An hour later, and we were walking into the Magnolia Café. The last time we were there, Jeff and Josh got themselves in a bit of a situation with one of the waitresses.
Do I bring that up and have Jeff’s good mood fade? Nah.
Sitting at a table, I let out the breath I was holding when a male waiter came to our table.
“What can I get you gentlemen?” he asked.
“Coffee,” Jeff and I both said at once.
“I’ll take an ice water as well,” I added.
“Make that two!” Jeff stated.
Jeff tossed the menu onto the table and leaned back in his chair. “I’m getting French toast.”
“What?” I asked with a puzzled face. “You just ran, and you’re going to ruin it with French toast?”
He nodded. “Yep.”
Rolling my eyes, I scanned the menu. I knew the damn thing inside and out so why was I absentmindedly roaming my eyes over the menu? By the time the waiter came back with our coffee and water, I forced myself to pick something.
“French toast for me,” Jeff said.
The waiter looked at me.
“House omelet,” I said.
“Toast or biscuit?”
“Wheat toast,” I answered.
He took our menus and hightailed it to another table.
“So you want to tell me what’s going on with you?” Jeff asked.
I stared at my best friend. Do I tell him I had a dream about his sister, or try my best to push it all out of my head and forget it happened? Forget that his sister had me twisted in some kind of weird knot?
“I had a bad dream. It sort of threw me for a loop, and I just need to figure out how to get it out of my head.”
“Aw, so that’s why you were running like a lunatic.”
Laughing, I nodded. “I guess so.”
“Well, the best way to get it out of your head is one of two ways.”
“I’m listening,” I replied, more curious than anything to see what he was about to say.
“Fuck it out or drink it out.”
“Considering I haven’t had the first option in a while, it’s starting to seem like the best option.”
Jeff laughed. “Yeah, I agree.”
The waiter brought our food and left us to be. He came back twice to make sure we didn’t need anything else.
“I say we make a plan to go out. Get Josh and Brad and hit some clubs,” Jeff said.
“I’ve got to meet someone for dinner; I can’t tonight.”
That little comment had Jeff sitting up straighter and giving me his full attention. “Really? Who are you meeting? Do I know her?”
“I’m going to go ahead and say there is a one hundred percent chance you do not know this young lady.”
“Try me.”
I laughed. “Trust me, Jeff. You don’t.”
“So then just tell me who it is. Unless you’re keeping it a secret. Are you keeping secrets from me, Mathews?”
I finished off my water and sighed. “No, Jeff. I’m not. Not really.”
His brows darted up. “Fuck, now you have to tell me about her.”
“Well, she’s cute.”
Jeff nodded. “I knew it was about a girl. Go on, tell me about her.”
“Blonde hair. Pretty hazel eyes. A feisty little attitude and a little bit stubborn.”
Jeff leaned closer. “Interesting, sounds like my type. Keep going.”
I shrugged. “And she needs my help with something.”
His eyes widened, as if he knew the answer right away. “Holy fuck, she’s a virgin and wants you to pop the cherry.”
“No,” I said, snarling my lip up at him. “She needs help learning how to play football. She wants to try out for the school team.”
It took everything out of me not to laugh when Jeff’s face scrunched up in confusion.
“What?” Jeff asked.
“She’s twelve, and her father asked me to give her some private lessons. It seems Laney—cute name, isn’t it? Well, she wants to tear some walls down and be the first female player on her middle school’s football team.”
Jeff closed his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. “You asshole. You made my damn heart drop when you said she was twelve. Fucker!”
I let out a laugh.
“So you’re coaching a little girl to play football. I like it. Good for her. I hope she kicks some serious boy’s ass.”
“Want to come? You can help.”
“Would her dad mind?”
“No, I’m sure he wouldn’t care. I’ll call him and make sure it’s okay.”
A smile moved over his face. “Cool. This could be a lot of fun. I’m totally going to teach her how to tackle the little bastards.”
