“If you think it’s a good idea, I’ll do it.”
“I don’t know if it’s a good idea,” I said, “but I know it has to happen eventually. I can’t avoid my family forever, which brings me to my next thought.”
“What’s that?” he asked.
“Tonight we hang out with my friends.”
Chapter 25—Incident
My doorbell rang, and I took a long, deep breath, smoothed out my dress, and went to greet Presley and Zoey.
“I don’t even know why I’m here.” Presley strutted through the door in her spiked heels, swinging a designer clutch around her wrist. “You have completely ignored me for over a week.”
“That boy must have some glorious cock on him.” Zoey laughed and gave me a hug.
“He does,” I whispered and winked at her.
“I knew it!” Zoey danced around in a circle as her low-cut blouse fell partway off her shoulder. She pulled it back up and smiled at me.
“Is his dick tattooed, too?” Presley raised an eyebrow and placed her hand on her hip.
“No, it’s not, if you really have to know. Stop being a bitch.”
Presley eyed me for a moment.
“You might as well start getting used to it,” I said. “Ethan’s joining us tonight, and we’re going to Marco’s instead of the club so he can get in.”
“People bring their whole families there!” Zoey whined and plopped down on the couch, folding her arms across her ample chest. “I mean, go meet him later for a quick fuck if you aren’t over it yet, but don’t make the rest of us suffer the little children.”
“He’s not a child!”
“I mean the rugrats people bring to Marcos.” Zoey leaned back on the couch. “Saturday night is full of kids until after ten.”
“You can cope for one night.”
“I hate kids.” Zoey pouted. “They’re noisy and they smell funny.”
“It’s not like we’re going to be at a table with a bunch of babies in diapers!” I sighed loudly, my frustration growing.
“No,” Presley said, “we’ll just have the one, slightly older child. Will he need a booster seat?”
“Presley!”
“You’re the one that wants to bring him out!” she yelled back at me. “We were all perfectly happy going to Club Mania until you changed all the plans because of him. People would be calling you a cradle robber if they could get past the fact that you’re dating someone who looks like a gang member with all the ink and the piercings. How’s he going to look standing beside you at professional functions? You’re going to be a laughingstock.”
“Well, that’s my choice, isn’t it? As my friend, I would think you could be a little more supportive!”
“I’ll go along with it tonight for your sake, but I don’t have to be happy about it!”
“That’s enough.” My voice was quiet, but they looked at me and took notice. “Sit down—both of you.”
Presley furrowed her brow as she sat down next to Zoey on the couch, and I sat across from them.
“I realize this is a little weird for all of us. I know Ethan doesn’t look like someone you would expect me to be dating, but I am dating him, and the two of you have to stop being so shitty about it.”
“I’m only trying to protect you,” Presley mumbled as she stared down at her hands in her lap. “People are already talking, and you have barely been seen with him in public.”
“They’re going to have to get used to it.”