We were on our second round when Delilah, Hawk’s ol’ lady, leaned over to me and asked, “Did you ever decide to reach out to your biological mother?”
“Yes, I’ve written to her a couple of times, and she responded. I actually think we’re going to meet soon.”
“How do you feel about that?” Delilah asked. “Are you nervous about meeting her?”
“A little, but I’m sure she’s just as nervous about meeting me.”
“I’m sure she is.” A smile crossed her face as she said, “I’m really glad things are working out.”
“Me, too.”
We continued on with our small talk, and it wasn’t long before Remington hit me with a question I didn’t expect. “So, be honest. How is it bartending at Stilettos?”
“Just like anywhere else, I guess. The tips are great, like really great.” I shrugged and smiled as I added, “And I get to see Rafe from time to time, so that’s an added bonus.”
Remington leaned in with a goofy smile. “So, you don’t get weirded out working around all the boobs?”
After laughing for a moment, I took a drink to clear my throat, then replied, “I’ll admit, it took some getting used to, but honestly, it’s not that bad. And I’m hoping to be moved to the office once I get my degree. That way I’ll be able to help Menace with some of the bookkeeping and inventory.”
“Oh, yeah. I forgot about you going back to school. How are your classes going so far?”
“Pretty good, actually. It took me a little bit to get back in the swing of things, but I’m getting there.”
“And Rafe?” Delilah smiled wide. “How are things going with him?”
I couldn’t keep myself from smiling as I replied, “Rafe is great. Really great.”
“And how are you adjusting to being over at his place?”
“Pretty good, I guess.” Over the past few months, I’d spent more time at Rafe’s than I had at my apartment. I told myself it was just because it was easier, that his house was closer to campus and to work, but I knew it was more than that. I liked it there. No, I loved it there. For the first time, I felt like I was where I belonged—like I was finally home, and I owed all that to Rafe. But that didn’t mean it was all sunshine and butterflies. “It’s taken some getting used to.”
“Um-hmm.” Delilah looked over to Remington and put her hands up like she was putting my words in quotations as she giggled and repeated, “It’s taking ‘some getting used to’.”
“Yeah, I bet.” Remington took a long drink of her whiskey sour, then muttered, “There are things I’m still trying to ‘get used to’ with Noah.”
“Oh, really?”
“Absolutely.” Remington didn’t hold back as she told me, “Let’s just say the reality of living with someone, especially a man, is much more difficult than people let on.”
Delilah nodded. “Yeah, it’s nothing like they make it out in all the movies. They never show you how the men we love so dearly leave the toilet seat up and just toss their dirty laundry on the floor.”
“Oh my God! The whole dirty laundry thing completely baffles me.” I threw my hands up as I fussed, “I mean, the hamper is right there ... It’s two feet away, and yet he just leaves his pile of dirty clothes on the floor.”
“Girl, we know! It’s a constant battle,” Delilah replied with a shake of her head. “Oh, and the muddy boots. If Zander tracks mud through the house one more time, I’m going to throw his boots out into the front yard!”
“Noah does the same thing! I feel like I’m always sweeping or vacuuming.” A smirk crossed Remington’s face as she said, “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought about...”
Before she could finish her thought, Rafe came up behind us with Hawk and Shotgun. Apparently, they’d overheard some of our conversation and felt the need to add in their two cents. As Shotgun pulled up a seat, he looked down at Remington and asked, “How many times you’ve thought about what?”
“Tossing your boots out on the front lawn.”
“And why would you do that?”
“Because you don’t take them off at the front door and end up tracking mud and dirt all over the house.”
A smile crossed his face as he asked, “Is that right?”
“Yep.” Remington motioned her hand over to me as she told him, “We were just telling Marlowe about some of the hardships that go along with living with a man.”
“And what about the hardships that go with living with a woman?” Hawk asked as he sat down next to Delilah. “Have you talked about that?”
“No,” Delilah nearly busted out into laughter. “Because there are none.”
“Oh, yeah?” Rafe sat down and placed his hand on my thigh, listening as Hawk asked, “What about all the makeup bottles, hair sprays, perfumes, and God knows what else you leave piled up on the bathroom counter. Hell, I don’t even have room for my toothbrush anymore.”
With her eyebrows cocked high, Delilah replied, “I might get rid of some of my toiletries if you would stop leaving empty water bottles by the bed.”
“What about how women always say they’re ‘fine’ when clearly they’re not.” Shotgun’s eyes skirted over to Remington as he continued, “Stomping around the house, slamming cabinet doors and cursing like a sailor. I ask what’s wrong, and all I get is her saying ‘Nothing, I’m fine!’”
“Okay, what about you and your football? A guy misses a pass or a field goal, and you act like he’s shot the president!”
“I’ve got one.” Rafe, who hadn’t said a word through the entire conversation, leans in towards the group and asked, “What about all the hair in the drain?”
I dropped my hand to my hip as I huffed. “What hair?”
“Your long-ass hair is always clogging up the drain.” He actually looked disturbed as he whined, “It’s like I’m pulling Cousin Itt out of the drain every time I take a shower.”
“Well, that’s a little dramatic.”
“It’s the truth! I keep expecting the thing to talk to me.”
“Fine,” I giggled. “I’ll do better about the hair, but you’re gonna have to do better about putting the toilet seat down.”
“I always put the seat down.”
“Umm,” I cocked my brow, “My ass hitting that cold water the other night says something different.”
“Oh, man.” He laughed for several moment before saying, “I didn’t know about that.”
“Well, it’s something I won’t soon forget.”
The group erupted into laughter. We were still giggling when Remington asked, “Either of you have issues with the TV remote?”
“What kind of issues?”
“Noah never puts it back on the coffee table, and it ends up wedged between the sofa cushions.”
“At least you always know where to find it. That and all your hair ties. Bet you’ve got a thousand of those things.”