BONUS SCENE
ASHLEY
“Birthday! Birthday! Birthday!” Whitney cheered, hoisting up her plastic cup of wine. “Let’s get this party staarrtteedd!”
We clinked glasses in the back of the limo even though my heart wasn’t terribly in it. She went to huge lengths to arrange this whole thing last minute after Charlie had to leave town to meet with his reserves unit. Seeing him in uniform was a definite perk, as was the intense quickie that followed, where he had me on the kitchen counter with my skirt up to my belly button and only his cock out of place from an otherwise spotless uniform. That memory held me over well since he’d been gone.
Still, Whitney did this for me and having Blink-182 sing about your new age was a big event, so I swallowed the disappointment with an extra-large glass of merlot. Abigail, Charlie's best coworker, rode along with us and supplied the first round of shots.
"A little bird told me chocolate cake shots were your favorite." She pulled out a series of stoppered test tubes and passed them around. "Best shots to take on your birthday!"
After we shot the first, my phone lit up with a text from Charlie: Sorry I couldn't be there tonight. Joel's going to buy your drinks for me. Have a great time <3
I sent back: I'd rather see you here. Keep the uniform on when you get back ;)
"Is that a sad face? Fuck the sad face. More shots!" Abigail pulled out another handful of test tubes. Three rounds later, we pulled up to my favorite karaoke club. The one Whitney never, ever wanted to go to.
"Let the records show how much I love you." She pointed at me, already a little unstable. "My love for you is so great I'm willing to subject myself to the horror known as karaoke for a whole two hours. Your accolades, ma'am."
I hugged her tight after we spilled out of the limo. "You really are my best friend. You, too, Abigail. By proxy."
Inside, a private room stocked with half a dozen bottles, snacks, cupcakes, and a poster of Blink-182 streaking through a field was waiting. It was absolutely perfect.
My phone buzzed again: Being here sucks. I'd rather be there, watching you be cute and drunk
While Abigail and Whitney ordered drinks for the rest of our friends who were there waiting, I sent back: I'd rather be cute and drunk with you here, too. It's way more fun with you around.
"Stop it!" Whitney replaced my phone with a drink. "Seriously, it's three days. Get a room. Or, not that. Ignore me, I had vodka. Just drink this and let the karaoke nightmare begin!"
Obviously, I started the evening with Blink-182's What's My Age Again? It was tradition practically everywhere in town. Turning 23? Must sing it. When I hit the first chorus, all the girls jumped up on the tiny stage with me and we sang to our heart's content while bouncing around and humping one another in true Blink-182 form.
Whitney next picked an old Britney Spears song, which meant we all remained on the stage to dance and sing horribly out of key, while mimicking the Queen of Club Sex. By the end, I was sweaty and laughing and had forgotten that I was disappointed to begin with.
"Birthday shots for the birthday girl!" Joel called out. Everyone joined in save for him and Whitney, who were too busy making out by the bar to pay attention.
For a moment, my heart twinged with jealousy. Right on cue, another message from my missing boyfriend: If I were there, I’d make out with you all over the place to make all your friends insanely uncomfortable / jealous
Abigail grabbed my arm with a smile. "Hey! You like Bon Jovi, right?"
"I love!" I clung to the distraction and popped the shot she offered. One more of these and I knew the sadness would be replaced with the warm fuzzys. "My aunt listened to them every time I'd visit. Some of the best bar songs ever."
"The only ones I don't hate." Abigail plugged in the song number and soon one of the best song intros from the '80s kicked off and whisked me away.
We got completely lost in the song, fully tipsy and living for Tommy and Gina. As soon as the bridge kicked off, the door to our private room swung open and an imposing body stood in the frame, watching with his hands in his pockets, a trademark smirk on his face.
"Charlie!" I screeched into the microphone, leaving Abigail to kick off her solo career as I pushed aside chairs and bodies until there was only him and I in a room full of loud, semi-drunken, horribly off-key people. I touched his clean-shaven face in awe. "What are you doing here?"
He picked me up and walked me to the table with a soft kiss that I was ready to get lost in. I forgot where I was, who was there, what we were even doing the moment before he walked in. All I knew was my heart finally returned to me and I wanted it back in my body, where it belonged.
"Oh my god, it's been three days!" Whitney yelled across the table. "Get a room!"
I flicked her off behind my back and stayed lost in his kiss until the urge to pull off my shirt took over and he stayed my hand with a small laugh against my lips. "You know I'll take you anywhere, but in a room full of your friends is probably not a wise idea."
