Page 3 of I Love You Again
"Tell them about Captain Chicken Feet," Jenniferlaughed.
"Captain Chicken Feet? Are you serious?" Lizzie leaned forward onto the table, her brown eyes boring into her now withinterest.
"He was the worst this year," Trina sighed with annoyance and irritation. That guy was ajoke.
"Yes, he was," Jennifer noddedgiggling.
"I was told his name was Gus by the friend that set us up," Trina began. It was Gertrude at the hospital. She meant well but conveniently forgot to tell her that she'd picked Gus,Captain Chicken Feet, from a free dating site. "I got the complete shock of my life when this guy turned up for our date dressed as a pirate and introduced himself asCaptain ChickenFeet."
They all erupted with fits of deeplaughter.
"When you say dressed as a pirate, what do you mean?" Lizzieasked.
"I mean, complete Pirates of the Caribbean Jack Sparrow wannabe, with the hat and feathers, eyeliner, gold teeth, full on leather and frills but with his own flair of a necklace which had a massive chicken foot hanging from it." By now they were laughing so much they were in tears. Even Jennifer, who already knew thestory.
"A friend did that to you?" Mandy asked when she could breatheagain.
"She's an acquaintance now." Trina huffed. She hadn't really spoken to Gertrudesince.
"Please tell me you left when you saw him," Lizzie stated with widenedeyes.
"From the minute he said oww aarrrrrrghhhh las." She tried her best to do a good impression, remembering how he seemed to put his back into it as hespoke.
More laughter erupted. It was indeed hilarious, but on a serious note, Trina definitely seemed to be attracting the wrong kind of guy. Captain Chicken Feet was a complete blind date, but in general, she never seemed to happen upon anyone who would be remotely good for her. And, they seemed to get worse eachyear.
Trina tossed her brown locks over her shoulder and rested her hands on the smooth silk of her beigeskirt.
"Let's do the bets before the guys get here," Jennifer smiled. Neil and his groomsmen were meeting them for dinner. It was the chance for everyone to meet properly. "Neil's best man is single and a complete hottie," Jennifergiggled.
"Hottie?" Trina asked with narrowed eyes. "Can you even say thatanymore?"
"Yes, because my Neil knows I think he's the hottest of them all. Anyway, I've known his friend for years, and I always thought he'd be nice for one of you two. I don't know the other guys that well but this guy has the fullpackage."
Trina rolled her eyes. "Mandy can have him. I bet twenty she'll be the wedding hookup."
"Me?" Mandy pointed to herself. "I bet thirty it'syou."
"Okay. I'll go with Mandy,” Lizzie said. “And Jennifer, you can haveTrina,"
"I'm going in big for a hundred," Jennifer jumpedin.
Trina shook her head. Jennifer always went in big. It was sad that this time she would lose a hundred bucks. That was a decent pair of shoes or a nice top in Nordstrom. It was so silly to waste so much on abet.
"Oh you would wouldn't you," Lizzie grumbled. "I bet one fifty on Mandythen."
"Oh look. They're here, and thereheis." Jennifer beamed. They looked across the restaurant, over the crowded tables to the entrance where more people were coming in to start theirevening.
Trina saw Neil first. He'd had his black hair cut into a neat style that allowed him to keep his locks. Dressed in a white cotton button down shirt and dark trousers he looked elegant and carried his tall, muscular stature with grace. Trina thought he moved as if he were floating towardsthem.
No, Neil wasn’t floating towardsthem.
He floated towards Jennifer and had the look of love all over him. Jennifer smiled at him and blew a kiss which he made a show of catching and placing on his heart. Mandy and Lizzie both awed and cooed at the action. To Neil’s left were two dark haired guys that Trina didn't recognize. She guessed they must have been fromwork.
"It's him, the guy coming up behind Neil now. The really tall, gorgeous blonde one with all the muscles." Jennifer giggled. "There." Shepointed.
Trina followed Jennifer's gaze and looked behind Neil. When her eyes landed on the man Jennifer was referring to, her whole bodyfroze.
Completely froze. She was sure her heart had stopped too because she couldn't feel it anymore. Trina drew in a sharp breath and choked back a cry as spasms of shock erupted withinher.
