Learning to Live (11 page)

We head into Jay Jay’s and the place is packed for only being ten
at night. I look to my left and check on Jazz because this is her first
time out with me in a bar. I need to keep an eye on her, but I want to
see Tru as well, so I’m on double duty tonight. Then I notice I’m not
the only one looking out for Jazz when I see Mason wearing a dreamy
look while he watches her bounce with excitement.
“Hey, Mason? Will you help me watch out for Jazz tonight?” I
yell over the loud music the DJ plays, and again he looks guilty for
staring at her. I can’t help but laugh and notice Jazz walking away
toward an empty table. David, Mason, and I follow behind her and
take a seat. Immediately, I see that Trudy is behind the bar and running
her ass off, but man what a fine ass. Then I notice that
Benji
is behind
it with her, and I see red and let out a growl. Thankfully nobody can
hear me with all the noise. Or so I thought.
“Calm down. He’s just a friend. Trust me, we talk about
everything,” Jazz says and interrupts me when I’m about to ask her for
details. “No, sir. I have her trust and I’ll not break it, even for you,
buddy.” She smiles and orders a girly drink from the waitress, Blaire,
who is now staring at me waiting on my drink order.
“I’ll have a Heineken. And open a tab, please.” I hand her my card
and turn back to look toward the bar.
David knocks me on the shoulder and says, “Dude. Stop staring.
Look at all the sweet pus...” He doesn’t finish because Jazz has her
hand over his mouth, and I know he’s about to get an earful.
“David Lawrence Hayes. Don’t you
dare
say that vulgar
disgusting word around me,
EVER
. Got it?” She finally removes her
hand when he nods his head.
“Damn it, Jazz, did you have to use my full name?” He laughs it
off, but I know he hates his middle name. I can’t blame him though.
“Yes, I did, and I’ll do it again. You always try to piss me off and
usually it works, but tonight I’m a mature twenty-two- year-old, and I
won’t knock your teeth out, but I will call you by your full name.” She
nods her head to emphasize her point.
Our drinks arrive and soon our table is surrounded by David’s
entourage of girls. He’s always been a player, and lately it’s been
getting worse. I think he goes home every other night with someone
different. After a few minutes one girl, who’s obviously drunk, sits in
his lap and makes herself comfortable while dancing to the music.
Luckily the others seem to think Jazz is with me and walk away.
Totally okay by me. The last thing I want is for Trudy to see another
girl hanging on me like before.
“Let me up. I want to dance.” Jazz pushes me so I’ll get up, but I
don’t move. I look up and see Mason’s ears perk up as his head lifts to
peer at Jazz.
She pinches my side so I get up and say, “Mason will dance with
you. Won’t you, Mason?” I see panic in his eyes and look at Jazz to get
her reaction. Of course she’s still smiling.
“Okay, Dad.” She grabs Mason’s hand then pulls him toward the
dance floor while he continues to panic. I watch them and once they
are on the dance floor, Mason gives me the finger and a death glare,
until Jazz starts to dance. Then he awkwardly tries to keep up. I burst
out laughing because he is so unsure what to do with his hands unless
it involves a remote control.
“I’m going to head over to the bar.” David just gives me the
thumbs up with his free hand while his other remains up the girls skirt
and his tongue stays down her throat. Shaking my head I walk away.
I find an empty spot at the bar on Tru’s end and wait for her to
serve me. When she notices me though, she acts like we’re strangers.
It’s not the reaction I was hoping for.
“What can I get you?” she asks in a professional manner.
I shake it off and smile at her because I know she was affected
earlier. She must be trying to play it off. “Heineken, please. And
another one of Jazz’s girly drinks.”
She has to lean over to hear me, and I get a perfect view down her
shirt, but I don’t look. I want her to know I’m not the same as these
other guys that only think with their dicks. She nods her head and turns
around to get my order. I do look at her ass in those jeans because I’m
not dead.
When she turns around she passes me my drinks and continues on
her way. I know she’s busy so I’m not going to dwell on it.
“Is that mine? I am so thirsty.” Jazz comes up and takes her drink
off the counter and downs it really fast before she once again dances
her way to the dance floor. I’m definitely going to have my hands full
tonight at this rate. I give Mason a look that tells him to keep his eyes
on her. He nods his head in acknowledgment, so I turn my attention
once again to Trudy while drinking my beer. After some small talk
with some people from school, Jazz comes back up to the bar and
grabs my beer.
“Hold up. I don’t need you sick because I won’t be there to hold
your hair back.” I take the drink from her and turn around to order
water, but one is already in front of me, and Trudy is standing there.
“I live next to her and don’t want to hold her hair either,” she says
over the music with a smile, and I smile back. Then she’s off again to
the next customer.
As the night goes on, I turn down several offers to dance as I
watch Jazz dance with Mason. She seems to be having fun and not
trying to flirt with other guys. I’m extremely happy about that because
I don’t want to see my sister make out with anyone. I’ve always told
her that she’s unable to date until she’s married, which always caused
her to whine to Mom. I like to think it helped keep a majority of the
dickheads in school to stay away from her, but I know that wasn’t the
case.
