Chapter 6
RAYN
“How’s the job hunting going?”Camila asks as she chomps down on a chocolate straw. “Any luck yet?”
“I have an interview at the courthouse later this week.”
She nods, her short, midnight-black hair bouncing around her shoulders. “I heard there was an opening. Mrs. Beasly’s finally decided to retire. She has to be coming up on ninety. It’s about time.”
I take a sip of my latte. “I wouldn’t say she’s that old.”
“She’s gotta be close.” Opening her purse, she pulls out another chocolate straw. The girl is addicted to them and always has a stash with her everywhere she goes. “She was already as old as Croatia when we were kids. Now she’s too old to actually enjoy retirement.”
I lift a shoulder. “I think it’s pretty damn awesome she’s been able to work her whole life. I hope when I’m her age I can still get around as well as her.”
“Sorry we’re late,” Taylor says with a puff of air as she takes the seat across from mine. “Something came up, so I was late picking up Charlotte.”
Taylor is Camila’s sister. They’re both one-half of quadruplets.
Camila and I look at each other then turn to look at Charlotte, who sits in the chair across from Camila. Her eye roll tells us all we need to know.
“Asa Sharpe,” the three of us say at the same time.
“What’d she do this time? Take his coffee cup from the trash to keep as a souvenir?” I ask, only slightly joking.
“Worse,” Charlotte answers.
Camila groans. “I don’t know if I want to hear this.”
Charlotte ignores her and continues. “She bribed a bus boy at the hotel to let her in Asa’s room.”
Camila glares at her sister. “You didn’t.”
There’s not an ounce of remorse on Taylor’s face. “I did.”
“Damn it, Taylor. You’re going to end up in jail.”
“Don’t be so dramatic.” Taylor holds her hand up to a waiter across the room. “He’ll never know I was there.”
“He will when he discovers one of his shirts and a pair of his boxers are missing,” Charlotte inserts.
A feminine growl comes from Camila, and I almost spit out my drink. “You stole his clothes? His underwear?” I ask.
Let me start by saying Taylor isn’t a bad person. She’s actually very sweet and caring, and normally a completely sane person. But when it comes to Asa Sharpe, the lead guitarist for Grey Water, she’s crazy as all hell. The girl is obsessed with the man. Has been for years.
Taylor shrugs. “I sure did, and I’m not sorry about it. Those clothes will be my night clothes for the next however long.” A dreamy look glazes her eyes as she props her chin on her hand. “I’ll be sleeping in clothes that’ve been against his glorious body.”
A waiter stops by our table and we wait to continue our conversation until we’ve given our order.
“Were they at least clean clothes? Or were they ones he’s already worn?”
Taylor looks over at Charlotte. “Ones he’s already worn. I mean, seriously, why would I steal clothes that don’t smell like him?”
She asks the question with a straight face. Like it’s ridiculous to even think about stealing clean clothes from someone, versus taking ones that’s coated in a person’s sweat.
“You are seriously unhinged.” Camila’s nose wrinkles. “I mean that in all honesty. I don’t know how we’re even sisters.”
“Whatever.” Taylor tosses her long hair over her shoulder. “Enough about my dramatics. We’re here to talk about the party this weekend.”
The waiter brings Taylor and Charlotte’s drinks and lets us know our food will be out soon.
“I still can’t believe you agreed to a co-ed bachelor-slash-bachelorette party,” Camila whines. “It’s no fun if guys will be there.”
“Speak for yourself. I plan to bump and grind against Bryan on the dance floor all night.” Charlotte wiggles her eyebrows as she puts the straw to her drink in her mouth.
Camila huffs. “You’ve got a man to do that with. Us single girls won’t have anyone there.”
“Maybe you'll find someone who sparks your interest,” Taylor inserts.
“I highly doubt it,” Camila says.
We’re interrupted when our food arrives, but we get back to our conversation once the waiter leaves.
“When is Harley getting back?” Charlotte asks.
“The day before the party,” Camila answers.
Harley is another quarter of the quadruplets. She’s currently on a cruise with her on-again off-again boyfriend.
The bell over the door dinging draws my attention away from the table. My body immediately starts to tingle when a pair of men, too-sexy-for-their-own-good, walk inside. I’d worry about drooling, but I’m too focused on watching them walk to the counter to place an order.
It’s been two days since we went from being best friends to… whatever we are now. Reed had to work the last couple of evenings, and Jamison hasn’t been home much. We haven’t gotten the chance to talk about what happened. To be honest, I’m nervous about that conversation. I’m afraid of what might be said, and discover where they want to go from here. I know we need to talk about it though, and I’m determined to do so.
After both men have placed their order, they walk to the other end of the counter where they’ll pick up their food. With his hands casually stuffed in his pockets, Reed turns to face the room and leans back against the counter. It only takes a second for his eyes to find me. One side of his mouth kicks up into a sexy smirk. He says something to Jamison without looking away, and Jamison turns and finds me too.
Looking at the pair of them as they stare at me, memories of our night together filter through my mind, causing my body to heat up. It doesn’t take a genius to know their thoughts mirror mine.
“Earth to, Rayn.”