Page 4 of The Fadeaway
“Blair is helping me pick a shirt for tonight.”
“Why the obsession over attire tonight?” he asks as he takes a seat next to Blair.
“He struck out getting a number this afternoon and is now all bent out of shape.” I shoot Nathan a glare that reminds him I’ve got dirt on him. It’s too late though. My rejection is out there.
“Aww, you poor, poor schmuck,” Wes says, not sounding the least bit sorry.
“That isn’t what this is about. It was one girl. One girl.” I jab my finger in the air for emphasis. “Fuck you all.” I don’t have enough fingers to count their rejections. I look down at my shirt and pants and then decide to roll the sleeves. It’s nice out. “So, this one is good?”
Blair bobs her head enthusiastically this time. “You look hot. Black is a good color for you. It gives you the whole dark and mysterious thing with your skin tone and dark hair.”
“Easy, now.” Wes sounds jealous and that makes me happier than I’ve been all afternoon.
I shoot her a wink. “Muchasgracias,linda.”
“Yeah, definitely do that.” Her eyes light up.
“Do what?”
“Talk in Spanish. Not all the time. . . but drop it in casually. Accents are sexy.”
Flash her a smile in appreciation for the tidbit. She’s not the first girl to tell me that, but I guess I’d sort of forgotten. Been using my jock and overall God’s-gift-to-women status to pick up chicks and now I’ve got no game when it counts.
Blair and Wes make plans to see a local baseball game later tonight, which makes me question his idea of romance but then she looks at him all heart eyes so what the hell do I know? She says her goodbyes to the group, off to do some studying or something else super boring. I wait until the door is closed behind her before taking an opportunity to point the jabs at someone else.
“Soo. . .” I ask innocently. “You and Blair...things getting serious?”
Wes’ face pales. “What? No, it’s just...”
“If you’re having sex, then it’s getting serious. You wouldn’t be mixing business with pleasure unless it’s serious.” Wes hasn’t dated as long as I’ve known him, and random hookups have been few and far between. He likes Blair. Not sure why he can’t admit it. We all know.
“I’m not mixing—you know what? I’m not even gonna go there.” He looks like he’s going to be physically sick. Well shit, he hasn’t boned her.
“Wait, wait, wait. You haven’t slept with her?”
“Is that really so ludicrous? I’ve only known her a few weeks.”
“Uh-huh. Uh-huh.” I’m not sure why I’m suddenly feeling hopeful and romantic that these two are going to hook up, but I am straight giddy at the prospect. “So, does that mean tonight is the night?”
“We’re going to a high school baseball game, not looking to do jail time for indecent exposure,” Wes throws back. I’m not buying it. Lame excuse.
“Don’t bullshit me. Tonight’s the night.”
“She completes you,” Nathan adds. We just watchedJerry Maguirea few weeks ago in Z’s quest to see every single one of Tom Cruise’s movies.
“Fuck off, both of you.” Wes tosses the ball from hand to hand.
“I gotta shower,” Nathan announces.
“Hurry up. I’m leaving in fifteen, and I need to make a stop for condoms.” I look to Wes. “You good? Need me to put some in your nightstand?”
He throws the ball back to me.
“Okay, fine. I’ll lay off. You probably need to go take care of business anyway. Since she bailed on dinner, you have time to rub one out before and after your shower.”
“For the love of all that is holy,” he whines.
“What? Please tell me you aren’t planning to show up to the game without clearing your head? Dude, you go in there without taking care of business, and you’re gonna embarrass yourself and the whole male population.”
