Page 67 of Nothing to Do

The Breckenridge seemed a little more focused. “Which one is she?”

“It doesn’t matter to you because you’re not going to screw Thea’s sister,” Roxie said, apparently moving on though Zairn still didn’t seem that relaxed. “You could if you’re going to fall in love with her, but I think you have a decade or two of screwing around left to go before you think about settling down.”

“Nothing wrong with being polite.”

Oh, that swagger, and the ease of him. It was quite an achievement that he could be both cocky and laid-back at the same time, while also seeming oblivious and switched on.

Roxie swirled her drink in its glass. “Only you could see a screw as a courtesy.”

“Nah, your man did plenty of that in his day.”

“And now he’s all locked in,” Roxie said. “Don’t you want to be single for Honolulu?”

“Thought the guys weren’t allowed to join your Honolulu party,” Zairn said, only unwinding when Roxie put his hand on her thigh, high on her thigh, like, beneath-her-skirt-near-an-intimate-area high. “Didn’t you say that?”

“Tripp doesn’t count.”

“Yeah, I don’t count.”

The server came over, six of them actually, and laid out meats, skewers, salads, different breads, beans, shrimp, peppers, so much that she didn’t know where to begin.

“Why doesn’t Tripp count?” Zane asked when the servers left.

“Because I’m always invited to the party,” Tripp answered for himself, getting up in time with everyone else.

“Always?”

“Always. You want to know how many bachelorette parties I’ve attended?”

“As the stripper?” Roxie asked, popping something into her mouth.

“If the need arose, yeah.”

“And maybe need wasn’t the only thing rising?” Roxie teased, picking out food and putting some on Zairn’s plate too. “How many bachelorettes have you screwed at the party?”

“He’s not answering that one,” Zane said, handing her a plate. “Not while I’m around, ‘cause I’d only tell his mother.”

“Mom doesn’t mind the screwing.”

“Says you,” Roxie said. “I can’t believe that of a woman so pure and kind of heart. You must break hers every time you ghost a woman.”

“I don’t ghost women. You can’t comment, you hooked up with Z before I ever got a shot, so you’ll never know.”

“I’ll never know what?”

“How well I treat women.”

“No matter how well you treat them, I’d prefer you don’t encourage my sister,” she said, filling her plate. “She’s not the most worldly of women.”

“Translated?” Roxie assisted. “She’ll believe you’re really interested if you speak to her.”

“I’m interested. I’m always interested. Not like I’m a player.”

Roxie scoffed. “You’re the definition of a player, Priest.” The woman paused to land a smile on him. “You just happen to be impossibly adorable too, so we love you anyway.”

“Your guy was a champion player.”

Everyone found their chairs again.

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