I’m about to order another drink when I feel a hand slide up my
arm. I look over and Ashton is sitting beside me with the same
annoying look she always gives me. I politely smile and try not to roll
my eyes as I remove my arm from her hand. “Hey, Ashton.” I turn my
attention back to Trudy, who’s still running around taking orders and
getting drinks. I watch as she smiles at a few guys, and then Benji says
something in her ear that earns a laugh.
Dick!
“So, Jax, Why are you sitting here by yourself? You know I could
keep you company.” She reaches to play with my ear, but I turn my
head and face her. She’s really getting on my nerves, and I don’t have
time for her bullshit.
“Ashton,
stop
it. You need to realize that this...” I point between
the two of us “...will never happen again.” I take my beer and go back
to the table with David, who’s still sitting with a girl on his lap, but at
least he’s not cleaning her teeth. “Hey, man. Sorry to interrupt.”
He shrugs his shoulders and takes a swig from his beer. “No
problem, man. This is?” He pauses and waits for the girl to answer but
she’s too busy checking his pulse with her tongue. He shakes her and
she comes up with a drunken giggle. “What’s your name again?”
You would think she’d get angry about him not remembering her
name, but she doesn’t. “I don’t think I gave it to you yet, but it’s
Lauren.” She adjusts herself in his lap. “What’s yours, handsome?” she
asks while playing with David’s hair.
Of course David ignores the question and looks my way. “This is
Lauren.” Then acts as though she doesn’t exist and continues, “I see
Ashton found you. I tried to act like you weren’t here, man.”
“It’s cool. I just told her that it’s not going to happen between us
again,
and I hope she gets the fucking hint this time.” Looking at my
phone, I realize how late it’s getting and know final call will be here
soon, so I stand to leave. “I need to find Jazz and Mason so we can
load up while we wait for Tru to get off. You heading home tonight?” I
might as well be talking to the wall because his tongue is once again
stuck down this girl’s throat. I’ll take that as a no then.
After I find Jazz and Mason, we walk toward the bar area to wait
on Tru and close my tab. Ashton’s nowhere in sight and people are
starting to clear out. I sit there after the last call is announced and
watch Tru as she works. Man, she’s graceful with her movements as
she turns and tries to not bump into that Benji dude. She must sense
my stare because she looks my way but quickly goes back to what
she’s doing.
“Truuuuudy?” Jazz says in a high pitched voice, evidence of how
wasted she is. She smiles at Tru and uses her finger to tell her to come
over. “I’m soooo happy right now, but I miss you, friend.” I go to catch
her before she collapses on the bar, but Mason is already there holding
her up. “I can’t wait until next weekend and we can be happy
together.” She giggles and starts singing Toy Story’s
Friend
song or
whatever it’s called. I finally realize what she’s talking about. Next
weekend is Labor Day weekend and Cohen’s birthday, so that means
Trudy will be at the beach house with us.
Hell fucking yeah!
I need to
start making plans.
“Jazz, maybe you shouldn’t be
this
happy next weekend,” Tru
says as she laughs at Jazz. She then turns and faces me. “You should
probably take her home now. She looks like she might fall over, and I
still have to clean before I can leave.
I really don’t want to leave her, but when I look at Jazz, she’s
about to fall asleep on Mason’s shoulder. I don’t want her to get sick
so I give in. “You’re right. I’m going to take her home, and she can
stay in my room. I’ll head back and pick you up, okay?” I ask, hoping
she’ll say yes.
I see her eyes go wide and she shakes her head. Before she can
answer, the waitress, Blaire, comes up and says, “She’s staying the
night with me, so she’ll ride with us.”
What? I need to know who’s
us,
even though I’m almost positive
of who she’s referring to. “Us?”
“Yeah, Benji and me. We live in some apartments down the road,
and since we’ll be working late, Trudy is crashing there,” Blaire
clarifies as she walks off to pick up more trash.
Watching Trudy for confirmation, I get a glimpse of her pink
tongue as it comes out and licks her lips. My jeans instantly feel tighter
as my dick strains against them. “See, Jaxon, I’m good. Go ahead and
get her home and in bed, but make sure she’s on her side so she
doesn’t choke if she throws up.” She turns and comes out from behind
the bar and hugs my sister.
I look toward Mason and tell him to carry Jazz to the car. After he
scoops her up and walks out, I put my attention back on Trudy. “Are
you sure?” I need to trust her judgment because Blaire seems really
nice, but it’s Benji I am worried about. I’ve seen the way he watches
Tru, and I don’t like it. However, I remember what Jazz told me...that
he isn’t her type, so I just have to let her make her own decisions and
hope they’ll be in my favor.
“Yeah, I promise I’ll be fine.” I start to turn away but her soft
hand stops me, and my heart beat picks up from that simple touch. I
turn and look at her. I want to taste her again, but I don’t want to make
the next move. I want her to. “Please take care of Jazz and watch out
for her. Okay?” I can tell she cares for my sister, and that makes me
like her even more.
“I’m just going to let her crash at my place so I can listen for her
tonight. I promise she’ll be back to her loud self by tomorrow.” I place
my hand over hers as it rests on my arm, and I rub my thumb over her
knuckles before she pulls it away. I look over her shoulder at Benji,
who’s watching us as he wipes down the bar. I tell him with my eyes to
keep his distance. He just gives me an asshole smirk and shrugs his
shoulders as he continues to clean. “Night, Tru.” I walk away and hate
leaving her.