“THE PARTY CAN START NOW!” Josh drawls out with his usual greeting as he hoists himself onto the vanity.
I love when Josh’s “Southern” comes out. His drawl is always more pronounced when he’s drunk, tired, excited, or in Josh’s case, all three at once. The things that come out of his mouth are hugely quirky and always crack me up.
“JOSH!” I scream, poking my head out from behind the shower curtain. “What are you doing in here?!”
“Watching you shower,” he deadpans as he moves all of Lysee’s knickknacks out of the way to make room for both him and his very full glass of wine.
“You wish,” I say through burning eyes. “And now I’m getting shampoo in my eyes, thank you very much!”
“Anytime, darlin’,” he drawls. “And you’re on the wrong team, remember? Now if you were Matt Bomer…”
“What’s up, Josh?” I ask, stopping him before he can get on the Matt Bomer bandwagon. For the millionth time.
“I WANNA GO OUT!” Josh playfully whines.
“WHYYYY!” I playfully whine back. He loves to pout and I love humoring him.
“Well, let’s see…” I peek out to watch Josh ticking an imaginary list with his fingers.
“I’m horny, and it’ll be fun, and I’m horny and—”
I cut him off with, “You already said horny.”
“Well, that’s because I am horny,” he says but suddenly becomes serious. “And fun, Dani. I want to have fun. We used to always do fun. Besides, what else could you be doing this weekend, that’s fun?” I hear his silent challenge in the way he stresses the last two words. He knows I don’t do “fun.” Not anymore.
Well, I think to myself, I could be texting E. I could be getting ready for the fair with E tomorrow…
At my silence, Josh continues. “We could go to Ragin Cajun, El Pollo Inka, or Mama—”
“Stop!” I say, cutting him off, once again. “Now you’re just making me hungry. You know those are my favorite restaurants.”
“We know,” Lysee says laughing as she joins us in the bathroom. Whoever said “three’s a crowd” has never met Josh and Lysee.
Lysee’s fully dressed for the evening and looks amazing. She’s wearing black skinny low-rise jeans tucked into knee-high, stiletto-heeled boots that show off her mile-long legs and curvy hips. Her long-sleeved, pale blue, V-neck top is just sheer enough to show a hint of the gorgeous La Perla bra she’s wearing. She always wears clothes with a subtle sex appeal—just a hint of “things to come.” Her hair is down and slightly curled at the ends, and her makeup is soft except for her smoky eyes.
“Are we having a party now?” I laugh peeking out again.
“Darn tootin’,” Josh replies.
I coat my skin with a light layer of the Gucci Flora body lotion I always keep here, slip on one of Lysee’s super-plush robes, and get out of the shower, stopping the argument they’re having about which restaurant I’m going to choose by yelling, “Ragin Cajun,” as I exit the bathroom.
“Booya!” Josh whoops. I catch a glimpse of him throwing his hands in the air before hearing him say, “Five bucks, hush puppy!”
I turn around in shock. “Seriously? You’re taking bets?” Josh just smiles and winks.
“And what did you pick?” I ask Lysee.
“Pollo Inka,” she answers. “You love the saltado de pollo with green rice. And I know you never turn down their yummy rolls. You always order extra.” Mmmm, I do love those rolls. I’d switch but Ragin Cajun sounds really good.
“I do,” I reply from the bedroom. “But I’m in a po’boy kind of mood.”
“The only po’boy, is the one Josh’s going to be picking up tonight!” Lysee quips, before cracking up at her own joke.
I’m laughing too as I move toward her closet in search of something to wear.
“HEY!” Josh says throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation as he cuts me off to choose for me. “A: Any ‘boy’ that I find will be the opposite of ‘po’ and B: Let’s find something sexy, missy. Tonight, we’re showin’ off them girls.”
He then continues. “And that, po’boy part…” It’s funny how much that bothered him. “That’s going to be happening at Hennessey’s!”
“I’m getting an Uber,” Lysee announces as she pulls out her phone. “So hurry and get ready. Times-a-wasting.”
Josh chooses a black mini skirt, a gorgeous pair of tall, black Frye boots, and an amazing light green crepe top that indeed does “show off my girls.” He really does have amazing taste. I spray on some of my Gucci Flora perfume and look in the mirror. My long hair is lying in loose waves, and my makeup is light yet still enhances my eyes. I smile. I think I’m finally learning how to be happy again.
