I was actually having a blast dancing around in the flashing lights to an old Shania Twain song, but when I turned to look back at Nikki and sing the chorus with her, I faced Hockey Douche from earlier. I immediately glared at him, just daring him to come even near me dancing. He took the hint. The smile fell from his pretty-boy face and he cha-cha-ed away pretty smoothly.
In the back of my mind, I knew that my mother would have reprimanded me for being mean, but she didn’t know what guys were like now.
It’s not that I wasn’t attracted to him. He had looks in spades- tall, dark, and handsome if I’d ever seen it. He also had a hockey butt which was nicely featured as he danced away- I mentally slapped myself for even thinking that. But I knew his type. He was just another athlete on the prowl for a one-time hook-up. And I was simply not that.
5. TJ
By 11pm I was getting pretty sick of the search. I kept dancing around each girl that I thought had potential and then trying to make eye contact with Grey or Jules to see if they would give the nod of approval.
But so far- the girl by the bar I spent about a half hour chatting up got a negative head shake from Jules. The girl I danced to “Up Town Funk” with got a mouthed “hell no” from Grey. And the last girl who I downed a Tequila shot with got a disapproving grimace from both of them.
Sweating, tired from dancing, and a little drunk, I made my way over to the newlyweds who were now sitting down at the sweetheart table relaxing.
“Okay guys, give it up, who do you think I should meet? I’m pleading with you guys here,” I urged.
Jules just shook her head, and Grey didn’t even look up; he just kept massaging his girl’s feet.
“God, that feels so good, baby,” Jules said in a breathy little voice.
“That’s what she said,” I retorted, then slapped a hand over my mouth. The moment it popped out I wished I could have taken it back, because I knew I sounded like a teenage boy saying it. But what’s a guy to do with that sentence?
Grey glanced up and shot me an amused look.
“Should I go for it or you, babe?” Jules asked him.
“I’ll do the honors, hon,” Grey answered her. “Jules wants you to know that not being able to keep comments like that to yourself is what gets you in trouble and the reason why we did not set you up in an obvious way.”
“Just in case you were mean,” Jules added.
It really didn’t seem like a fair answer to me. If the girl was perfect for me, then she would accept all of me, no? But because I was drunk, my rebuttal didn’t come out that way.
“So, you two are stopping me from getting what you guys have just because of that?” I askedthem.
I could tell they were giggling at my expense, and I didn’t like it at all.
“Why is everyone being so mean to me tonight?” I let out a frustrated growl.
Jules took the bait. “Who was mean to you, Teej? They’ll feel a mama bear’swrath.”
“Just this girl,” I answered lamely. If I was being honest with myself, I really couldn’t get Spit-up Girl’s face out of my head. Those beautifully high cheekbones, those glowing green eyes, that bangin bod… even though it was pretty tiny. And she looked like she could use some help. I was a sucker for always trying to help. I needed to stop trying to play Prince Charming with girls. That’s why I always ended up dating psychos. And she obviously was one- she bit my head off for no reason.
“Well… if it was a girl, she might’ve been right. You didn’t say anything patronizing, did you? You have a way of doing that TJ,” Jules warned.
I spread my arms out wide in front of me trying to relay my innocence. “Are you serious?! That’s defamation, Grey!”
They cracked up at that one. Sure, make fun of the drunk guy. Grey was no help anymore. He was team Jules all the way. Bro code, over.
The DJ stopped the music then, and I noticed most of the couples who had populated the dance floor were scattered around the tent looking prettybeat.
“Alright, everybody!” The DJ announced. “Please come grab a sparkler here by the stage and make your way out to the sidewalk to prepare for the Scott family’swalkout!”
I pulled my tie loose and shook my head at them as I walked away to get their stupid sparklers.
I did my job and was a good sparkler twirler. I was last in the twirler line and was responsible for opening the door of a fancy old car for Grey and Jules to get into. Only thing was- this whole twirler car thing was more for pictures, because they redid it a bunch, and I had to open the door for them about three freaking times.
When I finally shut the door on them for good, I got yelled at because I forgot Canyon was also loading up into that car. They didn’t really clarify that to me, so it wasn’t completely my fault.
Canyon came sprinting out of the tent with his spiked hair, tie around his head, dress shirt unbuttoned, and with gym shorts on instead of suit pants. Damn. The kid looked like he had a blast, and he was smart, I should’ve packed other pants. The crowd cheered as he made his way toward the car, and he ate it up, waving his hands for louder applause.
