that feels right.”

  A familiar chuckle sounds in front of me and I glance up to see Wilder watching us. “If you’re talking about me, and I hope to god you are, she’s right. 6’1”.” Wilder winks at me as my cheeks get really pink. I know he’s heard way more of our conversation than I’d hoped.

  Izzy, having no shame, sidles up next to me. “I heard you did good yesterday. Proud of you. Now, don’t screw it up or I will come at you and whatever you’re packing won’t matter since I’ll cut it off, got me?”

  I struggle to hold in my laughter as Izzy glares at Wilder. I know she’s being hyperbolic, but is not in any way kidding that she’ll come at him. He looks between us and glances at something over my shoulder, and it’s then that I feel Cam walk up behind me and put his hand on my shoulder.

  “She’s in good hands, guys. Although, I do appreciate her having loyal friends looking out for her.” Wilder spares at glance at both Izzy and Cam.

  Izzy nods her head. “Good, now, order your coffee and be sure to tip your barista!” She points to the tip jar before walking off.

  Wilder smiles at me, a shy but wry smile. “Hey, beautiful.”

  “Hello. I’d say it’s a surprise to see you, but it’s really not. Good to see you, either way though.”

  Wilder laughs. “Smartass. I’ll take an iced coffee.”

  I turn to hand the post-it to Cam so he can fill the order and from over my shoulder I hear, “What’s more uncomfortable? A leather catsuit, or your first kiss.”

  I turn around and finish ringing Wilder up, giving him a hefty discount. There has to be some perk to dating a girl that works in a coffee shop. “Yeah, Izzy’s question.The second answer wasn’t always “your first kiss”, but she altered it pretty quickly due to complaints.”

  Wilder tosses a dollar into the first kiss section. “What did it originally say?”

  “No comment.” Wilder moves aside to grab his iced coffee from the bar and waits while I take the orders of the other two customers in the line, giving their orders to Cam as I go.

  Once I’m finished I turn and see Wilder learning against the side of the counter watching me work. “What?” I walk towards him and lean my elbows against the counter. “So why was your first kiss uncomfortable? Were you fifteen and your dad paid for the experience?”

  Cam laughs loudly behind me and Wilder tilts his head in confusion. “Huh?”

  I sigh through a laugh. “Nothing. But really, why was it uncomfortable?”

  Wilder chuckles. “It was nothing special. Just a super tight-lipped kiss outside a school dance. I just didn’t feel like I could attest to what a leather catsuit feels like.” He takes a sip of his coffee. “What about you?”

  Cam laughs again. “Oh, this is a good story.” He turns around to join us leaning against the counter. “Go ahead, East. Tell him.”

  I roll my eyes at Cam and meet Wilder’s beautiful blue eyes, dancing with amusement. “Okay, so, back in Ohio, Dad went through this phase where he felt like because of his schedule and being gone a lot for half the year, that maybe church would be good for me structure wise. I don’t know why that was his answer, but who knows where thoughts come from. So, in the middle of winter in Ohio, where it gets really freakin’ cold, our youth group decides we should do this weird simulation of homeless life where we, like, stay in boxes in an alley so we understand their struggle. Which, okay, valiant effort, but a bunch of kids from twelve to seventeen probably aren’t going to digest the larger lesson there, other than bitching about how cold we are. Time out.”

  I move back to the register to take another customer’s order that Cam is able to quickly fill so I go back to my story. Izzy comes out of the back as I continue. “So, they put three or four of us in these giant boxes that I have no idea where they got them from, maybe refrigerator boxes, even though those would seem too narrow. Anyway, four of us girls and four of the boys had boxes back to back so we cut a big hole in-between the boxes so we could chat and hang out in the comfort of our homes. Somehow it digresses into a weird sort of truth or dare, the kissing version, where every turn was a dare and someone would kiss someone else. So, that’s how I got my first and second kisses. In a box, in an a
lley, in the middle of winter in Ohio from a guy that was three years older than me.”

  Wilder’s eyes are wide with surprise and amusement. I think I have the best first kiss story of anyone I know. “How old were you at the time?”

  “Twelve. Afterwards, once I told Dad, he rethought my need for this particular structure.”

  Wilder puts his hands up. “Wait, you were twelve and this guy was fifteen? That seems…wrong somehow.”

