Page 16 of Let Me Love You
Chapter Four
Leaning over the pool table, Ren lined up his shot. The heat from the overhead Budweiser stained-glass lamp had sweat beading on his forehead. Since leaving Stacey’s house this afternoon, he’d been on a roller coaster ride—ecstatic, nervous, worried, and of course, turned on.
But turned on wasn’t really an emotion, right?
Every time a scene from their afternoon love fest burst into his head, he popped a woody. Basically, he pitched a tent in his pants every half-hour.
He stared down the pool stick nestled between his thumb and forefinger before he pulled back and hit the cue ball. The white ball smacked the solid blue ball, sending the orb sailing into the corner pocket. He glanced up and smiled at his friend, Tyler Greaves.
“You bastard,” Tyler snapped, but the smile spreading across his face proved he wasn’t the least bit mad. They’d done this song and dance hundreds of times. Sometimes Tyler’s game was unstoppable. Sometimes it was Ren’s turn, like tonight. He was just on his game.
“Now, now.” Ren laughed. “I have a father. In fact, you know him quite well.”
Tyler flipped him the bird from across the pool table. They both chuckled.
Tyler was very well acquainted with Ren’s family. They’d been best friends all through elementary, middle, and high school, practically living at each other’s houses. In another couple of weeks, they’d be roommates. At least for a bit.
Tyler worked for his father’s auto repair shop in Largo, making a good living. He’d grown up around cars, knew them inside and out. On the weekends, he spent time lifeguarding at Treasure Island Beach. College hadn’t been high on his priority list. Tyler only attended community college to keep his father off his back. Cars were his first love. Tyler loved two things: Cars and the beach.
And women, make that three things.
“Are you glad to be done with school?” Tyler waited for Ren to strategize his next move. “I don’t know how you did it. I can hardly keep up with two classes at the community college.”
Ren chortled. “I’m glad to be done. I mean, I had a blast in college, as you well know from your frequent visits.” Ren eyed his blond floppy-haired friend who chalked his pool stick as if he might get another shot on the table.
“Hey! Just because I didn’t want to go away to college for the education doesn’t mean I didn’t want to party like I went away to college.”
“No kidding. I think I saw you more in Gainesville than I did our whole four years of high school.” Sarcasm mixed with humor dripped from Ren’s voice.
“Get the fuck out of here.” Tyler walked around the pool table and punched Ren lightly in the arm. “Don’t make me beat your ass right here in the Alehouse for telling lies. You never know who might be here to see you get your ass kicked. That sort of reputation will follow you wherever you go.”
True that the place was packed. With thirty-four beers on tap and twenty-five television screens, anyone who drank beer and had a desire to watch more than one football or baseball game at a time found the Alehouse appealing. Music blasted over the speakers, some new song by Maroon 5. A few guys stood along the perimeter of the pool table area, waiting patiently for them to wrap up their game.
“Don’t even think of it.” Ren punched him back. “You know I’m not the one who would leave here with a bad reputation.”
“You sound grown up and shit.” Tyler teased. “Are you sure you’re ready for the real world?”
“I’m ready.” And Ren meant the words. He’d had lots of fun, but he’d also put in a lot of work. Time to reap the rewards.
“I’m pretty sure I’ll be at the community college for the next four years.” Tyler grinned, then shrugged. The idea didn’t seem to bother him.
“Ty, perhaps you’d get through school if you took more than one class a semester and didn’t study for them while at the beach. Those bikini-clad women are a distraction.”
They both laughed.
Ren leaned over the table again, lining up his pool stick behind the cue ball. If the yellow ball fell in the corner pocket, he’d only have the eight-ball left. Then he could bolt and swing by Stacey’s to see if she was prepared to talk. He didn’t know if a few hours would be enough time for her to sort things out. He had his work cut out for him convincing her to give them a-go, he realized that, but he’d never been afraid of a challenge. He thrived on them.
He rested his hand on the green felt of the table. “Yellow ball in the corner pocket.” He pointed the stick at the corner hole and Tyler rolled his eyes. Ren quaked with his laugh. He drew the stick back and hit the cue ball hard, sending it into the yellow ball with a crack. The orb trundled across the table and plopped into the corner pocket.
“You fucker.” Tyler crossed his arms over his chest and watched Ren line up his shot with the eight ball for the win. An easy shot.
“Sometimes I am.” Ren glanced up and winked at his friend. The suggestiveness of his comment didn’t go unnoticed.
“Who youfuckingnowadays?” Tyler asked, leaning over the table so he didn’t have to shout.
Tyler was a good-looking guy. With blond hair that fell to his chin, and deep brown eyes, he never had any trouble landing the ladies. He and Ren often compared notes on their conquests. At least they used to. Stacey was different. He wasn’t going to dish the details of this one.
“None of your business, Greaves.” Ren grinned. He pointed to the side pocket with his pool stick, indicating where he planned to land the winning shot. Eric Church’sOutsidersblared overhead. Someone was having a field day at the jukebox, but he concentrated on the shot. He enjoyed hanging with his friend, but his mind had been elsewhere the entire night. How could it not after his afternoon with Stacey? A fantasy turned reality.
