“I don’t want a cat,” I shoot right back. I like animals and would love a cat or two so the one isn’t lonely, and dream of the day I can get a dog of my own, but really, I don’t have time. I’m at work more than I’m not, and when I get time off, I tend not to be home.
Because being home all alone is fucking depressing.
“What about a guinea pig or something?” Rory tries.
“You need at least two,” Jacob says without missing a beat. “They get depressed when they are alone. It’s instinctual for them to be in a herd.”
“Then I’ll get two,” I huff, hoping to shut my siblings up.
“They need fresh hay and vegetables daily,” Jacob goes on, slipping right into Jacob M. Harris, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine mode way too easily.
“Hey,” Mason exclaims, picking up his figurine. “I’m a chick.”
“Yeah, you are. You said you didn’t want to pick your own character, so I made one for you. Our group needs a druid, so that’s what you are,” Rory goes on. “I already picked out your name, but you can change it if you want.”
Mason cocks an eyebrow, looking at the scantily dressed tiny silver woman. “Can I roll to play with my tits?”
“Ugh,” Rory huffs, rolling her eyes. “You’re lawful good, so no. Though I wouldn’t be opposed to someone killing his character off like right away.”
“Sounds good to me.” Mason puts the figurine down and leans back again, finishing his beer. “Though it’s a little early to hit the bar just yet and that’s where I’m going if my character dies.” He turns to me. “Be my wingman tonight? Not that I need it, but you do. So scratch that. I’ll be your wingman.”
“Tempting, but I’d rather be the dwarf-lord of the Shire or whatever the fuck we’re playing,” I tell him.
“It’s more fun than it sounds,” Dean presses.
“You wouldn’t say that if you weren’t sleeping with my sister,” Mason grumbles. He sets his now-empty beer on the table and nudges my foot with his. “What do you say? You want to go out tonight?”
I shrug. I’d actually like to go out with Mason, kicking back a few drinks and finding someone to spend the night with tonight. Anything to stop thinking about Chloe.
About the way her white, wet t-shirt clung to her tan skin.
Or the way her smile is exactly like I remembered.
And especially the way she looked at me right before she got out of my car and walked up to her dad’s house without so much as a look back.
“We could all go out,” Dean suggests, earning a glare from Rory. “After we get through this first adventure. It is early to be going out.”
“Maybe,” Rory says, looking annoyed. I love my sister, but even she’ll be the first to admit she can get a tad dramatic when things don’t go her way. “But I’m kind of tired to go out.”
“That’s fine,” Dean says quickly, hand landing on Rory’s shoulder. “We can stay in too.”
“You can go out,” she tells him. “I’d like that, actually. I’ll stay with Adam and you can go out and have some fun.”
Jacob snorts a laugh. “Sick of him already?”
“Hah,” Rory retorts. “No. I’m not at all, but if any of you man-whores would stop and give anyone a chance, you’d get it.”
“Get that we’d settle down and then want our wives to leave?” Mason asks, going out of his way to act confused.
Rory just huffs and shakes her head, but I get her. She wants Dean to go out and have some fun because she loves him. She wants him to be happy, even if it means she stays home and takes care of their baby instead of having a carefree night out with friends. She’s said before she wishes we were able to spend more time together as a family, and I’m the closest to her and Dean in Eastwood, Indiana, but work keeps me busy and I don’t feel like making the two-hour drive from my apartment to their house on my days off.
My phone rings, and I pick it up off the table. Stacey’s name flashes across the screen, and I silence the call, letting it go to voicemail.
“I thought you said you two broke up,” Rory says, arranging more figurines on her map.
“We did.”
“Then why is she calling?” Everyone looks at Rory. “What?” she asks and then shakes her head. “Obviously I know she wants a booty call. But I thought you were done with her. Like done-done.”
“Oh, he’s done her a few times,” Mason snickers.
“We are done,” I say firmly. “For good. I kind of can’t stand her.”
Rory opens a wooden box with her dice sets and starts to hand them out to us. “You’re just now figuring that out?”