As I crossed the extensive yard a few minutes later, with Fred sprinting off to the right, William called.
“Hey babe,” I said instead of hello.
“Jess?”
“Yeah?” Who did he expect to answer my phone?
“Oh great, glad I caught you. Some of the guys are headed to Froggy’s tonight. They got a big booth. Do you want to go?”
“Are you sure you don’t want to do a boys’ thing?”
“Nah, not tonight. Unless you guys don’t feel like going...”
“Who? Adam and I?”
William had two women in his life. Me and Adam. We both gave out, but my version was called sex, and Adam’s was called whining.
Adam hated that joke.
William paused. “...Candace. Didn’t you say you were going out with Candace tonight?”
“Oh, no. I originally was, but she cancelled.”
“Too bad. Well, I’ll talk to you in a while. I’ll meet you there.”
“Where? Froggy’s?” I stopped walking. We never met places. We always went together. Plus, he was sounding distant and distracted.
“Yeah. I gotta take care of some stuff. Can you just meet me there? Grab a cab. I’ll pay. Just get there after nine.”
“What’s going on?” It wasn’t my birthday, so a surprise party didn’t seem applicable.
“What? Nothing, why? I am doing some work. Can I just meet you there? I think I might dress up.”
WTF? Dude was jumping all over the place with this conversation.
“Alright...Um, great. Talk to you later.” I clipped my words a little to show him I was irritated. Usually that got him to slow down and talk sense.
“See ya.”
Click.
I stared at my phone. Until stupid Fred barreled into me.
“Fred!” I shouted before letting him through the Big House’s back door. Shaking my head, I followed, still wondering about William’s odd behavior.
If I was a jealous woman I might think he was cheating.
Good thing I wasn’t jealous...
As I walked through the house, I heard commotion in the lounge. I’d forgotten to hurry.
As I turned the corner and into the lounge, I stumbled.
“OH MY GOD!” I yelled.
Everyone looked up at once. All faces beamed at me, then shot past me to Fred, who huddled in close, half wagging his stump, half looking scary.
“Holy f**k! What’s up with the beast?” Flem asked.
My friends were here! In Texas! With me!
I laughed and ran in to hug her. Fred bounded up with me, apparently deciding that these were friendly people. He had gotten a lot more used to strangers by being away from the ranch. Also because I was a sink or swim kind of gal. People just came in, and he learned that if he didn’t be nice, he’d get scolded. Dog learned fast.
“How did this happen?” I asked joyously.
“Gladis got a hold of Jane, who got a hold of everyone else. She arranged the whole thing. Said somethin’ about you bein’ desperate for friends.” Flem said with flare.
“Careful, Flem, your accent is slipping back,” Jane said smiling. “Or is Arkansas a different planet and not recognized by the South?”
Flem shot her a nasty look.
“Gladis, thank you! Thank you everyone for coming!” I gushed. I still couldn’t quite believe it.
“It was Little Willie’s idea,” Gladis said, arranging her scarf just so. “He wanted to fly everyone out, but as you are my ward, I insisted on that privilege. Then, when he was having trouble hearing the word ‘no,’ I just went and did it. He hasn’t met his match in the clever department!”
“William?” I asked, suddenly understanding the conversation a second ago.
“Ye are dating a man called Little Willie?” Claire said. “American’s use ‘willie’ for mickey, right?”
“Mickey?” Gladis asked, confused.
“Penis," I clarified for Gladis. "Yes, Gladis calls him Little Willie. I call him William, consequently.”
The girls bust up laughing, Gladis included.
Lady came in with a tray of drinks. Everyone’s seconds.
“So, seriously,” Lump started, “what’s up with the dog? And why’d you get such an expensive one?”
“He’s William’s. I had another run in with Dusty and now Fred is my protection.”
Smiles evaporated.
The next hour was a question and answer situation around dinner and drinks. I didn’t cry once, but Fred, who could sense my moods these days, came and sat beside me. Strange, the comfort a dog could give. And welcomed. I was thankful for it. Plus, anything with sharp teeth on my side was good news.
After everyone was satisfied that I was okay, the question and answer session switched to William, and then quickly went to his friends. Everyone was single and open to possibilities. Being that among William’s friends there was more than one possibility, all in pretty packages, I decided it would be fun to talk everyone down, throw a flaw or three in there, and then laugh my ass off when they met the real thing.
The only hitch in that plan was Gladis, who at first thought I was being stuck up. It took me to downplay William’s looks for her to finally catch on—she knew I thought William was a freaking God. I didn’t hide that fact to anyone living in Texas. So after she got with the program, she helped me out by saying Adam was handsome in his own way, though a mite slim—that meant scrawny—and William was a nice boy; I shouldn’t be so choosy!
The girls bought it, and immediately shrugged off the whole matter in indifference. They were here for me, after all. They could look for guys anytime.
Half buzzed and stuffed full, the girls and I fell into the cottage and headed to my closet. It was only 7:00pm so we had an hour and a half or more to get ready, but with a bunch of laughing, chattering idiots hell-bent on rummaging through all my hand-me-down’s from Gladis’s friends, it'd take a while. I'd gotten truckloads of handbags, jewels, scarfs, you name it after a few luncheons as a favor to Gladis, and suddenly everyone wanted to play dress up. I was gaining a toehold in society, sure, but when I was literally chased out of the door by a butler with a Gucci, things were out of control.
“How’s Ami?” I asked as I changed over to a smaller wallet.
“She’s doing great. She is actually coming in tomorrow morning. She’s engaged of all things!” Jane informed me. “She can only stay until Monday morning, though. She had to get back.”
“Engaged, wow! To the guy her mother hated?”
“Very same.”
“Incoming,” Lump shouted, tossing my phone at me.
