Page 10 of Just Enough

“Wings later?”

She nodded. “I’ll grab my dad’s beer.”

I snorted. “Give it up.”

“Never. I’ll get you drunk. I’ll corrupt you yet.”

She went back to work, and I stared as she moved through the tables. Her nose crinkled and an absent look on her face. If she only asked for more of me, I’d let her corrupt me, then more.

_______

“What happened to that one girl you told me about?” Mom had beenherselfsince the moment I opened the door and stepped inside the house.

“Where’s Dad?” I asked.

“There were some problems at work.”

That sounded about right. All the more reason why I kept holding off joining the family business. I knew that was my future, but I didn’t want to do it or anything else. I just wasn’t in a hurry to sell cars and help with a business where I’d be responsible for every employee that worked under me.

I liked college. I never struggled with schoolwork or hated it like Emily. I liked knowing I didn’t have to do anything if I didn’t want to either. I didn’t have any responsibility besides school and my part-time job at the college.

What was surprising was how my roommate, Luke, managed to get me going to the gym. I never thought I’d find a new hobby in it. I liked the endurance it built and required, and how it physically made me feel better…and the ladies liked it too. Even baseball never kept me in this great shape.

The only thing I missed while I was away was Emily, but I talked to her every day via phone or text.

“About that girl that answered your phone a few weeks ago.” She waited.

I sighed. “It wasn’t anything, we were just hanging out.”Fucking until she became crazy. I’d never been one of those guys that got all caught up in sex, but once a girl caught my attention, I tended to obsess over her for a while. That had been the case with Lauren until she showed me just how much crazier she was outside of the bedroom than she was in it. She was one of those that you’d never think was obsessive and stalker-ish until you saw her everywhere you went, the gym, the café… In your closet at a party, trying to catch you in some sort of act with another girl.

I wasn’t that guy. I’d never cheat if I was in a relationship. I wasn’t even with Lauren besides in the bedroom, but I wouldn’t have jumped into the bed with someone else even then.

Women weren’t worth the headache. As much as I wanted sex—I am a guy after all—the drama that came with females, in general, kept me from dating anyone.

“She had seemed sweet.” Mom frowned, then her eyes brightened once again. “I saw Kelly the other day, she’s still a doll.”

I exhaled. Mom was the very reason I dated Kelly in high school. Her parents were good friends with mine, and they always wanted us together. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t have dated her if I hadn’t liked her in high school. Kelly was easy to like, I just wasn’t the best guy at dating. I liked having my own time to do what I wanted, and for some reason, girls seemed to think that they required all of your time once you were dating.

“Well?”

“She asked about you.”

“Well?”

“Well…?” She stood in front of me and placed her hands on her hips. “Aren’t you curious about her?”

“Why would I be?”

“Benny.”

“What?”

She sighed. “Nothing, I suppose.” She sat down on the sofa next to me. “Are you seeing someone right now?”

“Nah.”

“That’s good, I suppose. Plenty of time to find someone when you come back from college for good.”

I arched an eyebrow at her. “I’m just nineteen, I’m sure I’ll find someone that’s worth the effort and time it takes to please y’all females.”

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