The first thing I did was strip off my clothes and stuff them into the laundry bag I'd packed. Every ounce of my self-preservation was telling me to just pack all of my things and leave, but I wasn't going to let it win. I wasn't going to let two guys scare me away from making sure my best friend had the best wedding I could give her.
Not a chance.
So, shoulders squared, I marched into the bathroom and hopped into the shower. The hot water cascading down my body felt heavenly, loosening muscles I hadn't realized were so tight. If I had time, I'd have booked myself a massage before my dates, but since I didn't, I'd just have to settle for letting the water work the kinks out for me.
My pussy still ached, but since I was already running late, I didn't have time for the relief I so desperately needed. Nor did the hotel provide detachable shower heads for easy relief. So by the time I was drying off and slipping my panties on, my entire body was shaking like I had electricity running through my veins.
If I got through today without a heart attack, I'd consider it a win.
Anything beyond that would just be icing on the cake.
At least, that was what I told myself as I grabbed my laptop bag and nearly ran down the hall toward the elevator.
Chapter 10
Zack
I'd gotten up early to make sure I had plenty of time to get ready for today. Drew must've had the same idea since his alarm had gone off only a couple minutes after mine had. The two of us grinned at each other as we got ready, neither of us able to believe this was really going to happen.
I'd completely given up hope last night. Janine couldn't have made it more obvious that she wasn't interested in me, and I wasn't going to spend all of my time chasing after a girl who wasn't going to change her mind. And then, just when I'd given up hope, she'd appeared and asked both Drew and I out on a date.
Both of us.
My brain had been so confused by the situation that I'd pretty much just sat there and nodded as she spoke. The alcohol probably hadn't helped, but I was pretty sure that even if I'd been sober, I wouldn't have had an actual answer for her.
The signals she gave off were so mixed and confusing, it was like taking driving directions from a newborn.
I'd been positive she wasn't interested. So why had she asked us out? She didn't strike me as the kind of girl who went on a date with a guy just to get him to leave her alone.
So why had she had a sudden change of attitude?
The answer wasn't going to just come to me though, but there was a chance one of us might find out during our dates tonight, if we were lucky. Then again, we'd probably used up about a year's worth of luck just getting these dates, so I wasn't exactly going to get my hopes up.
Even if my cock was already getting its hopes up.
All throughout the shower, it was rock hard, begging for attention. I ignored it though, not wanting to waste anything just in case I did get lucky tonight. I'd jacked off last night, which helped me keep a lid on things, but if there was a chance I'd be getting laid tonight, I wanted to make sure I had as much stamina as possible.
I couldn't exactly pleasure a woman if I couldn't get it up, after all!
It didn't take long before both of us were ready for the day. We'd both even laid out clothes for our dates, this way we'd be able to get ready quickly and not have to keep her waiting very long. I'd chosen a pair of nice khakis along with a deep green polo shirt that girls always told me brought out my eyes.
It was simple, but nice enough for any of the restaurants I'd picked out as options. It would also be enough to make me look nice but not overdressed or make it seem like I was trying too hard to impress her, even if I did spend a good bit of time this morning deciding what exactly I wanted to wear.
Drew had picked out a similar outfit - a pair of black slacks with a deep blue polo. We'd compared notes as we'd picked out our outfits, not wanting to show up for our dates wearing the same things. We were best friends, but we had to draw the line somewhere, you know?
I couldn't have been more excited for lunch though. I swung into the café, grabbing a coffee and a muffin for a light breakfast, not wanting to stuff myself. I wasn't too sure I'd be able to keep my food down with how energized my body seemed to be. And the last thing I needed was to puke on Janine.
That was a surefire way to ensure I never saw her again.
Ever.
So you can imagine how surprised both Drew and I were when we got to the banquet hall and found the room locked, Janine nowhere to be found. The two of us blinked at each other for a few moments. My brain went into overdrive, immediately bringing up the worst possible scenarios. Each one that ran through my mind was even more unlikely than the last, but they still kept coming.
"Maybe she's at breakfast with Carla and Josh again?" Drew suggested, but something about his tone told me he didn't quite believe the words himself.
I nodded, taking deep breaths. "Yeah, that's probably it. She'll be here in a couple minutes...."
What I didn't say was how hard my heart was pounding, wondering if she'd decided last night had been a mistake and she didn't want to see either of us again. I wished I'd had the brainpower last night to ask for her number, but I'd been so stunned that it hadn't even seemed like an option at the time.
I fiddled with my phone for a while, leaning up against the wall and wishing the stupid puzzle game would actually take my mind off everything.
When footsteps echoed down the hall, both Drew and I looked up toward the source. A few moments later, Janine rounded the corner, her bag hiked up onto her shoulder, and her face flushed as she practically sprinted down the hallway. "Oh god, I'm so sorry I'm late. I overslept. I hope you guys haven't been waiting too long."
"Not at all," I said, smiling at her and hoping it wasn't obvious how nervous I'd been.
Drew smiled and said something as well, but my brain wasn't quite calmed down enough to listen. All I could do was focus on taking deep breaths and try to stop my heart from sending me into a heart attack.
