Page 49 of Southpaw Slots
“Hey, Ace?” My stomach does this bizarre little flip when he calls my name.
“Yeah?”
“Thanks, man.” His eyes hold all seriousness, a shadow forming over his cheeks.
“For what?”
“For everything. Letting me stay here. For not telling Ari. Forsharingher with me. I love her and…I’m not sure what I’d do without her. So, thank you. You really didn’t have to, and I know that. You’re her husband, and I do respect that.”
Damn it. There’s some foreign urge to touch him or something and it causes my entire body to tighten. I can’t deal with it. My voice comes out almost hoarse as I mutter, “No problem.” As I walk away, I whisper, “Wilhelmina.”
In half an hour, I’ve fixed my hair and put on a good suit just in time for Cass to roll up with Jinx and Dave inside. “Hoss got a lady now. That big woman from the club.” My eyes pop wide, but he continues while heading down the driveway. “I know, I know. She’s just using him for the tiny cash that’s in his wallet. He’s a fucking moron.”
The roar of a motorcycle cuts him off as Wyatt darts in front of us, Arianna riding on his backseat.
Am I in pain?
No, my dick is getting hard watching them drive by. And part of me can’t wait until I’m home tonight to see what happens next. The other is embarrassed as fuck I just let some dude come on my face.
Worse…I think I liked it.
“Isn’t that your wife? With that douche from the shop? Bro…” Cass says, pointing in front of us.
Dave leans forward between the seats. “What the fuck? Do you need us to take care of him? Her?”
I was hoping to remain silent on the topic, not really able to fully explain what is going on. “He’s cool.”And I think I just kinda sucked his dick.
“Your wife is with him? What are you doing?”
“It’s fine. They’re, uh, hmm,together.” I try to make the term sound as nonchalant as possible.
Dave slaps my shoulder as we head out onto the main street, Wyatt’s bike long gone. “What doesthatmean?” he asks. “Together?”
“Are you in one of those open marriages? That’ssmart, man. Real smart. Damn, Ace. I wanna be you when I grow up,” Jinx says from the back.
All of us chant, “You’ll never grow up.”
Cass seems quiet as Dave settles back in his seat. “So, you can fuck around, too?” he finally asks.
“I mean, I don’t know how to explain it, C. I just. We’re together, okay?” An involuntary groan leaves my lips as I twist in my seat, uncomfortable with the conversation.
“Allof you are together? Like, you and him and…”
“Can we just get there? Please. Fuck. What’s with all the questions?”
“I wanna know! Do you guys spit roast her? DP? DVP? DAP? What—” I cut Jinx off by tossing an empty water bottle at his head.
“Shut the fuck up. That’s my wife you’re talking about.”
I haven’t really dated before. Not seriously anyway. But these weird fluttering feelings inside, like I can’t wait to see Arianna and Wyatt again and wonder if they’re okay, or what we’re all going to do tomorrow, they won’t quit. Slyly, I adjust myself in my dress pants and try to focus on the scenery. I should have gone with them.
In about ten minutes, we approach the front of the casino and park under the overhang.
“See? It looks pretty good now. Stable,” Cass says.
Nodding, I scan the front of my building. They dida nice job with the glass and awning. A large sign on the front announces a grand reopening tomorrow.
“I bet they’d open a table for you now, man. I got twenty,” Dave says, showcasing the bill between his fingers. When he reaches forward to hand it to me, I just stare at it and stroke my stubble.