by Kelex
“Fancy-schmanzy,” Mac murmured. “Hopefully the food is as good as the décor.”
“It’s new… so we’re about to find out.”
They stopped before a hostess station where a beautiful Asian woman stood. She looked up from her list when it was their turn. “How many?”
“We’re with the Kingston party,” Benji said.
“We’re preparing your table now. You can join the rest of your party in the lounge,” she said with a smile, eyeing Mac approvingly.
Benji couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of the smile he gave her.
Mac soon followed him into the lounge, where he saw Jesse and Adam already there. “Hey guys.”
Jesse and Adam turned, both of their stares immediately sizing up Mac.
“Hey, Benji,” Adam said, shaking their friend’s hand and looking up at a wall of muscle. “Who’s your date?”
“Not my date,” Benji spat, his face growing hot. Even though I want it to be. “This is Mac. He just moved across the hall—and he’s new in town,” He turned to Mac, who wore a bit of a frown. Had Adam’s comment offended him? “These are old friends—Adam and Jesse. We all went to college together.”
“Nice to meet you, Mac,” Adam said, shaking Mac’s hand.
“Nice to meet you, as well,” Mac said before offering a hand to Jesse.
“What brings you here?”
“First job out of college,” Mac said.
“Late bloomer?”
“Marines first,” Mac said. “Then college.”
“Ahh,” Jesse said. “Thank you for your service… can I buy you a beer?”
Mac chuckled. “Sure.”
“What’ll you have?” Jesse asked as the pair of them turned toward the bar.
Benji turned toward Adam. “What’s with the date shit?”
Adam shrugged. “I was joking.”
“Not funny.”
“Made me laugh,” Adam said before taking a sip from his beer. He sat the empty on the table near them. “Imma hit the head.”
Benji nodded, watching as Adam headed down the hall and disappeared.
“Heeyyyy, everybody!”
Benji turned, and his eyes nearly popped from his head. Hayden showed up, looking like the Unabomber with his thick, grizzled beard, and with some chick hanging off his arm. And she looked a little experienced, to put it mildly. If he had to guess, he’d have to peg her at near his mom’s age.
Hayden grabbed Benji’s hand and shook it. “Hey, buddy.”
“Hayden?” Benji said, frowning.
“Yeah, what’s up?” Hayden said, almost slurring a little… as if he’d been pre-gaming for a bit.
Some food will do him good. Soak up some alcohol. But he doesn’t need to go out…
Benji sighed and saw Mac at his side. He made the introductions. “Mac… this is my friend, Hayden. Hayden, this is my new neighbor, Mac.”
Hayden grabbed Mac’s hand. “Pleasure to meet you.”
“Are you going to introduce us to… your friend?” Benji asked.
“This is Delilah,” Hayden said, grinning madly. “Delilah, meet everyone.”
Hayden waved his hand out as he said everyone and finally seemed to notice Jesse at the back of the crowd.
Hayden propelled himself and the woman toward Jesse. “And this is my best friend, Jesse.”
Jesse handed one of the beers to Mac before turning to Hayden and their guest.
“I thought this was a guys’ night?” Mac whispered to Benji.
“It was supposed to be,” Benji whispered back.
Mac looked down at his beer and then to Benji’s hands. “Man, that was rude of me. You need a drink.”
Rude? Benji smiled inwardly. For a non-date, Mac sure was acting as if it was one.
Mac urged him to the bar, which he was actually glad for. Jesse looked like he could spit nails. Hayden was already halfway to drunk. That was before the fireworks that might happen once Adam and Clay came face to face.
Why in the hell did I bring Mac into the middle of this shit? He’ll never want to come out with me again.
Benji ordered himself a drink when he heard Hayden’s voice rising.
“What are you getting your panties into a bunch for?” Hayden asked Jesse. “We’re supposed to be having a fun night out. What’s the big deal?”
Jesse shook his head. Benji watched, waiting to see if things went to shit.