  Izzy shakes her head. “Yeah, but were you fifteen and your dad paid for the experience?”

  Cam and I laugh loudly as Wilder looks between the three of us confused again. “East asked the same thing. Do I want to know?”

  Izzy starts to open her mouth, and I quickly cover it with my hand. “No, no, you don’t.”

  I walk around the counter to grab the tray of dirty dishes and Wilder sidles up next to me, whispering in my ear. “So, I was hoping we could hang out after you’re off, unless you have plans.”

  I smile up at him. “I don’t think I do. I don’t think Riley or Blake are coming today, so you can walk me home and we’ll go from there?”

  Wilder nods and smiles. “I’ll just hang out till you’re done then.”

  I nod back. “Sounds good. It’ll just be a couple hours.”

  Wilder winks at me and makes his way to a table in the corner. He pulls out his phone to occupy him, as I make my way back to the kitchen to clean some of the dishes. Cam walks back and leans against the sink counter.

  “Girl, that boy has it bad. He’s been in here almost every day for over two weeks buying our overpriced coffee just to see you for a few minutes. I’m jealous.”

  I roll my eyes at Cam while I keep washing dishes. “Oh, please. You have a gorgeous boyfriend who licks the ground you walk on, so I don’t want to hear it?”

  Cam makes a grossed out face. “Isn’t it kisses the ground I walk on? I don’t want him licking anything.”

  I laugh and open my mouth for a quick retort and he puts his hand up. “Nope, stop. I heard it. Too easy.”

  I laugh again. “I wanted to make it more graphic than kiss the ground you walk on. Going for shock value here. But, yeah, I’m pretty happy for me too. But since he’s a boy, I’ll expect to be disappointed at some point.” I smile even though I am not entirely kidding.

  Cam squeezes my arm. “Have faith, blondie. We’re not all so bad.”

  I lean my head against his shoulder as I finish the stack of dishes. “Well, you are always the exception, handsome.”

  He kisses my forehead and walks back towards the front. “Save your flattery for someone who can get you to third base.” He winks at me and disappears into the shop.

  ********************

  Two hours later after Izzy divvied up our tips, I make my way over to Wilder’s table. “Ready to go?”

  He looks up from his phone. “Absolutely.” He stands and motions for me to go ahead of him, and I push the door open for the two of us and step out onto the sidewalk. We take two steps forward and I see two familiar faces walking towards us.

  “East!” Blake yells as he quickens his step. Riley speeds up as well to catch up with Blake.

  “Hello, boys. What are you doing here? I didn’t know you’d be coming.” I give both Blake and Riley hugs. “So, what’s up?”

  Riley nods at Wilder over my shoulder, and I take a quick step backwards and grab Wilder’s forearm. “You guys remember Wilder? I don’t know if you’ve ever really been introduced. Blake, Wilder, Wilder, Blake. Riley, Wilder, Wilder, Riley.” Motioning my hands between them as I introduce them.

  Blake extends his hand. “Hey man, good to meet you.”

  Wilder shakes Blake’s hand and then extends it to Riley, who does the same. “Yeah you too. East talks about you guys a lot.”

  Riley smirks at me and wraps his arm around my shoulders. “Oh, really? What is it you say about us E?”

  I swat his hand. “Only that I’m the only real woman in your lives, and you’d be lost without me.”

  Blake laughs. “So true. Speaking of lost without you…” Blake glances over to Riley who nods with a big smile on his face. “It’s been crazy long since we had a TATT night, E. We need one, pronto. Like, right now.”

  Riley smiles at me. “School starts soon and we get even crazier with practice, and then next you know we’re in our last semester and we won’t be able to have them anymore. Pleeeeeeeease, East? TATT night?” He gives me puppy dog eyes with his plea.

  I look back and forth between the guys and Wilder, a little torn with what to do. Wilder looks down at me with a small smile and shrugs to say it’s up to me. “Um…it has been forever, and I have missed you guys, but I kinda told Wilder…”

  Blake cuts me off. “He can come. Whatever. I just miss my East time. We both do.” He motions between himself and Riley.

  I catch Riley’s eye who raises his eyebrows. He knows what Blake doesn’t. That this decision to let Wilder into this part of my life, my life with them, is a bigger deal than a quick yes or no. That I try to keep it separate until I know I’m not going to get screwed. Until I know someone is in it for me and not for what I can bring to the table. I take a deep breath and look up to Wilder. He’s never given me a reason to doubt his intentions are for me alone, so I decide to trust him even further than I already have.