“Well, the goal for her father is to make sure this is something she really wants to do, not something she thinks her dad wants her to do.”
Jeff nodded. “Ah, so the dad doesn’t want her playing?”
I shook my head. “No. Not at all, but he’s not about forcing his hand with it. He’s hoping I can change her mind.”
“I have an idea.”
“I’m all ears,” I replied.
“We need to call Josh. We’re going to show her what playing football is really like.”
A grin moved across my lips. “Tell him to bring his football gear.”
Chapter Nineteen – Gunner
I’d already cleared it with Lane’s father; Jeff and Josh were more than welcome to help out.
Laney stood in front of me, her eyes round with horror as she took in the plays I had been making Jeff and Josh run.
“Run that play again, y’all!” I shouted to Jeff and Josh.
I couldn’t see their faces, but I was positive Jeff had a wide grin. He’d tackled Josh three times already . . . hard. The last time I thought Josh might have actually broken a rib with the sound that came out of his mouth.
“You’re gonna make them do that again?” Laney asked.
Taking a peek over to her father, I shot him a quick smile. He gave me a thumbs-up since his daughter couldn’t see him. I guess he could hear the fear in her voice.
“Yes. You have to see the type of hits you’ll be taking, Laney.”
“Will they . . . be that . . . hard?” She flinched when Jeff tackled Josh. It hadn’t been lost on me that Josh had actually looked to be running away from Jeff.
“Yep. I mean, the boys won’t be this big of course, but you can expect the same thing. But girls do it all the time. They usually play quarterback, but then you also run the risk of being sacked.”
She nodded.
“Josh, Jeff. Let’s show Laney what a sack looks like.”
Josh stood there staring at me. I knew he was giving me death rays through his helmet. He pointed to me, and that was his silent way of saying I was going to be getting a payback. Laney’s father chuckled from behind us before quickly clearing his throat.
“This is not fun anymore!” Josh shouted.
“What do you mean? You love football!” Jeff shouted.
“Not when you keep plowing into me harder than need be!” Josh growled.
“Guys? The sack?” I reminded them.
Josh was mumbling something, and the word asshole was said loud enough to be heard at least two times.
“He’s mad,” Laney noted.
“Nah, he’s okay,” I said, attempting to hold in a cackle.
Jeff handed Josh the football.
“No. It’s your turn. You’re the quarterback.”
“No, you are.”
Josh crossed his arms. “No. You. Are. Now don’t make a scene in front of our student, Jeff.”
Jeff cursed under his breath before he started to drop back, acting like he was looking for a receiver downfield. Josh ran up to him, and the next thing I knew, Jeff spun and started to run away from Josh.
“Jeff!” Josh shouted as he ran down the field after Jeff.
“What’s happening?” Laney asked. “Why is Jeff running
away? Is he afraid to get hit by Josh?”
I let out a sigh. “Yes, it appears he is.”
“Wow. Okay, well . . .”
Laney turned to her father. “Dad, I know you set this all up and I’m not afraid to be tackled by a guy, but I honestly don’t think I want to play anymore.”
She focused back out to the field. Jeff was now heading back this way. He turned and threw the ball at Josh’s feet, trying to trip him up.
“Even though I’m pretty sure that would never happen,” the young girl said with a giggle.
Laney’s father came up and placed his hands on her shoulders. “That’s from getting hit one too many times, sweetheart.”
I chuckled. Score one for Laney’s dad and for Jeff and Josh.
“Gunner, thank you so much for your time. Here ya go.”
He handed me a check, and I put up my hands. “No, you don’t have to pay me to watch those two act like fools.”
“It was . . . entertaining,” he said.
Laney and her father walked off, and I headed out to the middle of the field. Josh had somehow managed to catch up to Jeff and took a leap and dragged Jeff to the ground. They were soon rolling all over the place as one tried to pin the other one on the ground.