And then something hit him as he watched…
The two were arguing like an old married couple.
Was there something going on between Hayden and Jesse that he didn’t know about?
He narrowed his eyes, watching closely.
“They always like that?” Mac asked as the bartender placed Benji’s Grey Goose and Sprite on the bar.
He slid a few bills across the bar and thanked the bartender. “Not usually… but with the way Hayden’s been as of late, I’m not surprised. They were as close as brothers until the last few months.”
Mac shrugged. “Sometimes life takes us different paths. We have to adjust or be left behind.” Mac eyed him. “In those moments, we need to decide what truly matters to us.”
Benji eyed Hayden and Jesse. His friends mattered to him.
They’d been as close as family for nearly a decade.
Even with family, there were highs and lows. But this low was starting to feel out of whack. He watched his friends glaring at once another, wondering if this was the beginning of the end.
“Sorry I brought you here tonight. You didn’t need to be caught up in all this.”
Mac smiled wryly. “From the sounds of it, you needed someone to talk to tonight. Glad it’s me.”
Benji met Mac’s stare.
He knew there was something there, but he struggled to understand what Mac saw in him.
He can’t be interested in me.
“Hey, guys,” Adam said as he strolled back into the bar. He placed a hand on Hayden’s shoulder and smiled. “The gang’s all here.” Adam looked around at all their faces. “We eating or what? I’m famished.”
Benji turned to Jesse, who looked as if he was a deer caught in headlights. They were still waiting on Clay… but Adam didn’t know that. Jesse froze, appearing unsure what to say for a second.
Jesse finally spoke. “Grab another drink and I’ll go check the hostess and see about that table.”
Before he could barely get out of the bar, in walked Clay.
“I’m here, as promis—”
Clay stopped midsentence. His angry stare fell on Adam.
Benji stared at the two, noticing the fury hovering in the air between the two best friends.
I told Jesse to just let them cool off.
But again… this felt different. Adam and Clay had argued before, but he’d never seen that kind of anger in either of their eyes before.
If looks could kill…
Benji turned to Mac. “This is going to be an interesting night.”
Chapter Three
Dinner wasn’t as bad as Benji had expected. Of course, Adam and Clay went between glaring or ignoring one another. Jesse did his level best to toss out sarcastic comments meant for Hayden, who barely seemed to register them. Hay was too interested in eating his date’s face. So from other points of view, the night was likely hell on earth.
Luckily, Benji had Mac to talk to.
And that was a blessing. He pushed out all the drama and spent the evening talking about the school district, the school Mac would be working at, and sharing a few trade secrets. Mac made conversation easy, which usually was a chore when it came to a date.
Not that it was a date.
Not officially.
But the more the night progressed, it felt more and more right.
Mac was comfortable. Smart. Funny. And so very good looking. Benji could stare into that golden gaze all night.
All night.
As soon as their food arrived, Mac snuck a sample of his pork—so, of course, Ben
ji had to do the same. He nearly burned his taste buds off and had to guzzle the rest of his beer and half of Mac’s to stop the burning.
“I warned ya,” Mac murmured, trying to hide his wicked grin.
“Remind me… to follow… your warnings… in the future,” Benji said, panting and trying to cool his mouth off between words.
Mac flagged down the waitress and asked for a glass of milk.
Benji drained it once it arrived and finally found some relief. “Oh lord… never again.” He turned to Mac. “How can you eat that?” Benji asked as Mac ate another forkful.
“I like things hot.” He smiled, taking another forkful.
My god, that man is gorgeous. I am so out of his league. Benji’s smile faded some. But… I’m not hot.
Mild Benji went back to his own plate of mild food and was mildly happy with it. Not long after, he overheard Jesse asking for the check. Benji peeked at Jesse, who sat with his arms crossing his chest, fuming.
Hayden’s actions were a bit inappropriate, but Jesse’s reaction was way off the scale.
He eyed Adam and Clay, and sensed something off there, too.