When Janine got the door unlocked, the three of us headed inside and over to the small stage where the bride and groom's table was set up. There was a pile of stuff sitting atop of it already, but Janine just pushed it aside and set up her laptop. After a bit of typing, she turned it to face the two of us.
On the screen was a table almost identical to the ones scattered around the room. "This is what they need to look like," she said, waving at the image. "Everything you should need should already be on the tables. If, for some reason, you're missing something for one of the tables, let me know. I have extras in boxes in the storage room still."
I whistled as I looked at the image. I could only imagine how long she'd spent decorating and redecorating that table until she had it just the way she wanted it. But hey, at least she'd figured that part of the equation out ahead of time. Now we'd just have to copy what she'd done, rather than try all sorts of different combinations like we'd had to do with getting the tables set up.
"I've got this picture from every angle, so if you're not sure how something is supposed to look, just ask." She turned beamed at us, arms crossed in front of her chest. "Any questions?"
"Nope!" Drew and I said at almost the same time. Then we glanced at each other and grinned.
I thought I saw Janine's cheeks color slightly, but I dismissed it as just a trick of the light. There was no way she'd be blushing over something as silly as the two of us talking at the same time.
After looking over her images a couple more times, Drew and I headed to opposite sides of the room to get started on the tables. We figured starting at the sides and working our way in would be the best option. Meanwhile, Janine stayed up on the raised platform and started putting together the main table herself.
The work went a lot faster this time than it had yesterday. There wasn't much to redo, especially once both Drew and I had our first tables done and had them approved by Janine. After that, it was a piece of cake to get the other t
ables decorated. And once Janine finished with the main table, she started helping us with the rest of them too.
Before I knew it, we were done. Janine stood at the back of the room, with us on either side of her, surveying the work. For what seemed like the first time, Janine was actually smiling as she looked at the banquet hall. It wasn't a forced smile, either. She genuinely looked happy as she stared at the room.
Then, she sighed and turned to look first at me, then at Drew. "So, which one of your is first on the chopping block?" she asked with a bit of humor in her voice.
"I am," I said, hoping I didn't sound nearly as nervous as I felt. It was getting closer and closer to our date. We still had a bit of time before lunch, which would give me a chance to go back up to the room and get ready. And after spending the morning running around, another quick shower was definitely in my plan.
Janine turned and faced me. When she looked into my eyes, I had to fight to keep my shoulders squared and not flinch. Something in her eyes made it feel like she was looking right through me, looking directly into my soul. "So, where are we going then?"
"Well, if it works for you, there's a nice little bistro that's a couple blocks away. I figured we could walk down there for lunch." The words all seemed to come out in a rush, like I was an awkward middle schooler again, asking my crush out on my very first date.
"That sounds good." She smiled again. It wasn't quite the smile from earlier, but it still seemed genuine. "Should we meet down in the lobby in about an hour or so?"
"Sure. That works for me." I smiled back at her, and she nodded.
"I'll see you later then." Then, she looked over at Drew. "And I guess I'll see you tonight for dinner. Do you know where we're going?"
"Uh, yeah...." Drew stammered out. "There's a steakhouse not far from here that had really good reviews. Is that okay?"
"Perfect!" Now she practically beamed as she looked at the two of us. Something about the way she looked at us told me we'd just passed some important test. "I'll see you guys later?" she said before going to start packing up her laptop.
Drew and I headed back up to the room so I could get ready for the date. The shower definitely helped calm my nerves a bit, but it still didn't completely ease them. At the very least it meant I wouldn't be going on a date smelling like sweat though.
"You nervous?" Drew asked when I came out of the shower. He was sitting on his bed, looking at his phone when I'd come out.
"A little," I admitted. If it'd been anyone other than Drew, there was no way I'd have said that. But no one knew me better than him. Besides, I had a feeling he was just as nervous as I was about his upcoming date as well. Besides, I was pretty sure anyone with two eyes could tell that I was nervous as hell.
"Well, I'm sure it's gonna go great. Hopefully that bistro is as good as the reviews all claimed." Drew flopped down on his bed, then looked over at me again. "And at least you'll be getting yours over with right away. I feel like I'm gonna go insane waiting until tonight. Maybe I should've arm wrestled you to decide who went first or something."
I chuckled as I pulled on my pants. I really didn't envy him having to sit around all day, anxious about tonight. It had been bad enough for me last night and this morning. But at least I'd been drunk last night and occupied this morning. He'd probably end up hanging out up here the entire time, stewing.
"Why don't you go see what Josh is up to? Maybe the two of you can do something. That might help get your mind off things, at least." Anything had to be better than him just sitting alone up here, worrying himself into a panic. It was strange seeing Drew like this, since normally he'd never let a girl get to him like that.
Then again, normally I wouldn't let a girl get to me either. We were both in a pretty strange position right now, and I wasn't quite sure it'd get any better if Janine did want to hook up or date one of us. I'd never been a jealous guy before, but would I be able to stand seeing Janine with Drew?
Or would it drive me even crazier than I already was?
Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the mirror combing my hair. That was another first for me, since I usually just ran my fingers through it a couple times and called it good. Hell, I didn't even own a mirror. I was using one the hotel had provided in their little toiletry kit.
For Janine though, I wanted to look perfect.
"So, what do you think?" I asked, turning to face Drew. I had to resist the urge to chew on my bottom lip, a nervous habit I'd had since I was a child.
Drew looked me up and down, then hopped up off the bed and walked around me in a circle. I shifted from foot to foot under his scrutiny. Finally, he stopped right in front of me and grinned. "Perfect, I'd say. Better than you've ever looked on a date before!"
I rolled my eyes at him, then thanked him. It was just like him to tease me at the same time he was complimenting me. But we wouldn't have been best friends otherwise.
"Thanks man. Wish me luck?"
"Good luck! Try not to face plant into your food, okay?"
I flipped him off, then turned and headed for the door. One foot in front of the other, I told myself repeatedly as I headed for the elevator. My heart hammered faster with each passing moment. At the rate I was going, it was liable to explode by the time I got to the ground floor.
Get it together! I yelled in my mind. Janine is just a woman, no different than any other woman you've gone out with.
I couldn't force myself to believe it though. No matter how many times I told myself there was no reason to be nervous, I couldn't stop it. So instead, I focused on my attention on my outward appearance. It was one thing for me to feel like a nervous wreck. I, at the very least, didn't want to look like one, too.
By the time I was walking into the lobby, I'd managed to square my shoulders and relax my face. I was sure I didn't like cheerful and full of life, but at least I didn't look like I was about to puke at any moment, so I considered it a win. Janine was sitting in one of the overstuffed chairs and jumped up the moment she saw me.
"Sorry," I said, feeling my cheeks flame. "I hope you weren't waiting very long."
Janine shook her head. Her own cheeks were slightly pink as well. She'd also changed, now wearing a light floral dress that showed off her legs. God, she looked absolutely gorgeous. "I just got here a minute ago. Are you ready to go?"
"Absolutely." I offered her my arm and tried to hide my surprise when she actually accepted it. Then, arm and arm, we headed out of the hotel and down the street.
The first few moments were tense and silent, both of us stiffly walking next to the other. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and decided to start with something easy to talk about. "How long have you known Carla?"
"Oh, forever practically," Janine said at once. "We've been friends since we were kids and no one's ever been able to separate us since!"
She let out a light giggle that made my heart beat faster. The sound was like music to my ears and I vowed to make her laugh as often as possible. Instinctively, I moved closer to her, and somewhat surprisingly, she let me. Things were turning out vastly different than they had over the last few days.
When she'd look over at me, she'd kind of smile, like she was actually looking forward to our date. Gone was the sour, down-to-business look she'd had last night when she'd laid all the cards on the table for us. It was like this was a completely different Janine, one I'd only gotten glimpses of over the weekend.
The Janine who made my heart pound fast and hard every time I looked at her.
God, I was turning into a hopeless romantic, I thought as we strolled down the street together.
If I closed my eyes, I could've easily seen us as a couple, going on dates regularly. Spending all of our free time together. Being not just lovers, but friends. Just like Josh had found with Carla, I could easily see myself having with Janine.
The question was, did she want the same thing? Or was she just being polite and giving me my fair shot during our date? After all, there was still the chance s
he'd say she preferred Drew over me. Or, worse, she could say she wasn't interested in either of us and send us on our merry ways.
"So, what kind of music do you like?" I asked, trying to make idle conversation as we walked. Because, honestly, I didn't really know anything about her. So anything I learned would be a bonus. Besides, I wanted things to be more about her than me. She had to be far more interesting than I was! Developing software for a real estate company wasn't all that exciting.
"Barenaked Ladies," Janine said with a smirk. "Violent Femmes. The Flaming Lips."
"You're lying," I said, my eyes wide. There was no way she was into those bands. Those were my three top bands. Josh had to have mentioned that and she was just being funny.
Janine fixed me with a look. Clearly she wasn't amused by my doubt. "Country Death Song practically got me through college. Just ask Carla. She nearly had to drag me away when I saw them live for the first time."
"I think I'm in love," I said, only partly joking. "When did you see them?"
Before I knew it, we were talking like we'd been friends for ages, going over our favorite songs from our favorite bands and talking about which concert had been the best. Janine was definitely opinionated about her music, but it all seemed genuine. She wasn't just following a trend or parroting what others said. Anything she told me, she had reasons behind.
Which just made debating music all that much more enjoyable. And trust me, there's not many things sexier than a woman who knows her music. Forget a gamer girl or a car junkie. A music head was at the top of the list, always.
And Janine was definitely at the top of that list!
The bistro wasn't too busy either, so we managed to grab seats without any issues, continuing our debate between which was better live, Pearl Jam or Soundgarden. Neither of us was willing to give up ground, no matter how hard we argued.
The lunch went by way too quickly. By the time we got back to the hotel, I didn't want to let her go. I wanted to take her back up to the room. Even if it wasn't for sex, I didn't want to be apart from her yet. Hell, I never wanted to be away from her.
Two Bad Groomsmen_An MFM Menage Romance Page 10