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Fight Me(57)



I hear a resounding “Here here!” and “To Maddox!” from around the table mixed with laughter. Everyone takes a drink of their beer and the conversation starts to flow. As much as I want to drink a beer with my family and friends, I stick with Coke for the night. I’m also itching to buy Maddox his first shot of the night, but I definitely want to make sure the guys all get plenty of food in them before they hit the hard stuff.

After everyone orders their dinner, the conversation quickly turns to women. Everyone is teasing Maddox about jumping ship, following the straight and narrow or crossing over to the dark side. Maddox sits there and smiles the entire time as the fellas razz him about giving up his bachelorhood.

“You guys will understand someday,” he says with a small smile that lights up his face.

“That’s right. There’s nothing better than the love of a good woman,” my dad chimes in as he raises his glass towards Maddox like a solute. “And you have a damn good one, if I do say so myself,” he adds with a wink.

“I agree, son. Just remember that marriage is all about give and take. You will give and she will take,” Maddox’s dad says with a laugh.

“That is a very true statement,” my dad throws in.

“I can’t wait for the first time I hear ‘Yes, dear’ come out of your mouth,” I add.

“Or what about ‘You’re right’. I bet that one will burn his tongue,” Nate chimes in.

“And we all know Avery well enough to know that dear ol’ Maddox here will be saying that a lot!” Travis quips.

“I will gladly say it if the results get her naked at the end of the night, my friends.”

Instantly, the table erupts into groans and sighs. Maddox laughs as half the table reminds him that she’s their sister.

“I should punch you for that,” I mumble as I take another drink of my Coke, wishing it had a little Jack in it at that moment. I know Avery has sex, obviously – she has my niece – but I still don’t want to picture it or think about it or hear it. There are just some lines that brothers and sisters should never, ever cross.

After our steaks are consumed and the bill is paid, the guys and I all file out of the restaurant and head towards our vehicles. All of the guys threw in some money to cover a generous tip and both dads tried to slip me some money on the sly, but I didn’t want it. I wanted to do this for Maddox tonight. Before I can get out the front door with the rest of the guys, Lauren stops me.

“So do you have entertainment lined up for this party?”

“Why?” I ask, curious as to where she’s going with this.

“Well, I’d be more than happy to come by after work and help entertain you and your friends,” she purrs as if everything that’s happened between us – which nothing happened between us much to her displeasure – is all forgotten.

I take in her plain white button up shirt and tight black skirt. She’s not bad looking, really. Actually she’s pretty hot, but I just don’t want her anywhere near the pub tonight. “Thanks for the offer, but we’re all set for tonight,” I say as I turn and push open the door. “Have a good night.”

“Are you still seeing that girl you brought here?”

I stop and turn back around to face her. “Not that it’s any of your business, but yes.”

“Well, when you get tired of her, give me a call.”

“Who says I’m going to get tired of her?” I throw back, instantly insulted on Erin’s behalf.

“Oh everyone. No one believes for a second that you’ll be in this relationship with her longer than a few weeks. You’ll get bored, Jake, and move on just like you always do,” she says as she turns back around and walks away.

I stand there for a minute before I hear Nate over my shoulder. “You coming, man?”

“Yep.” I turn and head towards the truck, my mind processing what Lauren just said. True, I may not have been a relationship kinda guy in the past, but Erin makes me want to explore that side and be that guy. I want to with her tonight, tomorrow, and maybe even forever. And that thought doesn’t scare me as much as it used to. It actually feels pretty damn good.

After we hit every bar in Rivers Edge, we reach our final destination around eleven. Maddox and the rest of the guys are well on their way to being completely hammered. I’ve been shoving shot after shot into his hand all night long. As long as I’m driving him, I don’t care how much he drinks tonight because I know he’ll get home in one piece.

There are two rooms in the back of Jack’s Pub that not too many people know about. We are occupying the larger of the two rooms for the evening that houses an extra pool table in it and Avery is now occupying the smaller one with just a few extra tables and chairs inside. As far as I know, neither Maddox nor Avery knows that the other one is here somewhere. It’s all part of the master plan that Holly and I came up with.