His friends weren’t themselves… not by a long shot.
The waitress returned a short time later, leaving the check and a pile of fortune cookies on the table. She grinned and glanced around the table. “Have a great night, gentlemen! Thanks for dining with us tonight.”
Jesse reached into the pile of fortune cookies and tossed one to each person at the table. “Let’s see what our future holds.”
“You know the rule about fortune cookies, right?” Hayden’s date said as she opened one. “You have to add in bed to the end of your fortune.”
Benji reached for his fortune cookie and cracked it open. The man or woman you desire feels the same about you.
In bed.
His stare drifted to Mac a moment, heat filling his cheeks.
Is he? Could he really be interested?
Mac read his and chuckled slightly before he pulled out his wallet. He tucked the little scrap of paper inside before pulling out a few bills.
“What’s yours say?” Benji asked.
Mac just grinned. “For my eyes only.”
“Oh?”
Mac’s head spun in his direction. “What about yours?”
“The man or woman you desire feels the same about you,” Benji said. He eyed Mac. “Somehow, I doubt that.”
Mac shrugged. “You never know.”
Benji looked away, his gut clenching.
Mac handed the bills from his wallet to Jesse. “Should about cover our meals.”
Jesse wasn’t even paying attention. His stare was on the fortune in his hands.
“So, what’s it say?” Hayden asked Jesse.
“Nothing,” Jesse snapped before shoving the paper into his pocket. “What about yours?”
“Nah,” Hayden said, tucking his into his pocket. “You won’t tell me yours, you don’t get to he—”
“Mine says Love will lead the way—in bed,” Delilah said loudly, interrupting Hayden’s answer. She grabbed the back of Hayden’s head and planted a kiss on his lips.
Jesse jumped to his feet, his face a twisted mask of anger. “So, are we going?”
“I think I’m bailing,” Clay murmured.
“Me, too,” Adam said, tossing his napkin to the table and rising.
“No!” Jesse said. “You two are the reason why we’re here tonight.”
Clay frowned at Jess. When Benji turned to look at Adam, the guy wore a similar expression.
“Why’s that?” Adam asked.
Jesse sighed. “We all know something is up with you two. Whatever fight you had… you need to face each other and get over it.”
“What Jesse said,” Benji added. “We’ve all been friends for too long for the two of you to stay pissed at one another.”
Clay shook his head. “We can’t make the world right on cue just because it makes your life easier, Jesse.” He rose and eyed Adam. “Life happens. People grow up. They move on. It’s just the way of things.”
Benji turned to Mac, who’d basically said the same thing earlier in the night. One of Mac’s eyebrows rose before Benji turned back to his friends. Jesse was following Clay outside. Adam wasn’t far behind.
Hayden and Delilah were still lip-locked.
“Man, this wasn’t the best night to invite you to. And from the sounds of it, it just might end right here.”
“We can still go out… have a few drinks,” Mac said, leaning back in his seat. “No reason for our night to end.”
Our night. Benji nodded. “Yeah, we can do that.” He turned toward Hayden. “Where are you going after this?”
“Back to my place,” Delilah answered for him. She giggled as she leaned in to kiss Hayden’s neck.
“No, this is guys’ night,” Hayden answered. “We’re going clubbing.”
“I think you’ve had enough to drink already, Hay,” Benji said lowly.
“The night’s still young,” Hayden said before turning back to his date.
Jesse stormed back to the table. “I think I’m heading out, too.”
“What?” Hayden said, pulling from Delilah. He seemed to sober up within seconds. “No… no, man. It’s guys’ night.”
Jesse widened his stare, looked to Delilah, and then back to Hayden. “No. It’s not guys’ night. Night, all.”
He grabbed his cell and keys from the table and marched to the front door. Hayden jumped up from the table and raced after him.
Leaving behind a very pissed off date. Delilah rose, grabbing her purse. “I guess tonight is over.”
“Please tell me neither of you are driving,” Benji said.
