Page 5 of Just for Fun
“You’re going to get drunk, dude,” Alex murmurs in the corner of his mouth.
I let out a snort. “I sure fucking hope so,” I tell him. “I don’t even know what’s happening right now.” I point to everyone at the table. “Remember when we used to get together in Cal’sbackyard and just hang out? Party until dawn? Bring girls over sometimes?”
Alex nods in agreement. “Yeah, I don’t know what the fuck this is. I don’t want to talk about marriage, or babies for that matter. Ever.”
I take a long sip of my scotch, enjoying the smooth way it runs down my throat. Damn, this shit is expensive. I didn’t think to ask about the cost, I just asked for the top shelf. Eh, fuck it, it’s only money, I snicker to myself.
“You should’ve brought Mona to this shindig,” I tell Alex, referring to his on again, off again girlfriend. “Then again, had you done that, I’d be here all by myself.”
My friend’s jaw tightens in distress. “Mona and I are over.”
“Really?” I can’t help the laughter escaping the back of my throat. “Until when? Tonight at midnight?”
He flips me off, which only makes me laugh harder.
“Hey, Kyle,” Hayden calls from her spot at the table. “You’re having too much fun over there. Are you drinking?”
I lift my glass of scotch to show her and grin. “A little bit.”
“Aww,” she claps her hands together. “I love drunk Kyle.” She turns in her seat to smack her fiancé’s arm. “Remember when we were at that party, and Kyle’s sombrero fell over his eyes, so he kept on saying someone turned the lights off?”
We all bust out laughing at that. The night in question was epic. It was actually a Memorial Day weekend party. We’d all driven to the Hamptons to celebrate at Evie’s parents’ place up there. Ray had brought Hayden as his guest after we dared him to get a date from a site calledHolidates. We didn’t think he was going to do it, but he showed us. He found a girl for that party, and now he’s marrying her. Really weird, if you ask me.
“Who are you bringing as your plus one, Kyle?” the girl in question asks me.
“Oh, uh…” I take another sip from my drink. I hadn’t thought that far. I’ve never been in short supply of girls, so finding one to bring to this wedding shouldn’t be an issue whatsoever. “I’ll surprise you,” I wink at Hayden.
Apparently, my answer does not impress her. In fact, she frowns at me when she gives me a stern look.
“It will be an elegant affair, Kyle,” she warns me. “My mother will drop dead if you showed up with a stripper on your arm.”
My eyebrows go up in surprise. “Not like I’d announce that she’s a stripper.”
Again, I was expecting everyone to laugh, but all I get are a couple of awkward chuckles.
Alex elbows me in much the same manner I elbowed him earlier. “I’m sure the stripper heels would give her away.”
“And the hair,” Carrie calls from the other side of the table.
“And lips,” Evie agrees.
“Oh,” her mother gets in on the action now as well. “The dresses they wear are pretty telling, too.”
“Okay, ladies, take it easy,” Ray begs. “You know way too much about stripper habits than we’re comfortable with hearing.”
“Amen to that,” James, Carrie’s boyfriend toasts.
That gets all the girls going some more, and they manage to kill another hour as they talk about stripper hair, shoes and dresses.
“Maybe we should go to the strip club after this,” Alex suggests quietly. “This is lame anyway.”
I turn my head to stare at him. He has this sour look on his face, and to say that he is in a bad mood would put it mildly.
“It’s not that lame,” I argue. “We’re here with our friends. Everyone is happy.”
Alex rolls his eyes at me, totally unimpressed with anything I’m saying. My brain is soaked in alcohol at this point, but I can still sense that he’s mad at the world.
Resting my elbows on the table, I speak low enough so that no one can hear us. “What happened with Mona this time?”
