Page 154 of Love Unavoidable
“Yeah, I fucked him a few times then threw him out.”
I laugh. “Okay then.” I turn to Sadie. “I only rated a four?”
She bugs her eyes out at me and then tilts her head toward Tenley.
“I saw that,” Tenley says, not looking up.
“No, you didn’t,” Sadie says.
“You know, Spence is a good guy,” I tell Tenley.
“I’m sure he is,” she says, licking her finger and then idly turning the page of the paper.
I look at Sadie, she’s shaking her head slightly. I can take a hint, I drop the Spence subject.
“Hey, so remember that barbecue sauce you made me,” I ask Sadie.
“Yep.”
“What do you say we get cleaned up, go to the store and grab some ribs, sauce them up, and have people over for dinner?”
“I could eat ribs,” Tenley says. “And I make the world’s best potato salad.”
“It’s true,” Sadie says.
“Sounds like a party,” I say, rinsing my coffee cup out and placing it in the dishwasher.
“Last one ready is a rotten egg,” Sadie says racing down the hall.
“Oh, it’s on,” Tenley says pushing away from the island.
I take both their cups, rinse them, and put them in the dishwasher. Then head down the hall to talk Sadie into giving me a sponge bath. A long and thorough sponge bath.
* * *
I invite Spence to the barbecue. So, we end up with five couples.
Me and Sadie, Brad and Kat, Chance and Remi, Cole and Lexie, and then Spence and Tenley. Not that they are a couple, per se. But it works out nicely, so that Tenley doesn’t feel like a fifth wheel which was important to Sadie. Who is holding court with the ladies at a patio table in the shade, telling them the entire story of what transpired yesterday. The guys and I stand around the grill with beers, talking about sports, work, the girls, how soon Chance will be a father and how excited he is. It feels so odd and yet so right at the same time. I never thought of myself as the guy who would invite all couples to a party, let alone a party where everyone keeps their clothes on.
I watch Sadie as she laughs and giggles with the girls. Brad moves over next to me and nudges me with his elbow. “You did good.”
“I did, didn’t I?”
“Proud of you,” he says gruffly
“Aw, I love you too, man,” I say with fake emotion.
“Don’t tease me for caring, dude. It’s not nice.” He clears his throat.
Spence leans toward us. “Hey, how come no one told me ahead of time that this guy is all emotional and shit? Now I gotta work with him?” He motions toward Brad with his beer.
“I only get that way around Kat and E, and it’s only because I care. Hate to break it to you, Spence, but I will never be emotional over you.” He pats Spence on the shoulder and walks over to the cooler to get another beer.
“That’s cold, man. Like seriously cold,” Spence says.
“I got something cold,” Brad says, and he dumps ice down the back of Spence’s shorts. Spence shrieks and jumps up and down, sounding a lot like a teenage girl spotting a celebrity. He moves over toward the pool, trying to shake the ice out of his shorts into the water.
Tenley stands. “Getting more margarita’s and a virgin for Remi, who’s in?” The girls call out their orders. As she walks by Spence, she taps him lightly on the chest and he falls back into the water.
