Page 15 of Guys Can't Write Romance
Un-flippin-believable. Chad just looked around in dismay before holding up his hand. “Okay. First of all, you guys suck. Second, you guys suck.”
“So, you’re not taking our bets?” said Brett.
Chad snapped back to him. “No. It’s between me and this chick.”
A chorus of ‘boos’ arose from around him as patrons slid their cash back into their pockets. Chad looked around and found Rhino watching all of this with a big grin.
“This is why I never tell you anything,” Chad said.
“Sorry, bro,” Rhino said, his grin saying he wasn’t at all sorry.
“So, who’s the chick?” said Troy.
“Just some girl in my writers’ group,” Chad said, leaning back over the pool table and lining up his shot. Hoping to return some normalcy to the evening.
“Is she hot?” Troy asked, just as Chad took the shot. And scratched.
Chad groaned, tapping his cue stick on the floor as he straightened up. “She’s annoying. Like you’re being right now.”
“Keep distracting him,” Brett grinned as he fetched the cue ball from the side pocket and lined up his shot. “You’re throwing off his game.”
“Is she?” said Troy.
“She’s cute,” said Chad. “Now stop helping him cheat.”
“When do we get to meet her?” said Brett, looking up from his shot.
“Never.”
At that moment, Chad’s phone buzzed in his pocket with an incoming text. He slid it out and looked at the screen.
‘I’m out front. Red convertible. Come say hi - Vicky.’
He broke into a grin as he re-read the text. He quickly texted back a reply:‘On my way.’
“What’re you smiling about?” Rhino said.
“Remember the blond I met at the beach volleyball tournament? Vicky?”
“Oh, yeah,” Rhino said, his own face breaking into a cheesy grin. “The one with legs up to here.” He raised his hand way over his head.
Chad nodded. “She’s out front and wants to meet up.”
“Wait. Hot volleyball player Vicky?” said Troy.
“That’s the one.”
“Dude. Why are you still here?”
“I’m not,” Chad said, downing the rest of his beer and slamming the glass on the table. “Don’t wait up.”
“Text if you need an extraction,” Brett called out as Chad hurried off.
“Don’t hold your breath.”
Outside, the night air carried the smell of salt water and distant crash of waves on the shore. At the end of the alley next to the bar, a red convertible’s lights flashed twice, and Chad hurried over.
Vicky sat behind the wheel, her blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, looking hotter than he remembered in a loose tank top and cut-off shorts showing miles of legs. She smiled as he walked up.