“That’s what you get for that cheap tackle you took earlier!” Josh said, pushing Jeff’s helmet into the ground.
“Fuck. You. Hayes!” Jeff grunted before managing to buck Josh off him. They both stood and put their arms out like they were about to throw punches.
“Nice. Real nice, y’all. I’m sure Laney’s dad loves this show of sportsmanship.”
They both dropped their arms to their sides and faced the now empty sideline.
“Where are they?” Jeff asked, panting from running away from Josh.
“They left. I guess Laney saw all she needed to see. Football in her eyes has now become something of the past because of you two idiots.”
“Then our job here is done,” Jeff stated.
Josh took off his helmet and whipped the sweat from his face. “Shit, I’m hot, exhausted, and probably running around with a cracked rib.”
Following Josh’s lead, Jeff removed his helmet. “Oh, stop being a pussy. It was one cheap shot.”
Josh took a step toward Jeff, but I stepped between them.
“All right, ladies. Let’s settle down. Now that we took care of that earlier than I expected, I vote we go get a few beers.”
“Sounds good to me,” Jeff and Josh both said together. The way they looked at each other with disgust on their faces made me laugh.
“Come on. Kiss and make up like good best friends. I’ve got a beer with my name on it at Fado’s.”
Four hours later, and the three of us were on our way to a much more fun evening. Three woman from Ireland graced our table. I was positive Josh couldn’t understand a damn word the one girl was saying. The girl who was sitting next to me couldn’t keep her hand from roaming closer and closer to my dick. I wanted to push it away but was feeling a bit more open to her touch than normal. How many times can you say you had an Irish girl feeling you up?
Jeff and the other girl had been deep in a conversation for the last thirty minutes. She loved old buildings and was telling him about some in Ireland that if he ever went and visited, he needed to check out.
“My friend seems taken with the lad,” Brigid, the girl next to me, said, pointing to Josh and her girlfriend Cara.”
“Yes. I think so.”
“Do you think he’ll shag her?”
I turned to look at her. “Shag her?”
“Have sex with her,” she corrected with a giggle. I let my eyes roam across her face. Brigid was pretty and had a nice body. I could totally see myself with her, but she wasn’t what I desired. Hell, I wasn’t sure what in the fuck it was I wanted. I just knew it wasn’t sex with her. A little foreplay fun might be nice, but sex? Nope.
“Knowing him, yes. I think he will.”
The girl chewed on her lip. “Good. It’s why we’re here. She wanted an American to do the deed.”
That got my attention. “The deed?”
She nodded, not taking her eyes off Josh and her friend. When her hand came up closer to my junk, I nearly jumped out of my chair.
“Brigid, are you getting turned on watching them talk?” I asked, my mouth probably a little too close to her ear judging from the way her body shivered.
“I want to watch him shag her.”
Okay, wow! A kinky group of gals.
“I’m sorry . . . what?”
Her hand squeezed my thigh, and I tried peeling it off me.
“Yes.” Turning to face me, her chest was moving up and down at a rapid pace. “I want to watch them while you and I have sex.”
If my eyes hadn’t popped out of my head from her first comment, they sure as hell did with that one.
“Umm . . . what?”
Christ. Was the word what the only thing I could say?
“I’ll make it good for ye. I promise. Cara is a virgin, and to watch her be taken by such a handsome man . . . I’m nearly coming just thinking about it.”
That declaration caught Jeff’s attention.
“What did you just say?” Jeff asked.
Brigid looked over to Jeff and Nora, the other friend. “Nora wants this too, with your other friend.”
“Wants what?” Jeff asked.
“Are you being serious right now?” I said with a half-hearted laugh.
Her eyes blazed with excitement. “Yes. Isn’t that what all American men like?”
I stood quickly, causing Brigid to jump.
“Be right back,” I stated, glancing down to Jeff. “I need to talk to you right now.”
“Don’t be long, Gunner . . . our hotel isn’t far.”
