Chasing Love (Dark Love 1)

“For the record, I’d like to point out that Rocky was tied to what was supposed to be my bed. I couldn’t sleep without nightmares for weeks.” I chuckle.

“Better than the time you walked in on us in the kitchen,” he roars.

“Oh gee, Rocky, it took me years and hundreds of dollars in therapy to forget that. The moral of this story is always close your eyes and knock on a door when you visit Rocky and Nikki.”

The whole table is laughing hysterically. Rocky continues to ramble on about his sexual conquests until Nikki punches his arm, reminding him she’s sitting right beside him.

“Me next!” Adriana raises her hand like an overeager first grader. She stands, holding her glass like it’s a wedding toast or something. The image alone already makes me want to burst out laughing.

“I met Charlie at school. We were both in middle school. It was my first day having moved from Chicago. I was eight and going through this stage of wanting to look like Blossom.”

“Oh-em-gee, I loved her!” Eric bursts out. Of course, he did.

“Anyway, I was a little upset that day because no one would talk to me. It came around to lunchtime, and I sat at the table alone. She came over to say hello. I knew her name was Charlotte because I thought it was such a beautiful name. She had long brown hair and these big brown eyes. I was envious given that I had a short bob cut, not at all like Blossom. She asked me if she could sit down and introduced herself before reaching into her bag to grab her lunchbox at the same time I did. We pulled out our lunchboxes which both had Joey Lawrence on them. It was a match made in heaven.” She smiles, her eyes glassy. “From that moment, I knew I had a best friend in her.”

A hint of sadness enters her story, but quickly trying to change the tone, I ramble on about Blossom. “Our friendship didn’t help kill the Blossom obsession, that’s for sure.”

Lex shakes his head, grinning. “If I had to watch another episode or hear Adriana talk any more about it, I was going to go insane. I remember she had a shirtless Joey Lawrence poster stuck on the ceiling above her bed. Dad made her remove it, and she cried for like a week.”

“I totally forgot about that,” Adriana gasps. “When Dad made me take it down, we put it up in Charlie’s room above her bed. That lasted one night before Charlie’s dad made her take it off.”

I nearly spit out my wine remembering what happened next.

“The next afternoon, my dad and Dr. Edwards gave us the birds-and-bees talk. That it was inappropriate for young girls our age to be looking at older boys shirtless. It was so funny. Two grown men trying to explain to us in simple terms, and Adriana, of course, kept asking technical questions.”

I broke out into laughter, the whole table following. Adriana was such a big part of my childhood, and I missed her so much. She gets up from her chair and walks over, embracing me tightly. I don’t want to let go, and when I feel a tear fall down on my shoulder, I do what any best friend would do, I tell her not to ruin her makeup.

“I hate to break it to you guys but she still has a crush on him. Although no poster over our bed.” Elijah laughs.

“Hello, he’s a DILF!” Adriana blurts out.

Emma raises her brows, curios. “DILF?”

“Dad I’d like to fuck,” Eric answers instead of Adriana.

“Okay, okay. Enough about me.” Adriana raises her hands in the air, then turns to face Julian. “How about you, Julian? How did you meet Charlie?”

I’m surprised she asks given that Lex will give her an earful later, but if there’s anyone who’ll put up with his shit, it’s Adriana.

Lex’s shoulders stiffen, obviously not wanting to hear the story. I watch him gaze at me intently like he’s trying to read my mind or something. Julian drapes his arm around me causing Lex to adopt a sullen look. He clenches his napkin into a ball, shifting his gaze to the table.

This is the calm before the storm.

I’m waiting for him to lose it.

It’s only a matter of time.

“Nothing like you guys, considering it was only three months ago. We met at our local gym. I had seen her working out. I mean, she’s gorgeous, it’s impossible not to spot her. That day, I decided to go talk to her. I walked over, and the first thing she said if I recall correctly was, “Um… yeah, go for it. I’ve wiped it down and everything, so like you don’t have to worry about sweat or rashes. Wait, is a sweat rash why we’re supposed to wipe it down, or can you catch like herpes? Look, I don’t know anything about herpes, so can we forget I ever mentioned that?”

“Oh my God, Charlie, you didn’t say that.” Rocky claps his hands, chuckling loudly. “And for the record, sweaty chicks are hot.”

The table erupts into laughter again, everyone except Lex. The embarrassment is overwhelming. To this day I can’t believe I said that. I’m usually fine around guys, but the moment he walked up to me, I acted like a fifteen-year-old girl meeting One Direction.

“Um, yes, actually I did. Much to my embarrassment.” I blush.

“Aw, Charlie, it sounds like love at first sight,” Nikki pouts, obviously trying to provoke Lex. I kick her under the table which is followed by an ouch and a what-did-you-do-that-for look.

“That’s why I wanted to make her my wife. You’d be stupid to let a woman like this go,” Julian gushes, leaning in to kiss me on the cheek.