  “Wy, if you wanna join us, we’d love to have you. I mean, you’d have to know the guys eventually if we keep dating, they wouldn’t allow you to keep seeing me otherwise.”

  Wilder laughs but when he looks at Blake and Riley he realizes I’m not kidding. “What’s a TATT night? It sounds…dicey.”

  Riley smiles. “Its short for Tunes, Assholes, Tastes and TV. We hang out and listen to some music, talk about whatever and watch a movie. We just wanted a cooler acronym since that’s a mouthful.”

  Blake smiles. “Yeah, and the movie is always a horror or action movie.”

  I interject. “Or a romantic comedy. Or sometimes, just a romantic movie that seems like a comedy.”

  Riley shakes his head. “We tend to veto those, but all she has to do is look at us all sweet-like and we cave.”

  Wilder smiles at me. “You sure you’re okay with me tagging along? If not, we can totally do this another time.”

  I return the smile. “Honestly, it’s up to you. We can be a lot to handle, but I’d love it if you came.”

  “Okay, then. I’m in.”

  Blake fist pumps the air. “Thank god. Okay, girl, let’s hit it. We can talk movie on the way.”

  Riley smacks Wilder on the shoulder. “This should be interesting.” He runs up and throws his arm around my shoulder, and Blake steps back to walk next to Wilder.

  Blake yells up to me. “East, how do you feel about a Fast and we keep tallying the BC?”

  Riley skips a few steps beside me. “YES! I vote for five since we’re nearly through the BC.”

  I glance over my shoulder where Wilder looks very confused. “Fast is the Fast and the Furious franchise of films. They’re some of our favorites. BC means body count. If you’ve ever seen one of those movies you know why we’d keep a body count tally.”

  Wilder shrugs. “I’ve never seen one actually.”

  That stops all of us dramatically in our tracks. Blake, Riley and I all turn around to look at Wilder. I speak first. “Seriously? Never? You’ve had eight chances so far, and nothing?”

  Blake shakes his head. “That’s blasphemy. We’ve watched every single one so many times we can recite the monologues almost by heart. Just, never two.”

  Riley snorts. “No, never two. Two is bad. I mean, not even bad in a good way.”

  I join in. “Oh, no. And three is unlike any of the others, and they kinda tried to fix it by making it seem like the movies were out of order, but it didn’t really fool anyone.”

  Wilder’s head ping pongs between us. “I’m going to take your word for it. Be gentle as you take my Fast virginity, please.”

  Blake laughs and claps W
ilder’s shoulder. “Let me explain while we walk. If we’re watching five, there are some things you need to know.”

  Blake fills Wilder in on the ins and outs of the Fast and the Furious franchise of movies so he at least knows what’s going on before we get to my house. Not that you couldn’t dive in and enjoy them for what they are, but listening to Blake animatedly talk about anything is fun.

  Riley leans into me, with his arm still around my shoulders. “This okay, East? I know you’ve probably got some thoughts about this situation. With us and him?”

  I lean my head into his shoulder. “Thank you. But, I’m okay. I meant what I said, I’d want you guys to know him if we keep seeing each other anyway, and so far he’s given me no reason to think he’s anything but just a guy who likes me. But if he shows other colors, you’re more than welcome to kick his ass. Actually, I will insist on it.”

  Riley smacks a kiss to my forehead. “Deal.”

  Chapter 16

  Once we get back to my house Blake, Riley and myself spring into action. We’ve done this so many times before we all know our roles. Blake heads to the record player to choose our background music, I head to the phone to place our order from our favorite Chinese restaurant, and Riley hits the kitchen pouring drinks for all of us. I glance over and notice Wilder standing in front of the door unsure where to go.

  I walk over and give him a kiss on the cheek. “So, are you cool with most anything from a Chinese restaurant menu? Cause we order a bunch of crap and split it.”

  He leans in and puts his hands on my waist, snuggling his head into the crook of my neck. “I’m just happy to be here. I’ll eat whatever.” He pulls back and looks at me. “What should I do?”

  I nod my head into the living room where Blake is shuffling through records. “Go help B pick some music.” I call into the living room. “B, Wy is coming in to help you.” I push Wilder into the living room.