I tried to pout but failed miserably. Instead, my cheeks hurt from grinning so wide. "I can't believe you're really here. How did you get out of it?"
"Long story. Just know that I drove for the last three straight hours to meet you here, so forgive me for not wearing the uniform?" His hands lingered around my hips after he set me down. "I can make it up later."
"I like later." I said, still grinning like a love-struck fool.
Joel slapped Charlie on the back. "'Bout time you showed up, asshole. We've got a song to sing."
Tipsy Ashley gasped loudly, my hands over my mouth. "Are you going to sing?"
"It's a long story." Charlie rolled his eyes. He sat down in a chair and pulled me into his lap to rest his head against my shoulder. He toyed with the curled ends of my hair and I almost cried from the overwhelming happiness that crushed through me. "Rudolph doesn't know how to let things go."
"A bet is a bet, broseph." Joel teased. "There's no statute of limitations at play here. Say your hellos, get your kissy bullshit in, and then your ass better be on stage."
The glee in Tipsy Ashley's eyes must have been immense, because Charlie laughed, sighed, and stood me up with a kiss. "Fine. Let me get a beer first. Only because it’s her birthday."
The girls crowded the front, loud and obnoxious as we could possibly be, when they took the stage. Whitney and I could barely contain ourselves.
"What do you think it's going to be?" She whispered loudly, clutching my arm. "Britney Spears? Justin Bieber? Something country?"
"Country wouldn't embarrass Charlie." I shook my head, clutching her just as tight. "It's gotta be way worse. Beyonce?"
"Let the record show, this is to settle a four-year-old bet, made when I was younger, dumber, and drunk in a foreign country with this asshole." Charlie said while Joel programmed in the song. "And this is for you, Ashley. I love you."
The entire room erupted until the music started and we fell silent long enough to make sure it was really what we thought it was. And it was better than anything I could have ever imagined. The Backstreet Boys I Want It That Way filled the room and we. lost. it. Screaming, cheering, one of the girls from work threw a set of panties, with the tags still on, up on stage.
Joel and Charlie were amazing, making up dances, seriously pointing at their adoring fans, unbuttoning their shirts and dropping to their knees for the high notes. I laughed so hard I cried and cheered so loud I was hoarse. At the end, Charlie straddled my lap and crooned. His dance was so ridiculous and so sincere that I was both mortified and turned on all at the same time.
After their song, everyone rushed the stage, trying on costumes and fighting for who was next. With Charlie now here, it was, hands down, the best birthday party I'd ever had.
Charlie came up behind me and tucked his hands in my front pockets. "Can I borrow the birthday girl for a minute?"
"That depends." I said, coy and deliriously happy. "Which Backstreet Boy wants to know?"
I could practically hear him rolling his eyes. "Who was the bad boy that everyone secretly wanted to fuck when they were like 10? BJ?"
"AJ. A bj is a thing you get."
"Right, right." He nibbled on the tip of my ear. "So easy to confuse them. I'll be AJ then."
"Oh, well I'll make time for AJ any day of the week."
Charlie groaned good naturedly and snuck us out of the chaotic party room, through the main floor, and out to the parking lot. In the bed of his truck was a nest of blankets and two bottles of water. I pointed to them.
"On my birthday? Really?"
He laughed and helped me up. "I thought you might need a little break from the alcohol. Just a little one."
Charlie settled into the back of the bed, tucked me in around him, and covered us with a fuzzy blanket. The alcohol kept me warm enough without a jacket, but I was so blissfully cozy my eyes started to droop. He softly sang Happy Birthday while his hands lightly scratched my thighs.
"AJ would have had a little more grit to his voice." I teased and settled into him. "But I think I'd rather have you back here than him."
"Fair enough." His hands wandered up my shirt and into my bra, waking me up with a jolt. "Do you really want to go back there with all the screaming girls, the shitty vodka, and the off-key singing? Wouldn't you rather stay here, with me, and make our own music?"
I turned my head just enough to kiss him. "You are so corny and perfect."
"That's the title of my single track, releasing next week."
"Can I be your groupie?"
Charlie cupped my face and kissed me so deep my buzz started to dissipate. "My only groupie. Unless you want to bring your friends. That's okay, too."
"Fat chance." I murmured back as he pulled the blanket up over our heads. "I'm lousy at sharing. Failed it in Kindergarten."
He pulled up my shirt and kissed my stomach. "I'll allow it tonight. After all, it is your birthday."