Page 65 of More Than Pen Pals

“Maybe you should.”

“Nope.” The next man I kiss will be Ash Hamilton. I’m sure of it now.

“All right, then I guess we don’t need to go to the club.”

“Your plan was to take me to a club and find me a man to kiss?”

She makes a kissing face. “Among other things. You certain you don’t want that?”

“Positive.” I look her dead in the eye so she’ll know I’m serious.

Wendy holds her hands up in defeat. “Got it. If that’s not your thing, we’ll do something more low-key.”

“Like what?”

“There’s an Irish pub several blocks away. We can go there, drink a few beers, eat some greasy food, and then see what we feel like doing.”

“You’re changing your clothes, right?” I ask.

She stands and strikes a pose. “This doesn’t scream ‘Irish pub’ to you?”

“Since I’ve never been to an Irish pub, I can’t say for sure, but my gut is telling me no.”

thirty-two

After three beers, Randall decides it’s time to move on to a different bar. I try to convince him to stay. I don’t see the point in traversing all over the city to get him drunk. Why does it matter where he does it?

“I need pasta,” he says. “They don’t have pasta here.”

“They don’t have pasta at any bar,” I not-so-patiently explain.

“Need. Pasta. Take me somewhere with noodles and alcohol. Don’t care if it’s a bar.”

“Fine.” If he’s in the mood to eat, I’ll give him what he wants.

I catch Tammy’s eye and motion for her to bring me the check. When she does, Randall tries to snatch it, but I don’t let him.

“It’s on me tonight.”

“Why?”

I’m not about to tell him it’s because I’m celebrating his freedom from Colleen. “Because that’s what best friends do when the other person gets dumped.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

I pay the bill and keep my brother steady as we exit the bar. I turn him in the direction of the nearest Italian place I can think of.

“We’re walking there?” he whines.

“I’m not driving three blocks. You’ll be fine.”

“I won’t be fine. I won’t be fine ever again.”

I sigh. “You will.”

“I won’t. Who else is gonna love me, huh? Colleen was my chance!”

I stop, face my brother, put my hands on his shoulders, and make him look me in the eye. “Listen to me. She was never your chance. You deserve so much better than Colleen, you hear me? You’ll find someone else. You’re smart, you have a good job, you’re funny, and you’re nice to everyone but me.”

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