Allie turned to the guy and said, "Matt, grab a couple more chairs." Before he turned to snag some extras, he paused to smile a hello to AJ and me, and Allie introduced him. "This is Matt … and Stephanie. You can call her Steph."
Though I'd rather look at Allie all night, I shot a glance at Steph and Jen. Neither one was dressed as provocatively as Allie, not so much bare skin and silver rivets, and wearing a few more color options other than black. I didn't mind. Both girls were pretty, but paled in comparison to Allie's stunning looks.
The scrape of chair legs on concrete died down as everyone took their seat, and Allie continued the introductions. She motioned to AJ and me with an open palm and said, "And this is Batman and Robin. AKA, Cam and … Jay? I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name earlier in the brawl at the convenience store."
Allie leaned forward with her hands on the edge of the table, and I pouted to myself, unhappy with the seating arrangement. Damn. She took the chair across the table from me and I was hoping she'd sit next to me. It wasn't a big table, but I was wedged in between AJ to my left and her couple-friends to my right. It seemed like she'd built a fortress of human bodies for protection and I wondered why such a confidant girl would feel the need for such a thing?
"My name is AJ," he said. "Sorry about the little tussle earlier."
I cut in, "Hold on. I'm Batman," I said to everyone at the tale and jabbed a thumb to my left. "He's Robin. Just to set the record straight."
I gloated as everyone around the table laughed at my humor, everyone except Allie, that is. All I got from her was a little half-smile as if stifling her approval. She turned in her chair, and waved down a waitress, once again, taking charge of the situation.
Jen pitched forward so we could hear over the bar music, and said, "Allie told us what happened at work today and the attempted robbery." Jen giggled at the end of her sentence, her voice as soft and petite as she looked. "That was great of you guys to come to her rescue, even if she wasn't in trouble."
Jen's last sentence landed with her words directed at AJ, and I knew she was zeroing in on him. I saw his reaction as he straightened in his chair.
Ah, yes. Jen was claiming AJ. A good sign. That meant these two sweeties had a little girl talk beforehand, the kind of thing girlfriends do when picking out who gets which guy for the night, and it looked like I was with Allie.
Sweet.
Taking the bait, AJ replied, "Aw, it was nothing." He dipped his chin to his chest, brushing off the compliment. "I just saw Allie all alone with that rough-looking guy and figured I didn't want to take a chance."
I narrowed my eyes and shot him a sidelong glance. He saw that she was in trouble? He had to do something?
Bullshit.
He was telling it all wrong, taking all the credit, stealing my thunder. Well, that figured, but it didn't matter. It was working for him. Jen was staring at him, all doe eyed, and I wanted him to have fun. After all, it was spring break.
She seemed impressed as I watched her eyes sparkle. Or maybe it was his long hair that infatuated Jen. AJ had the coolest hair, like that of many children of mixed race parents, a golden, peanut butter color with tight waves. He wore it, as only AJ could, shaved close on the sides and long on the top, tied up in a man-bun. With that, as well as his green eyes against caramel colored skin, he had a winning combination all the girls loved. AJ, Adam Jamal Thorpe, was too pretty for football, but then all the Thorpe men were good looking-and wealthy, so he'd fit right in when his football career was over and he'd join the family lingerie business. Yeah, that's right. I said lingerie. As in push up bras and thong panties.
Jesus. AJ's dad was a promotional and marketing beast. He'd started a woman's lingerie business years ago, Gloria's Secret, as a store where men could shop for sexy underwear for their wives without feeling embarrassed. It took off and now he made millions. Who'd have known? So this was what AJ had to look forward to after college. Rough life, I know, dealing with smoking hot models and their bra cup issues.
I turned to the group and said, "Can you give us a minute? My friend here forgot to take his Librium today."
When I leaned over to whisper in his ear, AJ spoke first. "I like the little one. She looks like she knows things."
"Right, but I'm trying to impress Allie and you made me look like an idiot with your version of the gas station thing." I barked the words in a sharp whisper. I was sitting across from one of the hottest girls in the world and he was flapping his jaws about our screw up at the gas station. "Enough already."