My Real (19 page)

“They are being strict on the midnight cut off so we’ll have to wait. We just ordered if you want to flag the waiter down and get something to eat,” Andrew told Jake.

Jake ran up to the waiters to order some dinner, flirts a little, then came back to join us.

“The Jake charm didn’t work on her did it? She’s not giving you any drinks, right.” I asked him as he sat back down.

“I don’t get it. The smile works on all girls.” When I raised my eyebrows at him he added, “Okay, it works on almost all chicks. You are somehow immune to the Jake charm.”

“Yeah, there are vaccines against things like that,” I joke.

Jake grabbed his heart like he was shot, “That hurt babe; that hurts bad.”

The waitress came back with our dinners and I saw that we all ordered wings. This was not going to be pretty.

“How many wings did you eat last time we were out Bailey?” Jake asked.

I answer Jake with only a smile. He made a huge deal out of eating more wings than me. Jake is a very competitive guy and he especially does not like being beat by a girl. When I beat him at pool that night, he needed anything to cling to his male ego, so he challenged me to a wing eating contest. Let’s just say, I let him win.

“I had twenty.” He just nods at me and starts inhaling his wings at a rapid pace.

When the third round of wings were done and I was still going strong Andrew laughed at the look on Jake’s face. “What’s the matter my friend? Is she going to beat you again?”

“Fuck you.” Jake stomped off to the bathroom.

“I love that you beat him in everything he challenges you to.” Andrew said to me as he hands me a wet nap.

“I really don’t try to beat him. He just makes it so easy because his big head gets in the way.”

When Jake walked back, he was all smiles and the waitress was walking up right behind him with a shaker, two shot glasses, and a green smoking drink.

“Everyone,” the waitress yelled out to all the patrons of the bar from on top of a chair. “We have a birthday girl here having her first official shot.”

“It’s actually her first shot ever. She’s a drinking virgin” Jake yelled out to the whole bar.

The waitress looked down at me with an unbelieving look on her face. “Really?”

I nodded as my face blushed.

“Okay, this is her first shot ever. Count it down for me everyone.” She placed the shot in front of me and the whole bar started counting down from five. When everyone hit one, I shot it back and slammed the shot glass on the table. The waitress filled two shot glasses this time and put the shaker and the drink on the table. “Happy Birthday,” she said as she walked away.

“You did good kid. Happy Birthday,” Andrew said as he leans over and kissed my cheek. My face got even hotter.

“That shot was really good, what was it?” I asked Jake as Andrew and I clinked shot glasses and I threw another one back.

“It’s called a Slippery Nipple,” Jake replies.

I choked on the shot and sprayed it all over Jake’s face. Andrew was barely able to get his shot down before he started laughing so hard he couldn’t breathe. Jake was wiping off his face laughing at my reaction.

“It’s called a what?” I asked again, horrified.

“A Slippery Nipple. What’s the matter school marm? Too racy for you?” Jake says.

“Why would they name a shot something like that?” I asked as I poured a second round of shots for Andrew and myself.

Andrew leaned in and whispers in my ear in a sexy voice, “Because nipples are best when they are slippery.”

My heart started beating out of my chest. I was sure the boys could hear it. Why did he have that effect on me. I started chanting my saying in my head. ‘He’s dating your best friend. He’s dating your best friend.’

Andrew clinked his shot glass to mine again and took his shot while pushing mine toward me again.

“So Dave didn’t pop that cherry yet then?” Jake asked me crassly.

“Asshole, what is your problem?” Andrew yelled at him as he put an arm around me.

“I’m a
… going to go to the bathroom,” I said quietly as I slinked out of the booth.

“No,” Jake grabs my arm. “Stay, I’m sorry. It was a dick thing to say. You’re just so cool to hang out with; I forget you’re not one of the guys.”

“Maybe that’s why Dave won’t sleep with me,” I said as I sat back down and grabbed my still smoking drink.

“Dave’s a dick too. I’d do you,” Jake laughed.

Andrew leaned in and asked, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Now,” I said shaking my head to lighten the mood. “What is this I’m drinking?”

“It’s called Smokin’ Sex. That’s dry ice in there, so drink it through the straw. It’s really strong, so go easy,” Andrew told me as he puts his arm back around me.

“Slippery Nipple and Smoking Sex. Are you trying to torture me?” I giggled as I sipped my drink.

“Yeah, that was a great night.” Andrew says with a smile. “One of the best nights I had in college. Bailey got so drunk off of a few shots and one mixed drink that I had to carry her to the car.”

“I think the next night was even better,” Jake says with a devious smile.

She doesn’t know it yet, but I’m taking Bailey away for a long weekend to Ricketts Glen State Park. I have everything planned. I just have to wait until 5:00 PM, and I can leave work to go pick her up.

My iPhone beeps interrupting my thoughts of the weekend.

Mom:
I’m on my way to Bailey’s house to pick up Emerson. What am I supposed to say when Bailey asks why I’m picking her up?

Andrew:
Just tell her that you are taking her shopping. I already mentioned to Bailey that you were thinking of taking her out.

Mom:
Okay. Good Luck. I love you.

Andrew:
Thanks Mom.

My boss walks in while I am finishing my text.

“So, big weekend for you? You’re going to Rickets Glenn right?” he asks as he picks up my lab reports.

