Yes, I’ll take sex on the beach with you. “Nah, I’m going to just grab a beer.”
“Tyler, this is my fiancé, Josh. Josh, this is Tyler. He and Reagan are… friends,” Carol introduces us.
“Tyler.” I stretch my arm out across the table and offer him my hand. He takes it.
“And my husband is on his way,” Brenda adds. “He got stuck at the office, but he’ll be here soon. His name is Tom.”
I nod. “So,” I lean into Reagan, “everyone brings their significant others but you?”
She turns her head to look at me. I’m still leaning close to her, keeping the conversation just between us. I’m close enough that it would take minimal movement on my part to press my lips to hers. “Usually. Sometimes, it’s just girls’ night.”
“So, I’m yours for the night?” I ask her. She bites down on her bottom lip, and her chest rises and falls just a little faster than before.
“Is that what you want, Ty? To be mine for tonight?” she asks. Her voice is soft and full of uncertainty.
“No.” The sparkle in those hazel eyes dulls. She swallows hard, and I realize my mistake. “Not just tonight,” I immediately correct my blunder. “Never for just one night,” I whisper huskily. Her eyes widen. “Not with you.” I give her the confirmation she needs. The confirmation we’ve been dancing around for far too long.
“Tyler.” She breathes my name as if she can’t believe what I’m saying.
“Reagan,” I mimic her. Reaching up, I push her bangs out of her eyes. The sparkle is back and something more. Something I can’t really explain.
“Tyler, this is Tom.” I hear, and force myself to look across the table.
“Nice to meet you,” I say, holding my hand out for Tom to shake.
“You too. How long have the two of you been dating? Usually, Reagan is here alone.”
Reagan flinches beside me at the same time Brenda smacks Tom on the arm and has him flinching in pain. “Reagan and I have known each other for years.”
“They’re not together.” Brenda smacks Tom’s arm again. “I told you that,” she whispers harshly.
“It’s fine.” Reagan waves her hand in the air. “Ty and I go way back. He and my brother are best friends. They work together.” She rushes to explain our relationship, and I hate it. I hate that she feels like she needs to explain or defend whatever it is she’s doing. I hate it even more that I’m just her brother’s best friend.
I hate it a whole hell of a lot.
“Sorry about that,” Tom says. “What are you drinking?”
“Nothing at the moment.”
“Let me buy you a beer?” he offers. He waves for the bartender and holds up two fingers.
“Sure,” I say, knowing I don’t have to leave this seat. If he’d asked me to go with him to the bar, I would have declined. I’m not giving up this seat or my time with her. Just as our beers are dropped off, I feel a strong hand grip my shoulder.
“Fancy meeting you here.”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Seth and Kent won’t call me out here, not in a crowd, but I know it’s coming. If they don’t get to me before work on Monday, they’ll ambush me then. “Hey,” I say, turning to face them. “What are you guys getting into?” I ask casually, as if me sitting as close as I can get to Reagan surrounded by her friends is a completely normal Friday night.
“Just having a couple of beers. We tried to call you,” Kent says. His eyes dart between me and Reagan.
“Really?” Reaching into my pocket, I pull out my phone to see a missed call from Kent and a message from Seth. “Sorry about that. It’s on vibrate, and I guess I didn’t feel it.”
“Mind if we join you?” Seth asks, already grabbing one of the extra seats next to Reagan. A party of six with seating for eight. Just great.
“Of course.” Reagan is quick to accept them into our little gathering of sorts.
“So, what’s up?” Kent asks. He’s looking at me with questions in his eyes.
“Drinks,” Reagan tells him. “Let me introduce you.” She points at each person around the table calling them by name. “This is Kent and Seth. They’re friends of my brothers and work with Tyler,” she explains.
“Ah, the plot thickens,” Carol says with glee, sipping from her drink.
“Special occasion?” Seth asks, taking a long pull from his beer.
“No.” Reagan shakes her head. “Just something we try to do a couple of times a month. Get out of the salon and just hang out.”
“Nice,” he says. Then he turns to look at me. “You working at the salon now?” He smirks.
Asshole. “No, but I was there earlier to get a cut. You should look into it as well,” I tell him, referring to his long locks.
“No thanks,” he’s quick to reply.
“The more, the merrier,” Brenda chimes in. “We invited him.”
Seth and Kent both nod, but I can tell they’re not buying it. Josh, Carol’s fiancé, asks about adding on to his garage when he finds out our profession, and the conversation shifts. Thankfully.
The waitress drops off another round of those fruity drinks for the girls, and I wave her off when she asks if I want another beer. I need to keep my shit in check tonight. The last thing I need is to get liquored up and start hanging all over her or worse, confessing that I want her. With Kent and Seth having a front row seat, that could only end in disaster. Not to mention the way Reagan is tossing them back. I’ll need to make sure she gets home safely.
Drink after drink, the girls throw them back. Josh and Tom both stopped drinking as well. Seth and Kent have each had a couple, but nothing like the ladies.
“You about ready?” Tom asks Brenda. “You work tomorrow, right?” he asks her.
“You.” Brenda points across the table at Reagan. “You won’t fire me if I’m a little late, right?” she slurs.
“Your clients might,” Reagan replies.
“Right.” Brenda nods and downs the remainder of her drink. “It’s been fun, but I need some sleep.”
“Babe, it’s just a little after ten.” Tom laughs at her. “You’ll be fine. Let me grab you a bottle of water to start on the way home.” He kisses the top of her head as he stands and makes his way to the bar.
“He’s so sweet,” Reagan gushes.
“You need one,” Brenda tells her.
“One day.” Reagan nods like it’s the best plan she’s heard all day.
“What about you?” Carol points at me.
“Honey.” Josh gives her a “shut the hell up” look.
“What? They’re obviously into one another,” she defends.
“Really?” Seth chimes in. “How so?”
“Look at them.” Carol points across the table at Reagan and me. “They’re perfect for each other.”
“All right, you. I think it’s time to call it a night.” Josh stands and tosses some money on the table. He offers her his hand, and Carol stands on wobbly feet as well. “You got her?” Josh nods toward Reagan.
“Yes.”
He nods his approval and guides his girlfriend through the throng of people and disappears to the parking lot.
“Party poopers,” Brenda mumbles, just as Tom appears at her side.
“Tab’s taken care of. You guys will make sure Reagan gets home?” he asks the three of us.
“I’ve got her,” I rush to say before the others can take responsibility for her.
Tom nods. “It was nice to meet you.” He waves and wraps his arm around Brenda as they make their way to the exit.