Page 1 of The Cost of a Bride
1
Russell
I’m getting lessand less into these bar nights of “picking up chicks with the dudes” every time we go out, and it’s making me feel more and more like a wimp. I don’t know what it is – whether it’s just the fact that I’m getting tired of darts and pool and drinking beer every single weekend, or if it’s just that picking up on girls doesn’t do it for me anymore.
Out of all the guys, I’m the only one who has the balls to go and approach a girl, so it’s not like there’s a whole lot of fun to it anyway. The game should be renamed fromPick up ChickstoWatch Russ Pick up Chicks.
“That one over there, bro,” Tyler says, pointing at a bored-looking blonde by the bar, whose friend is clearly ignoring her while being chatted up by some jock-looking dude in the middle of buying her a drink. “She’s totally primed up.”
“Primed up?” I laugh, taking a sip of my Old Fashioned. “Sounds more like a race car.”
“She might be, man,” Nate chuckles. “Never know until you give her a ride.”
Beside him, Jim bursts out laughing. Out of the three of them, Jim loves the dad jokes the most.
“Why don’tyougo ask her out, Nate?” I ask, wrapping my arm around his neck. “Or are you too afraid with your movie-star good looks?”
I’m laying the sarcasm on thick, and all the other guys know it and start laughing. Nate laughs and shrugs, leaning into the joke with a nod. “You know me. I don’t want to ruin the chances for all the other guys at the bar.”
“Right,” I reply, rolling my eyes as I finish my drink. “I need a refill. I’ll be right back.”
I get up from our booth and go up to the bar. I’m leaning there waiting when a new bartender comes out from the back. Our eyes meet, and he stops dead in his tracks, cocks his head to one side and points. “Russell?”
“Eric?”
I recognize him immediately as an old buddy from way back in high school. “Hey, man!” I exclaim. “What the – how the hell are ya?”
Laughing, we shake heartedly, and he comes around the bar to give me a hug. “I’m good, man, how are you? Still a teacher?”
I nod. “Yup, still teaching. My fiancée just left me for my lawyer, but other than that, I’m great!”
“Shit, man,” he grumbles. “Life’s a bitch sometimes, ain’t it?”
“Tell me about it.” I nod. “So you’re tending bar?”
“Yeah, kinda,” he replies. “On my way out, though. Just came for my tips. Heading to my other job.”
“Working two jobs? Damn, man. You’re hustling.”
Eric glances from side to side before moving closer and lowering his voice. “Let me ask you something, Russ. Can I still trust you?”
“What?” I chuckle. “Of course you can, man. Who was it that covered for you when Miss Jenkins was looking for the kid who rigged the toilets in the girls’ bathroom?”
Eric laughs and nods. “All right, fair. Listen, my other job isn’t much different than this one.”
“You’re tending bar?”
“Serving drinks,” he replies. “At…high end, upscale parties for the elites.”
“Elites?” I don’t even really know what to say, so I just sort of look at him for a second to see if he smirks to let me know he’s kidding. But the seconds tick by, and he doesn’t. “What are you talking about, man?”
“Super wealthy guys,” Eric replies, a twinkle in his eye. “And women youwould not believehired to entertain them.”
“Entertain?” I repeat.
He nods. “Yeah. You know what I mean.”
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”