Page 83 of Thick & Thin

She grinned a little, and a spark I hadn’t felt in three long years slid through me. I missed this. I missed her. Going out for the night wasn’t giving in to her. It didn’t mean I hated her any less. It just meant I felt bad that every person in town had taken my side. Sure, I wasn’t the one who had gone and slept my way through Texas, but I was positive no one knew how badly I had ripped through Jenny when I was broken and bruised and pushing her away.

“No thanks,” she said before standing and gathering her things. “Come on, Caleb, we need to get home, baby.”

I didn’t respond.

If she didn’t want to go, then that was her business. Maybe it was a good thing. I didn’t want her thinking I was growing soft toward her. I still needed to stick to my guns and stay away from Jenny. And that was exactly what I would do.

Player’s Place looked the same. Not a picture frame had been moved. Once inside, I looked around the place until I saw the group in the corner laughing and drinking. I started toward them, and Vaughn was the first one to notice me.

“It’s about fucking time you showed your ugly mug,” he said, standing and pulling me into a half hug.

If it was possible, Vaughn had gotten even bigger. He hadn’t stuck around Walterboro. Instead, he bombed out of college before moving to Charleston where he owned an expensive boat shop, courtesy of his daddy’s money. Apparently, he also married well, moved into a million-dollar Charleston Battery house, and spent his days lounging on a yacht.

JJ stood then, pulling me in for a hug. “Dude, it’s been too fucking long. We’re glad to have you back.”

I sat at the table, my eyes bouncing around familiar faces I hadn’t seen in three years.

“I’m glad to be back.”

“Hell, man, I was sorry to hear about your dad. He was a good man,” Tony said, setting a fresh beer in front of me when Maggie, the same old waitress, set some on the table.

“Thanks. It’s been rough.”

We drank beer and laughed about old times. It was as if we hadn’t been separated, and things were rolling along smoothly until JJ mentioned Jenny.

“It’s weird all of us being here together like this without Scrappy,” he slurred, his wall coming down courtesy of the nine beers he had put down.

“Man, fuck her. She was never one of us,” Tony said, making my skin itch and crawl.

I wanted to defend her. Jenny had always been one of us. But I downed my beer instead of opening my mouth.

“You’re just mad she wouldn’t fuck you,” Vaughn said, chuckling around the mouth of his beer bottle.

My muscles grew tighter, but still, I kept my mouth shut.

“Well, hell, I figured I had a shot since she was fucking everyone else.” Tony laughed, and a few of the guys joined in.

I wasn’t happy with Jenny. She had broken my heart in more ways than one, but I had spent most of my life having her back, and my tongue burned to curse them out. My fists ached to feel their faces. Still, I remained quiet and hoped they would stop talking about Jenny and move onto a new subject.

“She’s so different now,” JJ said. “Have you run into her yet?” he turned my way and asked.

I nodded but didn’t add to the conversation.

“Yeah and wider.” Tony laughed, and this time I gave him a look that told him to shut his fucking mouth.

He stopped laughing.

“Not wider. Thicker,” JJ said, grinning. “She’s got curves for days, and you know what they say about women with them childbearing hips.”

“Shut the fuck up, JJ, you don’t know shit about childbearing hips.” Vaughn laughed, pushing JJ’s shoulder.

When Maggie came by, I asked for another beer. I’d had enough, but with the conversation turning toward Jenny, I needed more.

“My mom said Jenny almost died giving birth,” Vaughn said casually.

Vaughn’s mom was a doctor at the local hospital and was always telling Vaughn things that could get her fired.

“What do you mean?” I asked, finally speaking up.

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