Andy is also cute and funny. If I am being honest, I get good vibes from all of them. Ben is maybe a little standoffish, but he’s got his own shit going on. I just have to keep reminding myself that it’s only for the winter. I am allowed to have some fun, damn it! And these guys are willing. Not that that should be my only criteria for sleeping with someone, but it’s definitely better than the begrudging attention that Brad sometimes gave me.
After a brief stop in the bathroom to clean myself up a bit, I make my way downstairs. Staying up here and speculating is getting me nowhere. When I get to the kitchen, Max is at the sink doing dishes while Ben dries. Andy comes in from the living room, his arms full of the beer bottles I saw last night.
“Sorry that Max didn’t clean Charlie. He can be a real pig sometimes” Andy tells me, dumping the bottles into the recycling bin by the island.
“You’re the pig,” Max retorts, not looking up from the sink.
“Takes one to know one. Oink oink bro,” Andy counters, laughing.
“With that many beer bottles I think maybe this is a pig pen, not a house,” I tease.
“Don’t lump me in with them,” Ben grumbles. “The living room mess was all them.”
“Nice try Ben but I’ve seen your room.”
Ben glares over at Max and snaps the dish towel he was holding at him. Max hops out of the way, laughing. “You showed her my room?”
Max laughs. “Barely dude. We were busy doing other stuff if you know what I mean.”
Andy chimes in, “Everyone knows what you mean. You were so loud the animals in the forest know what you mean.”
“If we had neighbours, they would know what you mean!” Ben adds with a huff.
I didn’t realize we were that bad. I knew I should have kept it down. But Max was so … compelling with all his “I wanna hear you” stuff. I flush with embarrassment. “Sorry guys I didn’t realize we were being that loud.”
Andy frowns. “Not you sweetheart. You sounded super hot. The dying cat who was with you on the other hand ...” He trails off as Max turns around to glare at him.
“First a pig, now a dying cat? Insulting me isn’t going to make Charlie think you’re better in the sack dude.” My first instinct is to figure out something to get them to stop arguing, but then I realize that they are laughing so I join in.
“Speaking of ... Charlie you might want to change for our date,” Andy says, smiling over at me.
“Way to change the subject dude.” Max rolls his eyes, going back to the dishes.
“I haven’t even said yes yet,” I counter, but I can’t stop my smile either.
“Yeah, but you were going to.” Andy walks over to me and puts his arm around my shoulders. “Weren’t you?”
I look up at him. His smile is devastating. And honestly, he is the living embodiment of teenage Charlie’s alt-punk fantasies. My inner teen is screaming at me to say yes. I can feel my flush before I say, “As long as Max is cool with it? I’m not going to get in the middle of your guy’s friendship?”
Max turns around and smiles at me. “Don’t even worry about it gorgeous.”
“Yeah, we’d prefer you in the middle anyways.” Andy says with a wink at me.
“Jesus Christ,” Ben mutters under his breath.
I look between the three of them, confused. “What am I missing here?”
I watch Max and Andy exchange a weird look and Ben rolls his eyes. “Good luck with these two, Charlie,” he tells me with a sympathetic pat on my shoulder and leaves the kitchen.
“You’re missing nothing gorgeous; I promise. Try not to over think it,” Max answers, leaning over and giving me a quick kiss on the forehead.
I let out a sigh. “I’ll try. Now, when are we supposed to be goingon this date that I’m not dressed for?”
Andy looks down at his wrist like he is checking the time. He is not wearing a watch. Laughing at his own humour, he tells me “Well I was thinking now ish. I could take you home to get changed first.”
"And what are we doing? What should I be wearing?”
“Something warm. Probably some good boots too,” Andy answers, looking over at Max and they grin at each other conspiratorially.
