Page 50 of Bad Boy Done Wrong
Chapter Thirteen
Zach caught up with Carrie at the reception once she’d finished helping her parents get comfortable and serving them some food and drink. He’d never seen Carrie at work as a nurse, but he imagined she was just like this, helpful and competent no matter how she felt on the inside. He knew seeing her ex with a pregnant fiancée had thrown her. She’d paled and wavered on her feet. He’d been afraid she was about to pass out.
He sat under the white tent at a round table with Carrie’s brother, sister-in-law, and two nieces. Rich and his wife were in a deep discussion over something to do with their teenage daughter, who wanted to leave early to meet up with her boyfriend. Carrie was standing next to her seat, near him, taking some video of her parents slow dancing on the dance floor, the only couple out there. Very sweet couple. He couldn’t remember ever seeing a couple like that, still crazy about each other after fifty years. He wondered what their secret was, how they made it work for so long and still be so into each other. It was rare. Maybe even worthy of some study. What gave a relationship longevity? He pushed that from his mind, recognizing it was a purely selfish pursuit, trying to figure out how to break from his lone-wolf pattern and find everlasting happiness. They were exceptional. He was not.
“Carrie! Rich! Come out here too!” her mom called.
He watched as Carrie had a dance with her brother and then her dad and then she gestured to him. He stood and joined them along with Rich’s wife.
He slid an arm around Carrie’s back and took her hand, taking the lead.
Her hand went to his shoulder, her head tipping back to look up at him. “You can dance!”
He pulled her close, whispering in her ear, “I’m a man of many talents.”
She pulled back and stared at him. “Who are you, and what have you done with my wild man?”
He chuckled, glad she was in better spirits now. “How’re you doing?”
“Fine. I’m not jealous. I’m happy for them.” She went up on tiptoe and whispered, “A couple glasses of champagne helped.”
He knew she couldn’t hold her liquor, so that small amount had probably dulled the sharp edges for her. “Do you wish it had been you, engaged and pregnant?”
“No!” she fired back with enough heat that he knew some part of her did.
He didn’t know what to say to make it better, so he just danced. But he knew what to do. Treat her like a queen. He hadn’t shown her the gentleman side of himself, purposely keeping it hidden, but it was a part of him. A big part. His honorary dad, Joe, had taught him in word and deed, as well as a number of hilarious lessons throughout his teen years.
He smiled to himself, remembering the first time Joe had sat them down in his living room, the four oldest of the gang—Josh, Jake, Zach, and Marcus—at the ripe age of fourteen. (Marcus was only thirteen, but already very into girls.) First they got the Talk—plain facts about sex, consent, and protection that made them squirm. Then Joe announced he was going to teach them how to treat a woman. They’d leaned in, eager to hear some sex secrets.
“Like your little sister,” was the disappointing answer. “Pretend they’re Mad.”
“Blech!” “Gross!” “Barf!” erupted from the guys.
“Hold on,” Joe said, lifting a hand. “Think how you’d want a guy to treat her, huh? Respectfully, carefully,kindly. Like a gentleman.”
Ethan, still a punk with a big chip on his shoulder, sneered. “I’m not a frigging gentleman.”
Joe stood, an imposing man, tall and fit like a cop should be. “Alright, outside, you knuckleheads.”
They all got off the sofa and made their slow swaggering way to the door.
Then Joe announced, “I’m going to demonstrate lesson one—opening doors. Ethan, you’ll be the girl.”
Ethan halted, his cheeks flaming red. “Like hell. I’m outta here.”
Joe snagged Ethan by the back of the collar. “I’ll be the girl.”
Everyone laughed. Manly Joe playing a girl was hilarious just to think about.
They got outside to Joe’s car, where he stood by the passenger side. “Now let’s practice. Ethan, you’re up.”
Ethan was so relieved not to be the girl that he fell in line nicely, opening and shutting the door for “the girl.”
Joe always seemed to know how to reach each of them.
They’d all taken a turn, opening and closing a car door and then the house door, letting Joe go first. Not their last hands-on lesson either. The man was determined the crop of boys under his watch would treat women right. Later, Joe had shared why these lessons were important. His mom had been abused by his dad before she finally left him. Years later, Joe’s stepdad had been a true gentleman and treated Joe’s mom like a queen. Joe had decided that was the right way to live.
They all understood how important this life lesson was after that. Plus, the fact that Joe was willing to play the part of “girl” so a bunch of teenaged boys—half of which weren’t even his kids—could learn the right way to act, well, it made a huge impression on Zach. Probably on all of the guys.
