Page 58 of Here's to Tomorrow

“Hey, fucker, find your own girl to date!”

“Already have the boys after you, huh Rae?” Perry nods in satisfaction. “Nice.”

Rae flips her hair in a mocking gesture. “As if we didn’t all know that would happen.”

Perry fist-bumps her.

“You’re all so weird,” Gaige mumbles.

“I doubt any of us would deny that. So, what do you boys want? I’m taking over so you don’t have to endure the painful company of Clarissa all night. She’s, uh,clingy.”

“And crazy,” Perry adds.

Rae nods toward Perry. “That’s saying something coming from him.”

He shrugs. “True enough.”

We take turns ordering burgers, wings, and fries, and before I know it, Rae is capping her pen and sticking her pad into her back pocket.

“Sweet deal, dudes. I’ll be back later. Holler if you need anything.”

“Yo, Tuck, where’s Tanner tonight?” Gaige asks once it’s just the four of us guys left. “I’m not missing him—no offense or anything—but he’s been tagging along for weeks now and then all of a sudden he’s not here. What gives?”

Tucker looks to Perry. “Brother,” he says in explanation. “I don’t know where he’s at tonight. He’s been out with Maura every night she’s not at work so I’m surprised he isn’t here since she is.”

“Wait, Maura? As in Rae’s best friend Maura?” Perry asks. We all nod. Perry looks at Tucker. “She’s dating your brother?”

Again, Tucker nods.

His eyes light up and he grins. It reminds me of how he looks when he’s talking about Rae. I don’t know how to take that. “Holy crap. Poor Tanner.”

“Wasn’t expecting you to say that,” Tuck tells him. “My brother is…well, he’s a damn asshole. I love him to death because he’s my brother, but he doesn’t rank high on, well, just about anyone’s list.”

“Well since she’s besties with my girl, I’ve known Maura my entire life. I know how off her rocker she can be. She used to be shy and quiet but she’s…let’s sayblossomedin the past few years. Girl will give you whiplash.”

Again with his “my girl” shit. Who is this guy to her?

“I know on our little double date she and Rae seemed to have quite a few similarities. It was comical and slightly unnerving.”

“They have their moments. They’re different, but also kind of the same. It’s weird. I love them both dearly though—but that info doesn’t leave this table.”

His joke gets lost on me because I’m too busy trying not to strangle him for using “love” and “Rae” in same sentence. Luckily, Tucker and Gaige keep up the conversation while I count the ways I could hide his body.

“Be right back, dudes,” Perry suddenly says, getting up from the table and heading toward the bar.

As soon as he’s gone, Tucker turns to me.

“So?”

“So what?”

“Who is he? I can’t figure it out. He talks like he knows her better than anyone else does. Maybe he’s an ex,” Tucker ponders.

“Maybe he’s family, you dumbasses,” Gaige mutters.

“I don’t know, man. That thought briefly crossed my mind, but I’m not sure. They seem close, almost too close, ya know? Like theyknow knoweach other.”

“What, is Logical Hudson taking the day off or some shit?” Gaige asks.

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