Donovan (Face-Off 3)

“I like Jameson better,” she says, grinning. “The name suits you.”

“Thanks.” I stuff my hands into my jean pockets. “Regan isn’t a name you hear very often either.”

“That’s my dad for you.” She chuckles to herself as if there’s a private joke behind her name. “How about you two handsome guys follow me, and I’ll get you those nachos.”

“Yay! Thank you!” Rico latches onto her by wrapping his arms around her stomach.

“Cute kid you have here,” she says, staring at me while patting Rico on the back.

“I don’t know about all that,” I deadpan. “Rico is a pain. You can keep him if you’d like.”

“Hey!” Rico finally unhooks himself from Regan to give me the stink eye. “Take it back.”

Hooking my arm around Rico, I walk down the long hallway next to Regan. “I’m kidding. I’d never give my buddy away.”

The crowds are getting heavier as we pass, and the buzzer still hasn’t sounded, which means we have time to get back to our seats. I hope. But I’m also unsure if I want to go back now that I have Regan’s company. After we loop around the corner, she stops in front of a different concession stand.

“Hey, Joe.” Regan waves to a balding man behind the counter. “Can I get two nachos and two Cokes for my new friends?” She winks at me as she says this.

She has a certain ease about her that reminds me of Charlie. You can be yourself around girls like them. Except, for some reason, she makes me nervous. I think of asking her out as we wait for Joe to fill the plastic containers with cheese. What if she shoots me down? Not that it would matter. It’s not like we would see each other again otherwise.

Joe hands the nachos to Rico first, and then, the other set to me. Regan takes a chip from my tray, dunks it into the cheese, and shoves it into her mouth with her eyes trained on me. We share a moment. With me focusing on her mouth as she chews, it takes me a second before I realize Joe is trying to get my attention to hand me a bottle of soda.

“Thank you.” I lift the soda from the counter and hold it up in acknowledgment. Then, I turn to Regan, who has stolen another chip from me. “How is it that you have the hook up around here?”

“I know a guy who knows a guy,” she deadpans, laughing to herself.

“What are you doing this weekend?”

I’m usually not so forward with women. My question surprises me just as much as Regan. I like to check women out, make sure they’re not crazy or up to Charlie’s standards before I ask them out on a date. But I feel at ease with Regan. Plus, she didn't even know me and went out of her way to get Rico food. The least I can do is return the favor and buy her a decent meal that doesn’t consist of processed cheese and corn chips.

“Umm…nothing much. Are you asking me out, Jameson O’Connor?” She inches closer to me and the tension between us is burning like a lit match.

“Yeah, I suppose I am asking you out. So, what do you say? Wanna have dinner with me on Saturday night?”

She holds her finger up to her lip, pretending to think it over. The wait is killing me. Say yes already.

Before she can respond, I hear Alex call out, “There’s the man-of-honor. We’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

I was so caught up in Regan and getting Rico his nachos that I’d forgotten about the game. How is it I didn’t even notice the buzzer go off, only the people tearing through the halls in a rush to get out of the building?

“I’m right here,” I say, annoyed.

Our entire wedding party follows behind Alex, including Charlie, who has a strange look on her face. She seems confused, but I have no idea why.

Coming up next to me, Charlie does something I least expect when she locks onto Regan. She hugs her as if they have known each other for years.

“How are you?” Charlie asks, taking a step back from Regan and stands next to me. “It’s been months, maybe even longer, since I last saw you. Is your dad keeping you busy?”

Regan shrugs. “You know my dad.”

Alex glances at me, confused, and then, back to Regan. “What are you doing out here with Jamie? How do you guys know each other?”

“We don’t,” I interject before she can respond. “They were out of nachos at the concession by our seats, and Regan helped us out.”

“Mind your own business, Parker.” Regan’s tone is playful. She speaks to him as if she’s good friends with Alex.

Who is this chick?