“Yes. Everything is all planned out. Picnics, hikes by the falls, dinner reservations. I’m going to romance the hell out of her.”

“You got all your reports done early today. You can take off early if you want to.”

I look up in surprise. He never let us go early, even if all of our work was done. I wasn’t going to let him have the chance to take it back, so I pack my bag quickly.

“Thank you! I appreciate it. I do have a few things I still need to pick up before I pick her up.” I’m out the door and on the way to the grocery store.

I pick up our packed bags that I stashed in my garage then head to the grocery store to get a few things for our dinner tonight. I never imagined how hard it would be to pack a bag for Bailey to go away for the weekend. Not only was it a challenge to figure out what she would want to wear, I also had to be careful to pack things that she wouldn’t need before we left. A few times, she would ask where her brush was, or her face cream. I ended up buying duplicates of almost her entire bathroom because I didn’t want her to get suspicious.

I pull up to Bailey’s house and run into the kitchen.

“Hey, you’re home early. I was just getting ready to start dinner,” she says over her shoulder as she pulls two steaks out of the freezer. “I was going to make pigs in a blanket, but since Emerson’s not going to be here, I figured I’d cook your favorite instead.”

I wrap my arms around her waist and kiss her bare shoulder. Taking the steaks out of her hands without a word, I put them back in the freezer and then turn and sweep Bailey off her feet and start walking toward the front door.

“What are you doing? I need to thaw the steaks.”

“Grab your purse and phone.” I say as I pause at the table by the door. After looking at me for a second, she did as she was told without another word. I put her back on her feet at the car and open the door for her.

She smiles at me, kisses me on the cheek, and sits down.

“I am not really dressed to go out to dinner if that’s what you’re thinking,” she informs me once we are on the road.

“You look beautiful,” is my only response.

“So you’re not going to tell me where we are going to eat?”

“I’m cooking dinner for you tonight.”

“Then why aren’t we driving toward your house? What’s going on?”

“Don’t ask any questions. Just enjoy the ride.”

We talk and listen to music all the way up to Rickets Glenn. I amaze her with my vast music knowledge as she flips through the Sirius Stations.

“I am winning. Face it Bailey. I know my music.”

“I don’t understand. How can you know the lyrics to all these songs? You knew every song from the 50s station for God’s sake!”

“My mother is Italian. I grew up listening to Frankie, Dean, Sammy, and Joey.”

“Ok. What’s your explanation for all of the 80s boys’ bands?”

“I pled the fifth. You’re just upset because the only station you got points with is Today’s Country.”

“Hey, I knew most of the 80s station too. I don’t listen to music. I prefer books on tape.”

The argument ends quickly when I pull up to the house. We’ve been in the car for over an hour, and she hasn’t asked any questions. I’m pretty sure that is a record for Bailey. She hates not knowing what’ going on.

“You’re not going to ask where we are?” I question.

“You told me no questions. Besides, you distracted me with the game.”

“Ah yes. Losing a game, one thing you hate worse than being left in the dark,” I joke.

She sticks her tongue out at me as I shut her car door behind her. As I grab the bags out of the trunk, she notices her bag was among the things in my arms. She just raises her eyebrows at me. I’m impressed.

I lead her through the front door, leaving the bags by the steps.

“Because you were a good girl and didn’t ask any questions all the way up here, I will tell you that we are eating in tonight. I’m going to start cooking now.” I pick up a small gift bag and hand it to her. “Up the stairs and to the left is the master bath with a humungous spa bathtub that is calling your name. Everything you need for tonight is in this bag.” I kiss her on the forehead, turn toward the kitchen, and give her a gentle slap on the ass.

I watch as he walks away without looking back. I take a minute and look around the spacious living room I’m standing in. It’s killing me not knowing what is going on. It took every fiber of patience, and I’m an elementary teacher, so I have a lot of patience, to not nag some answers out of him.

I slowly start up the stairs as I start to sift through the gift bag I was handed. I pull out a bottle of bubble bath, a cleansing face mask, a new towel wrap for my head, a bag of Hershey Kisses, and a bottle of Clover Farms Chocolate milk. How in the world did he keep that cold on an hour car ride? He thought of everything.

I walk into the bathroom and halt to a stop.

“Holy big bathroom Batman.” The mother of all bathrooms. I’ve died and gone to heaven. In the corner is the biggest tub I have ever seen. There are candles, lit, on every surface in this room. The tub is positioned under a row of windows that overlooks an open field with the perfect sunset view. The sky is crimson and orange as the sun sets behind the trees. I walk up to the bath, and there are flower petals at the bottom that start to float as I turn the water on. After pouring an obscene amount of bubble bath under the running water, I start to undress then set the rest of my bath essentials up on the ledge.

Half way through the bag of kisses, I’m going to have to run some extra miles this weekend, the bathroom door opens.

“Enjoying the bath?” Andrew asks.

“Are you kidding me? I already talked to my handy man about getting it moved to my house.”

“You talked to another man while naked and in the tub? I think I’m jealous,” he smirks.

“If you come over here and get naked, I’ll show you that you have nothing to be jealous of,” I coo as I stand up in the bath. The bubbles slowly start to run down my body. Andrew just stands there frozen in silence. I lean down and pick up a cup from the ledge, fill it with water, and pour it down my chest, speeding up the bubbles’ descent.