“Is this a private party?” Corbin asks.
I bump his arm with my shoulder. “If you’re wondering if you can come, the answer is yes. The bar will be open as usual.”
“Sweet,” Corbin says. “What time does the party start?”
“Do I hear talk of a party?” It’s Jonathan now, poking his head between mine and Corbin’s. He and Jay had been walking behind us.
Brendan fills him in on the discussion, and I let them know what time things will be getting started. Jay stays a few paces behind during the entire walk back to the parking lot, and when we say goodbye, he glances away quickly when I meet his eyes.
22
Complicated
At home, there’s a note on my kitchen counter telling me that I can find Roscoe at Sheila’s house.
“Why’d you bring him over? Was he howling?” I ask after my neighbor lets me in. My dog is curled up on one side of her couch, next to Trixie, Sheila’s feisty little dachshund.
“No, but I thought he might like company,” Sheila says.
“Okay, well, thank you. I appreciate you looking after him,” I say.
“So, where were you today? Looks like you got some sun.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “Did you bring my dog over to hold him hostage in exchange for juicy details?”
She plops down on the other end of her couch, reaching for her remote and turning down the volume on her TV. “Ooh, are there juicy details? In that case, yes. You’re not getting your dog back until I get some information.”
I laugh, shaking my head at her.
“First, you don’t come home all night. Then you’re gone all day.” When I sit on the chair that’s nearest her, she squints at my face. “Looks like you may be having a little flare-up.”
I press my fingers onto my cheeks, feeling heat on my skin, and frown.
“So who’s the guy that’s been keeping you busy?” she asks, leaning back, arms folded over her chest. She’s obviously going to be more persistent than Roscoe with his favorite jerky treat, so I decide I may as well give her enough details to satisfy her. I could use a nap before the party tonight, so the sooner I tell her what she wants to know, the sooner I can wake up my dog and go home.
I take a deep breath, wondering where to start. Finally, I say, “It’s probably good you’re sitting down, because there’s more than one guy keeping me busy.”
“Christine! That’s my girl!” She slaps her knee in a fit of excitement before settling back again to scrutinize me as I explain.
“Three guys came into the bar the other night. The last night you were in, actually, is when they came in. Out-of-towners, really, really good looking.”
“I’m liking the sound of this,” she says.
I briefly fill her in on a few of the details I know about the Hayes brothers, and then confess that I went home with them the second night they came in.
“I like that they gave you time,” she says. “And I assume you had a good night with them, if you saw them again today?”
I almost have to laugh at the silly grin on her face. I’m both surprised and relieved that she’s not asking for intimate details.
“I did … but then things got complicated.”
“Let me guess,” she says. “Three more guys came in, and you’ve been invited to a sevensome … sevensome? Septsome? Sex with seven people – what would that be called?”
“Sheila!”
“Hey, you slept with three guys. I hear it’s a slippery slope.”
“Oh my gosh, Sheila!” My eyes are watering with laughter. “What kind of stuff have you been watching or reading?”