Lainey’s List Chapter Thirty-One

 

Nick

Because Charlie said you’d be here.

Lainey is here to get laid and I… I don’t know how I feel about that. Maybe this is my punishment for being a dog in high school and college. Maybe this is what I deserve for playing around with a single mom. For telling myself that Lainey’s too much for me to handle in a serious long-term relationship. I let my thoughts settle in my gut before answering lightly. “She was right. Here I am.”

Lainey’s face falls in disappointment. That wasn’t the answer she was looking for but she caught me off-guard. I wasn’t expecting her, and now I don’t know what to do other than finish my beer and ask for another.

I signal for a waitress.

“How have you been?” Lainey asks.

“I’ve been focusing on the game. Not much else,” I say as the waitress sets down another cold one in front of me. When Lainey sucks in a sharp breath, I realize what I’ve admitted to—that is, I haven’t slept with anyone since I was with her. And suddenly I want the same damn assurance. “And how about you? Been keeping busy?”

She clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “I have a five year old and a sick mom. I’m spending every night at home.”

So our cards are out on the table. Neither of us has hooked up with anyone else in the past nine weeks. Lainey’s here because she wants a repeat of what happened before she left.

The question is do I want that? I mean, yeah, objectively, having sex with Lainey is amazing but I’m not some teenager who can be led around by his dick. I stand and flip my chair around again and then re-settle myself. I don’t have to make any decisions now or in the next ten minutes. There are hours left before the bar closes.

“How long are you here for?” I ask.

“I leave tomorrow.”

“You’re good at that.”

She tilts her head away in annoyance. “You never indicated that you wanted me to stay.”

“And if I had?”

Lainey sighs. “I’d have left anyway.”

“Thought so.” The waitress stops by again. “Want another drink?” I ask Lainey.

She nods. “Mojito please.”

Charlie pokes her head out from the back of the bar and I wave her over. She doesn’t want to come but I give her a look until she and Reese drag their asses back to our table.

“You two are still here?” she asks in mock surprise.

“And we haven’t even killed each other.” Lainey jokes.

Reese takes a seat. “That’s not what we were worried about but I guess this is an adults only bar so they can handle a little nudity.” He takes a sip of Lainey’s mojito and then leans back to survey the rest of the crowded bar. “God, I love post-game night. So many fine asses in here.” He nudges Charlie. “What about Mr. Wide Receiver over there? He looks fine in his black pants.”

Charlie nods. “Not bad, but I think that guy’s ass is a lot better. Fills out his jeans better.”

“That’s the result of wearing denim,” Reese declares. “Denim is always going to look better on a man than wool.”

“No. I think he just has a better butt.” Charlie turns to Lainey. “What do you think?”

She squints. “I have to agree with Charlie here. I think jeans guy has a better ass.”

Reese leans over the table. “Nick, you gotta agree with me. A girl’s butt looks better in denim than anything else, right?”

Plant arrives before I have to answer. He shoves a chair against the table forcing us all to squeeze together. Lainey’s practically sitting on top of me, the heat of her leg against mine making me grab for my beer and gulp half of it down. “What’re we talking about?”

“Asses,” Reese says wickedly.

“I’m a good ass judger,” Plant says. “Point out the candidates.”

Reese gestures toward Angelo. “Mr. Wide Receiver and the guy in the denim.”

Plant follows Reese’s finger. “The guy in the jeans is one of our trainers, Kevin Clark, and there’s no way his ass is better than Angelo’s ass. I’ve slapped Angelo’s ass several times. It’s tight.”

Reese grins. “Plant, why can’t you be gay?”

“Dunno. Guess that’s not how God made me.”

“All the good ones play for the wrong team,” Reese laments.

“That’s our line,” Charlie protests, waving a finger between her and Lainey.

“I’m just glad you think I’m a good one,” Plant says.

“You are; and if you ever get bi-curious, come find me.” Reese grins invitingly.

Plant shakes his head. “You’re a good-looking guy, Reese, but I love pussy.” He turns to Charlie and Lainey. “Sorry, too graphic?”

Lainey waves her hand. “It’s fine as long as we get to talk about how much we love dick, and there are three of us and only two of you.”

“I’m completely okay with you three talking about how much you like dick, particularly mine. What about you, Rookie? Want to talk about my dick?” Plant smirks.

“Nah, I’ve seen it plenty, and it’s not something we could talk about for very long.”

“Ohhh,” the girls gasp in laughter.

Reese waggles his eyebrows. “I don’t care how long the topic is. A short convo can be interesting too.”

Plant flushes a little but he’s got more bravado, or maybe just plain ego, than most people. “It’s plenty long. We’ll be here for hours if we start discussing how awesome my dick is.”

Lainey shakes with laughter, and I realize why I’m so pissed off at her. It’s not just because we had awesome sex; it’s because I miss her company. She was always around—her and Cassidy. Now it’s just Charlie and me, and these days Charlie’s gone half the time, and when she is around…well, she ain’t happy.

I know sometimes she looks at me and wonders why I’m here and my brother, Nate, isn’t. Lainey was this buffer and I realize, after these nine weeks, that she’s an important part of my life. I had this idea she could go away and we’d be fine. That’s what I tell myself about Nate, too. That I don’t care that he left and joined the Navy. That I don’t care that he’s breaking Charlie’s heart into tiny, unfixable pieces. That he barely has any time for his family, let alone his own brother.

But I’m not fine without her in my life. The thing is… how am I going to balance football and Lainey?

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