“We Ubered here,” Delilah answered. “And we can Uber on home. That is, if he’s coming with me or stuck on Jesse.”
Stuck on Jesse?
He watched as Delilah headed for the door. He still worried about Hayden, but at least the guy wasn’t driving.
Maybe they needed to stage an intervention. Force Hayden to face what he was doing to himself. He’d bring it up to Jesse.
Jesse could deal with planning that. It was what he was good at.
A stared around the empty table, a sense of sadness filling him. Eight years they’d been the best of friends. And it was slipping away…
“I guess that leaves us to go on with our night,” Benji said, turning to Mac. “Welcome to Atlanta.”
Mac chuckled. “It only gets better from here, right?”
* * * *
Guys’ night continued…
Hours later, he and Mac were at their second club along Jackson Street. In each and every one of them, women had literally thrown themselves at Mac. Music blared, the night was hot… and bodies were everywhere. Benji was pushed out of the way so chicks could get closer to the hottest guy in the place… but Mac kept tugging him closer.
Introducing him to the women.
Trying to help Benji score, it seemed.
Only Benji wasn’t interested in the women.
Mac danced the night away. He dragged Benji out onto the dance floor—with a couple of women—a few times.
Benji was used to playing wingman. He’d done it a million times before between Jesse, Hayden, Adam, and Clay. It was the role he was born to play. Sidekick. Third wheel. Fifth wheel. Mr. Invisible.
He had to give Mac credit. The guy didn’t completely ignore him. Mac kept pulling him into the conversations… tossing women his way… checking in that he was having a good time.
Then Mac would go on talking with whichever blonde, brunette, or redhead who had shoved herself into his orbit and smile with that knowing smile of his that Benji would never get tired of watching. Even if it wasn’t shooting in his direction.
I should’ve known he wasn’t interested in me.
He was just being friendly. Neighborly. A fellow teacher, new in town.
That’s all it was.
Nothing more.
Over
the course of the night, Benji had a little too much to drink. Not so much that he was stumbling, but enough that he was buzzing pretty good.
Enough that he eventually had enough liquid courage to hit on a few women just outside Mac’s range. Most turned him down, but he got a few dances. A few giggles. A few kisses on the cheek.
It was almost enough to help him forget about the stupid attraction he had to a man out of his league.
Last call went out, and the girl Benji had been dancing with wished him a good night.
“You don’t have to go,” Benji murmured, holding her hand.
“I do,” she said with a smile. “Thanks for the dances, Barry. I had a fun night.”
Barry? She didn’t even get my name right. He grinned and let her hand go. “Thanks.”
She kissed his cheek and wound through the crowd to find her friends. He waited until he was sure she was with them and then turned to see a quartet surrounding Mac. When he walked up, Mac caught his stare.
“You ready?” Mac asked him.
All four women groaned in disgust at the same time.
“Sorry, ladies,” Mac said. “I’ve got to go home.”
“I can come with you,” a gorgeous redhead said, her voice sultry.
No one had ever talked to Benji with a sultry voice. But then, these women were way out of his league. Just like the man they were after.
“You ladies made tonight fun. I appreciate it,” Mac said. “Maybe we’ll run into one another again some night.”
He gave them all quick hugs before extricating himself and urging Benji outside. They grabbed a waiting cab, and Benji gave the driver directions. He leaned back and looked at Mac in the dark.
“I figured you’d end up taking one of those girls home tonight,” Benji said. “And leaving me to fend for myself. Which you could have, if that’s what you wanted. I mean… I could’ve made it home just fine.”
“Nah,” Mac said, shaking his head. “None of them stirred any excitement.”
“Oh,” Benji said. “It seemed like you were having a good time. And… oh my god they were gorgeous.”
“I was having a good time,” Mac said, slapping Benji’s knee. His hand remained… and Benji could feel the heat of it seeping into him. “But it was a guys’ night, remember? I wasn’t out on the prowl. We were just having some fun. Bros before… well, you know.”