“I’m in love,” Wren volunteers to the table next to ours.
“Easy, tiger. Thought you said you were taking it slow.”
“I thought so too, but I really like her. A lot.” He squeezes my shoulder and downs the rest of my beer. He leans in close. “Get this. Bailey…” He says her name in a whisper. “She says she’ll go to the strip club with me.” He nods and smirks waggling his eyebrows. “We’re headed there next. You guys coming with?”
I wrinkle my nose. “Nah, I think I’m gonna head home. You just be careful. That’s asking for trouble.”
“I can handle it.”
“No doubt.” I bump his fist just as the girls are making their way back to the table. “You ready to call it a night?” I ask Conleigh.
Her eyes linger on my lips. “Yeah, I’m ready for bed.”
“You guys cool to take a cab?” Wren has drunk a lot more than I have. I’m still good to drive.
“Yeah, man. We’re straight.”
“Here.” I give him my door key. Conleigh has hers.
The girls say their goodbyes and I steer my girl to the truck intent on getting her home and naked.
Chapter 28
Conleigh
After three drinks and dancing with Holden my bladder is about to burst. Holden tells me he is going to order another beer whil
e I make my way to the bathroom. The line is long, and I am afraid I will pee myself. I observe the women in front of me. They are cracking me up. One is telling the other a story about her youngest child finding her dildo and waving it around when her in-laws came for a visit.
“I was mortified,” she says.
“Well, at least maybe they won’t come over so often,” her friend says with a giggle.
I smile to myself wondering what my mom would do if she came to visit me and my kid did that if I had one. She’d probably die of shock or shame on the spot.
I move up two spots in line and feel a tap on my shoulder. It’s Bailey.
“Hey.”
“I’m having the most fun with Wren. I swear, Conleigh, he’s so…I don’t know…honest. He tells me how it is with him upfront. He doesn’t hold back. It’s so damn refreshing.” She grins and sways to the music that carries down the packed hallway.
“I’m glad you like him. Though you have to admit him and Holden are very similar.” I smirk.
“They are very different too.” She shrugs.
“I guess. If you say so.”
“I don’t know…I just have this feeling about him. Like maybe he could be my one.”
“Really? You just met him?” I’m not judging her. I’m just surprised is all.
“I know!” She grabs my arm. “He’s—I don’t know. I just really like him. He hasn’t tried to sleep with me or anything. Sure, we’ve kissed but with other stuff he jokes around and flirts but no pressure. He seems genuinely interested in what I have to say. He’s taking the time to get to know me. It isn’t all physical and lust.”
This shocks me but in a good way. “Good,” I tell her and finally, it’s my turn.
When I’m at the sink washing and drying my hands, I look in the mirror and see Judy behind me. My face pinches up, but I attempt to ignore her. However, she is intent on a conversation with me.
She steps up next to me at the counter. “I’m glad you wised up and found someone else to sink your claws into. Ezra doesn’t love you. He would have married you, but he still would have been fucking me. Then when he squeezed all he could from your stepdad he was going to divorce so we could be together.”