Page 4 of Cookout Carnage
Then Ben raises his glass. “To finding our lids.”
And everyone sips. Lord, I don’t know how many drinks I’ve had, but the agitation and worry are falling away.
Tabi puts her feet on the big round coffee table. Ben mirrors her, and Tristan unbuttons his top button. I smile and sit back as Sabrina stops crying.
“To our lids.” She raises her glass, then gulps back the entire thing. Rory moves to take it away from her. “Four drinks make me sob, but five make me dance.” We all cheer and laugh to drink number five.
Tabi asks, “What do four drinks do to you, Jonathan?”
I’m wasted. It’s not four glasses for me. It’s more like six. I’m nervous, and I’ve been mindlessly pounding the best wine I’ve ever had. Thank God Tabi owns Prohibition Winery, or our bar bill would be outrageous. We’re drinking the United Lounge’s supply of Prohibition wines and Tabi has vowed to replace them. She also tossed her Pro/Ho credit card down on the bar.
All of our conversations are starting to overlap in my brain. Tristan stirred up memories ofher. My brain is foggy and swirling. It’s highly possible I’m fixing to take a little nap on the back couch of this lounge pretty soon. I’m used to beer or whisky drunk, but wine is a whole new animal.
I look around at these people who are rapidly becoming friends with every sip. “I’m honest after four drinks. And I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure wine is going to sap my memory a bit down the road a piece.”
Tristan smiles. “Then who is she?”
“Tanya? My fiancée?”
“No, the other one. The one that got away. Seems I’m intrigued with this subject since I’ve recently lost something I thought was everything.”
Ben sits forward. “Do you want to talk about it?”
I can sense Tristan is incredibly private and wants nothing to do with this conversation, so I pivot for him.
“Juliet. Her name is Juliet, and she’s the one who got away.”
Tabi leans forward and snatches my phone. “Let’s call her.”
I grin. Tanya will be pissed when she realizes strangers are essentially prank calling her, but who cares.
Tabi looks at us. “Voice mail.” We all wait to see what she’s got to say. “Hi. You don’t know me. I’m Tabi and my new friend, Jonathan, seems to be hung up on you. Are you still single? Or do you think about him? I think you two should probably—”
“Tabi. Tell me that’s not Juliet!” Everyone begins laughing, but this shit is not funny.
I attempt to move quickly to Tabi. She’s not fucking talking to Tanya. She’s talking to Juliet, and I can’t have that. She runs away from me. Fucking wine. I’m much quicker than this, despite my 6’5” 275-pound frame. But the damn wine makes it feel like I’m moving through molasses chasing a greased pig.
“Stop. Hang up!” Everyone is laughing at us, and I’m mortified as she keeps talking. I can’t hear her yet. Shit. I chase her through the lounge.
She’s smiling. “I did you a favor, farm boy.”
I’m furious. I say, “No, you didn’t. Now I have to call her and remind her I’m getting married to someone else. Why the fuck would you do that?”
She seems stunned that I’m so angry. Her demeanour changes. She holds my arm. “I’m sorry. Sometimes I don’t know where the line is. To be honest, I almost never see it. But I can call her back and tell her it was a joke. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think it would upset you. I honestly thought I was doing you a favor.” Her light-brown eyes stare at me, and I can see that she means it. “Truly. Your love for Tanya seems forced. But I never should have doubted you.” She puts her hand out to shake mine.
I lean back against a wall and try to come to terms with all she’s just said. Juliet memories are creeping up through my brain. I usually leave them buried, but wine and this insane woman have knocked them loose. I’m hoping I can clamp them back down. I pull Tabi into a hug.
“It’s ok. I’ll call her in a little bit and explain what went down.”
She clears her throat. “If I may overstep again?”
“You may not.”
“Sorry, can’t stop. Not in my nature. Your face never lights up when you talk about Tanya. Now I’m done.”
Tabi walks away, and I slide down the wall and pull my knees up to my chest.
I wish my pig were here.