“Hotel?” Jeff asked, his gaze bouncing from me to Brigid.
“Just go, will you?” I said, giving him a nudge.
Walking up to Josh, I tapped his shoulder. “Meeting, men’s bathroom. Now.”
“Now?” Josh asked, looking up at me like I had just asked him to solve world war.
“Now,” I answered.
Once we walked into the men’s restroom, Jeff and Josh both walked up to urinals.
“Okay, so Brigid just dropped a few bombs on me that I feel like you both need to know.”
“Did I hear her right? Did she say she wanted to come?” Jeff asked.
Josh chuckled. “What the hell? What were you doing to her, Mathews?”
My head popped back. “What? Nothing! I wasn’t doing anything. She’s the one clawing her way up my damn thigh.”
They both laughed.
“Does that scare you, Gunner? I know it’s been a while,” Josh said like he was talking to a baby.
I fisted my hands.
“Listen, Cara’s a virgin and wants Josh boy here to pop her cherry. Brigid wants to watch Josh pop Cara’s cherry while she’s fucking me.”
“What the fuck?” Jeff whispered, while Josh stumbled back a few steps and let his face go white as a ghost.
“You too there, Mr. I like buildings. Nora wants to bang you as well while our little buddy here gets to make Cara a woman.”
They both stared at me.
Holding up my hands, I forced myself not to smile at my next words. “Now I know y’all are into that sort of thing . . . the sharing and all that.”
“I told you to never bring that up!” Jeff shouted.
Josh lost it laughing as he hit Jeff on the back. “I’m game. It’s not like we’re going to cockfight. Plus, I could give y’all some pointers.”
“Fuck you, Hayes, and your goddamn pointers!” Jeff shouted. “And stop saying things like cockfight and crossing swords! It freaks me out.”
My gaze bounced between them, and for one brief second, I was going to go there but stopped myself.
The next thing I knew, Jeff had tackled Josh to the ground.
“Guys, do you know how much piss is on that floor?” I yelled out
.
They both stopped and jumped up.
Josh spun around and quickly washed his hands as he said, “I need a shower. Now. It’s time to go.”
“Oh, now you need a shower? Not a few seconds ago when the pretty little Irish ladies wanted to watch you deflower their friend?” Jeff said.
Josh and I turned to look at Jeff as I said, “Deflower?”
“Fuck you, Gunner. It was the first thing that came to my mind! And you . . . I don’t need any goddamn pointers!”
With a laugh, Josh shook his head and then looked at the door that led back out to the bar. “What are we going to do? Those girls think we’re all going to have sex with them in the same room.”
Jeff chuckled. “While we watch you work your magic.”
Josh rolled his eyes. “I had no intentions of sleeping with her. There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of kissing and touching.”
“I say we climb out the window,” Jeff suggested.
Josh scoffed. “What?”
“You want to climb out the window. What is wrong with you?” I asked.
“I’m not into orgies, Gunner.”
“Neither am I, asshole! However, I don’t think we need to crawl out the window.”
Josh chuckled, which made Jeff even more pissed off.
“You think it’s funny, don’t you?” Jeff asked as he pushed Josh away from him and made his way to the door. “I hope the next girl you sleep with gives you some weird venereal disease that makes your dick fall off.”
Grabbing his junk and frowning, Josh whispered, “Ouch. That was harsh.”
When we finally made it back out to the bar, our table was empty.
“Sorry, boys,” our waitress said with a huge smile. “Your Irish ladies left with three other guys.”
“What?” Jeff nearly shouted. “Why would they do that?”
I snorted, “Why do you care? You just got out of telling them no to their orgy.”
The waitress cleared her throat. “Why can’t I find another job that pays as well as this one?” She turned and walked away from us.
“Come on, let’s get the hell out of here,” I said, throwing a tip onto our table and heading to the exit.
Chapter Twenty – Jeff
“So are we a go?” I asked into my cell phone.