Just One Night

  Chapter 2

  “Well then.” I say, turning in my seat to watch her retreating back. “That’s just a tad awkward. Newlyweds.” I shake my head, one half jealous the other half relieved. Jealous that she has someone who loves her so much that he wants to parry her at twenty and relieved because it means I get to go home early.

  “You know talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity right?” Jaydan teases behind me, I turn to see him loading a new tray of dirty cups into the dishwasher.

  I pin him with my best attitude stare. “No no no!” I grin like the Cheshire cat. “It’s only when you answer your own questions that there’s a problem! What I do is perfectly sane!”

  “Oh right!” He says smacking himself on the forehead. “How stupid of me to forget such class one rules on being a loony.” We both laugh just as a group of teeny bopper girls comes giggling into view. “Oh shit,” He mumbles under his breath, looking uncomfortable. “I need a paper bag!”

  “Pfft why?” I laugh spluttering red soft drink everywhere. “Talk about random.”

  “To hide my head.” He says so seriously and with such a straight face I crack up laughing.

  He looks at me like I’m the crazy one so I choke out, “Why?” again.

  “Those girls come every time I am working. Their early tonight. She doesn’t take no for an answer!” He gestures to the 5 girls all making a slow progression towards the bar, stopping every two steps to whisper amongst themselves while pointing in our direction. “The one in the middle, in the short skirt? She’s been trying to get my phone number for weeks. No is not in her vocabulary.”

  “Aww.” I mock him. “Poor little Mr Spunky Jaydan having girls throw themselves at him! How horrible!”

  “Shh.” He hisses throwing his tea towel in my face with a grin. I laugh at him as I pull it off my face. “You have no idea what it’s like to be mauled! So bite me!”

  “True.” I agree, knowing full well he has no idea how right he is. No one ever tries to pick me up. They just stare or try to get Penny, regardless of her ring. “And where?” I add referring to his ‘bite me’ comment.

  “Tara I don’t mean it the way you’re thinking.”

  “Oh?” I pretend to play dumb. “And what way am I thinking?”

  “That no one finds you attractive.” He gives me a heated pointed look. One that says ‘I dare you to contradict me.’ “Here, bite my arm. Maybe they will think I like freaky stuff and run away.” He actually sticks his arm out, waving it in my face. I almost think he’s serious.

  I stare at him, open mouthed as the gaggle of girls finally reaches the bar, the lead girl twirling her hair and batting her eyelids. “Hey there Jaydan.” She whispers in her attempt of a sultry voice. She sounds more like a frog choking. “How are you today?” She asks as she runs a fake manicured fingernail up his arm.

  I want to punch her in the face.

  “I’m good thank you Prissy.” Jaydan says, all but yanking his arm away. I smirk behind my drink. “What can I get you?” He gestures behind him, to the shelves and fridges lined with drinks.

  “You know very well what you can get me sweetheart.” She says, suggestively throwing her body over the bar so that her boobs brush up against his arm. I gap at how blatant she is being. “And it’s not here in the bar.”

  Now I choke on my drink, spluttering it all down the front of my dress. I crack up laughing so much I start crying. Choking out “Seriously?” a couple of times in between fits of hysterical laughter.

  Jaydan comes to my rescue with a clean tea towel he plucked from nowhere while trying very hard not to laugh himself. At me or at her I don’t care. She’s such a bimbo. “You okay there T?” He asks as Prissy is shooting daggers at me.

  “What's it to you?” She demands in that voice girls reserve for what they consider either competition or scum so far beneath them the core would melt it. “You don’t need to associate with… that.” She looks at me like I’m diseased with the most horrible contagious thing known to humans.

  “Does that ever work?” I ask laughing still and completely ignoring her question – and her insult.

  “Does what work?” She snaps.

  “Throwing yourself at boys like that?”

  “I believe that is none of your business.” She huffs.

  “Your right.” I hiccup, still grinning from ear to ear. “So totally right. But thanks or the laugh though, haven’t laughed like that in ages. Don’t let me stop you, please, continue.”

  She stares at me and then turns back to Jaydan with a little huff. “So Jaydan, as I was saying…”

  A tap on my shoulder has me turning around in my seat to see a guy with big burly muscles and a slicked back hair do smiling at me. He is tall dark and if I wasn’t so into Jaydan, handsome. “Uh hi?” I say but it comes out like a question. A question of what the hell?

  “Hey there yourself little lady.” He says grinning at me. “Just saw you all by yourself here with that witch around and thought you might like some decent company.” He gestures to the brats behind me and winks.

  “Oh no I’m good thank you.” I say quickly heart in my throat. He is a big guy and I would stand no chance at getting away from him if he wanted to cart me off somewhere. “I am about to leave soon, and the witch has all bark no bite.”

  “I heard that.” Prissy hisses behind me and I smirk. Clearly the girl has good hearing when she wants to.

  “No you can’t leave!” Big Burly says quickly shaking his head. “It’s only like 8, don’t be a grandma!”

  I smile at him respectfully, wanting to add him to my punch list too. No one calls me a grandma and gets away with it. I’m nineteen not ninety. Not the point if I act ninety and not nineteen though. “I’m not a grandma, I just don’t see the point in hanging out here on my own. My friend ditched me for her husband.”

  “… Have a girlfriend.” The end of Jaydan’s sentence has my head snapping back to his direction.

  “Who said what now?” I ask before I can stop myself.

  “It’s none of your business.” Prissy hisses at me.

  “Actually it is her business.” Jaydan says before I have a chance to reply. I look at him confused. “I am telling Prissy that I have a girlfriend.” Jaydan says with another pointed look at me. I know that look. Save me! There have been several times that I have pretended to be his girlfriend to get persistent girls off his back. I did it randomly one day and was so successful that he asked me to do it a few more times, earning me and Penny free drinks a lot.

  “Yeah you sure do.” I say sliding off the seat to lean in over the counter top to kiss his cheek. “And she's a very lucky lady.” I wink dramatically at him for effect.

  “What!” Prissy screeches loud enough a few heads turn this way. “I thought you were lying! Playing hard to get!”

  She wails just as big burly bloke chuckles and mumbles “So this must be the famous Tara,” under his breath. I look at him and frown. What the hell is he on about? How does he know my name?

  He raises his hands in surrender, clearly my anger and confusion is on my face. He leans forward and whispers in my ear, “I am a friend of Jaydan’s, names Hugo…”

  “So you’re the famous Hugo!” I whisper under my breath, cutting him off. Jaydan has spoken so much about this guy I almost got jealous every time. We talk about random stuff, him and me, never really personal with ourselves but lots about our friends and the good aspects of our lives. Like I said – he plays therapist to enough people already.

  “Yeah. Guess we know about each other than hey? Once you’re done playing girlfriend for Romeo over here why don’t you come sit at our table over there.” Hugo points to the VIP section of the bar where several more burly men are all seated, watching.

  “Um….”

  “They are all teddies Tara.” Hugo says correctly reading my apprehension.

  I raise an eyebrow.

  “Really.” He nods, trying to convince me. “We are. Just a bunch of you
ng guys who like to work out.”

  “Okay.” I agree figuring I have nothing to lose, just my life, as Prissy wails. “You can’t be dating her! You’re supposed to be with me!” She literally stomps her foot.