“Lump—!” Wallet and cards up in the air, I juggled my phone between hands, trying to keep it from falling.
“I thought you could catch.” Lump laughed.
“Cabs are here!” I shouted, texting Gladis back with a “Thanks” and a smiley face.
As I pushed the chattering girls out the door, I took a moment to watch them walk down the path. They were digging in their bras to fix their br**sts, or hiding money, or straightening their skirts. More than one wobbled on their heels. Swear words and laughter rolled out ahead of them.
I had missed this. Missed them.
There were a few things I dearly missed from LA, but all were manageable except for my girlfriends. You could make friends anywhere, but it was hard to find a group of girls that got me like these girls did. You could have it all, but without your girls to share it with, things were just kind of flat.
We got to Froggy’s fashionably late in a cloud of perfume and fabulousness. William had text me to say he was in the VIP area, and we’d be on the list. As soon as I heard his name tacked on to this surprise, I knew he’d do it up big. When it came to spoiling me, William never did things in halves. I was one lucky broad!
“Eche, the line sucks,” Lump said, fixing her shoe. “Can we try to flash our boobs to get in faster or something?”
Without even looking over, I sauntered up to the very front, all hip and cle**age. I was sure the girls were following suit. They knew the drill.
“Jessica Brodie,” I announced to the stern faced bouncer with massive arms.
His eyes scanned me, resting on my br**sts for a second, before flicking back to those around me. His eyes started to shine.
He quickly scanned his page and made an “X” next to my name.
It was good to be “On the List.”
“Savage!” Claire said as we made our way around the barrier of muscle and into the bar.
“Shots!” Lump yelled, grabbing me by the wrist and yanking toward the bar.
“Shouldn’t we have a beer first?” I asked timidly.
She looked at me askew. Shit! We were going to get loaded tonight. I would be lucky to remember half of the reunion.
I had to remember to tell William to watch me like a hawk to keep me from getting in trouble.
That was another sobering thought. He’d never seen me over-the-top, wildly drunk. Mr. Hyde would take out a notepad and pen when I lost control. I hoped to God William still loved me after tonight.
We did Red Headed Sluts, which were fairly easy for the first shot of the night. At least there was that.
Champagne cocktails in hand, I stepped away from the bar, my “important” mask settling firmly over my face. It was like we were in L.A. at a hotspot. The girls flocked around me, ready to strut our entrance.
The bar went quiet.
“What’d we do wrong?” Jane whispered.
The whole bar, men and women both, looked at us like they were scientists watching little green men walk into the room. Some even had their drinks paused halfway to their lips.
“What’s the matter, ain’t y’all seen girls lookin’ to have fun?” Flem yelled in an overly Southern accent.
We all started laughing and strutted toward the dance floor. If we had feather boas, we would have flung them over our shoulders as we passed. The “A” list had arrived, ladies and gentlemen; let’s get the party started!
As we cleared the wide, but low, doorway into the dance area, all the girls slowed down.
“Holy f**k, this place if fecking massive, lads!” Claire said, staring at the distant stage.
“Does it get busy? What time is it?” Lump asked, checking an empty wrist.
“It will,” I assured them. “We’re still fairly early.”
As we sauntered past the currently empty dance floor, the DJ, who was setting up his equipment, stopped what he was doing. As we neared he yelled out: “Y’all dancin’ tonight?”
“That depends,” Flem yelled back. “You spinin’ something worth dancing too?”
He smirked. “All night long, darlin’. All night.”
“Oh no,” Jane said, looking up the ledge of stairs. “These shoes, this drink, and that mountain do not go together.”
“So, no VIP area for us?” I asked in a light tone, hesitating.
Jane was the first one to reach for the banister. That’s what I thought.
We handled it like ditsy blonds, which was to say we held onto each other and onto the banister, giggled and laughed at ourselves, and finally made it to the top with more than a few hair flicks.
My favorite bouncer met us.
“Oh now,” he said as we crested the top, “am I gonna be taxiing you all up and down these stairs all night?”
“You know you love it!” I said back sassily.
He just smiled and shook his head. “They’re all down at the end.”
I nodded and continued on, the harem at my heels, the lights dimming even as we made our way back. The DJ was going to start soon. Butterflies tickled my stomach for the night to come.
I sincerely hoped I didn’t make an ass of myself.
As we neared the back, I saw William at the far corner, watching the progression. I thought he would be looking over all the girls indiscreetly, but instead he only had eyes for me. My heart surged, still affected. I smiled with elation as I met his eyes. He smiled back and winked.
The last time I was here—the night of the dance off—William’s party was in the same stop, but only occupied one large booth and a few outlying tables. Tonight the whole back area was roped off, encompassing four booths and more than a few people I had rarely seen out. As I figured, William had done it up big. Absolutely no one could show up to Froggy’s for the rest of the night, and we’d still have a great party.
I couldn’t help but notice, as we passed the last bouncer before we were in our designated zone, that William was leaning against a bar in the corner. It looked like it was set up for our personal use. Which meant we didn’t even have to walk or wait on a waitress to get alcohol.
We were going to get so shit-faced. I was actually getting a little nervous about it.
Adam was by the railing with a few guys I didn’t know. They were watching us walk through like a bunch of kids looking at Playboy for the first time.
“Jessica,” Lump said in my ear, “these guys are hot!”
Easily the prettiest of us, and the one that usually could get any guy she was after, at least for a little while, she was often the hardest to please. Nearly impossible in fact.
I gave her a smug smile.
“Yee haw,” I heard Flem say.
“Oh lads,” Claire exclaimed. “This is class! We’re going to get langers!”
That meant drunk. Very, very drunk. To hell with not making an ass of myself, I hoped I would survive.
I meandered to William with a stomach full of butterflies and gave him a big hug.
“Love you and thank you,” I whispered in his ear.