Page 19 of Promise Not To Fall

“Oh, yeah well.” He shrugs, handing a beer to Nash to give to someone. “You’re here when life is good. Off season, it’s fucking boring.” Reaching up, he scratches the side of his head and I love that I can see his bicep muscles in the process. “What do ya do for fun back home?”

I think for a second. “Hiking, concerts, shopping, spas… ya know, girl shit.”

He winks but says nothing more.

“Do you see a lot of bar fights?”

“No. We’re in paradise.” He smiles wider, like he’s exaggerating. “Unless the frat boys find us.” Jake rolls his eyes, clearly annoyed. “They can’t manage to have one night where they’re not fighting with someone.” And I think I sense some bitterness from him.

“Have you been in a fight?” A guy about six feet tall, with dark golden skin and black hair, sits down beside me. Jake acts like he knows him, gives him a nod, and then bumps his fist against his.

“I’ve been in one fight in my life, and that was with Nash.” He gestures to Surfer Boy at the end of the bar still trying to pick up chicks. “Believe it or not, neither one of us could tell you what the hell it was even about. Still don’t know. We were drunk.”

I turn to the man next to me. “Who are you?”

“I’m Zain.” He gives me this squinty but amused glance at how forward I am. “And you are?”

“I’m Kendall. I’m attempting to drink everycocktail on the menu.” You like how I emphasize cock? They do and both laugh. I turn back to Jake, noticing that any movement I make seems longer than the next as the alcohol begins to affect my body control. I’m amazed I’m still sitting on this stool. “I’m here to make bad decisions and regret them in the morning.”

Jake starts laughing even harder, as does Zain, and I can’t tell if they’re laughing with me or at me.

“What if you don’t regret them in the morning?” Jake asks.

“Even better.” I point my finger in Jake’s face. He tries to bite it. “So what happened?”

Jake looks confused. “With what?”

“The fight.”

“Oh that.” He goes on to explain as I attempt to follow along. It’s very difficult for me. “He said something. I said something. Zain, my buddy”—he motions to the guy seated next to me—“was there. He got up and walked away ’cause I think he knew what the fuck was about to go down. Once we were alone… shit got destroyed. We broke a shitload of crap and Nash’s arm.”

Looking at the size of the two of them, I bet they did. “How long have you two been friends?” I gesture to Zain and him.

Jake thinks for a moment and then raises an eyebrow at Zain. “Ten years?”

Zain nods. “Yep. He dated my sister a while ago, and then we just sort of started hanging out. She’s a crazy bitch though.”

“My best friend and I are like that too. I dated her brother.” I sigh, defeated that all my relationships turned ugly. “Then he joined the military to get away from me.”

Jake stares at me, then looks away without saying anything.

I clear my throat of the awkward silence that seems to take over. “So what, are you some kind of ladies’ man here, Jake?”

“Jake here’s a real ladies’ man,” Zain teases. “Gets all the pretty girls.” He gives me a long look, winking. “This dude once shaved half his chest and asked women what they preferred. Hair or no hair. Worked an entire shift with no shirt on that way.”

“Something about that doesn’t surprise me one bit.” I push my empty glass toward him. “I need another.”

Jake takes the glass and laughs at Zain. “Well, believe me when I say I’m not the guy that gets ’em on their knees. I make them weak in the knees.”

“That’s so goddamn cheesy, and probably works like a fuckin’ charm too,” Zain says, bursting out laughing, his head falling against the bar dramatically.

“You know what keeps going through my head?” I ask, looking at Jake now, but fighting back laughter.

“What?”

“‘Where’s my drink?’”

His eyes twinkle. “Feisty, I like that.” He takes in my appearance, my cherry-red cheeks and obvious sway. “You sure you wantmore?”

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