Ragin Cajun is a great restaurant. It has all the fun of Louisiana without the humidity, thank God. Scott and I went there once for a convention when we first started our business and let me tell you, New Orleans and summer do not go well together.
The artist in me also loves the décor. The restaurant is decorated to resemble the inside of an old shack with lanterns, washboards, fiddles, and pots and pans adorning the walls along with several pictures and posters of the French Quarter and Mardi Gras. It’s busy, fun, and always full of life. The butcher block style tables have buckets for the silverware and a bin with all their condiments. They make their own sauces, and their specialty drinks are out of this world. It’s so much fun to work our way through the list while we munch on alligator bites as we wait for our dinner.
Afterwards we Uber to Hennessey’s, which is located near the mouth of the Hermosa Pier. It’s packed. It always draws a big crowd, but with Fiesta Hermosa coming tomorrow, it’s busier than usual. We spot a table that just opened and as we head toward it, I hear my name being shouted from a few tables away. I turn my head in the direction of the sound and my heart lights up.
Ian.
He’s sitting with two amazingly gorgeous men. I’m probably partial, but to me, he’s the best-looking one of them all. He’s beaming his beautiful, dimpled smile and waving to get my attention. I head in his direction, Josh and Lysee all but forgotten.
“Ian!” I call to him with a smile as wide as his.
I reach his table and lean in to give him a quick kiss and a hug that he wholeheartedly returns.
“Join us!” he says as he stands, offering me his chair. I turn toward my friends and judging by their smiles, I know they’re more than happy to join Ian and his friends.
“We’d love to!” I say, speaking for the three of us.
After the introductions are made, we learn the men at the table are his two best friends, Justin and Chance. Justin reminds me of a Navy SEAL, with a strong, angular face and a body to match. He has dark brown hair that grazes his collar and soulful charcoal eyes.
Chance, on the other hand, is the light to their dark. He has light strawberry-blond hair, cut shorter than the others and his face is clean-shaven, probably to show off the amazing cleft on his chin. He has a strong nose with faint freckles dotting it and the emerald of his eyes pales the brightness of the brightest shamrock in Ireland.
Like Ian, both Chance and Justin are sweet and funny. Lysee spends the night shamelessly flirting with Justin, who we learn is a lawyer, and I happily notice he also seems into her. Chance works in advertising, and once Josh discovers he’s into classic cars, they become fast friends.
At the end of the night, Josh leaves with Chance. They’re in such an intense debate about muscle cars they barely manage a goodbye. Lysee goes home with Justin and I end up walking home with Ian. I really enjoy his company but I’m antsy to get home and text E about our virtual date at the fair tomorrow—something I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.
“So, Justin and Lysee seem to have hit it off,” I say, curious as to how he feels about them as a couple.
“You’re not kidding.” He laughs and shakes his head. “I could have lit up my entire house with the sparks flying between those two.”
I laugh at the truth to his statement. Their chemistry was off the charts. “I think we could’ve lit up both our homes.”
“He’s been single for a while. This could be good for him. She seems…nice?” I don’t blame him for phrasing it as a question. Lysee is definitely a handful.
“HAH!” I laugh. “You have no idea!”
We walk a bit in companionable silence before he smiles and gestures to all the tents that are already set up and waiting to be filled with great wares. “It looks like everything’s ready for the fair tomorrow.”
I can’t help but smile. This area is always so pretty and so full of life, but tonight it has an air about it. An excitement of the weekend to come. Fiesta Hermosa has been going on since 1972. It’s one of the biggest arts and crafts fairs in Southern California and brings thousands of people down to our little coastal town over the three days it runs. It’s extremely well known for the music, with two stages set up for bands to play. The music brings an energy that’s only enhanced by the great food and fabulous items sold.
“I love this fair,” I say when we resume walking. “Are you going?”
“I am, with Justin and Chance on Sunday,” he says with a smile. “You?”
Yeah, with E, I think to myself but answer with, “I am. I’m going with Chloe and my in-laws. We’ll be here on Sunday too.”
We make plans to meet at the beer garden with our friends on Sunday afternoon and continue to talk about the fair the rest of the way home. Once we reach our houses he gives me an affectionate hug and a sweet kiss. When he pulls away he says, “I’m glad I ran into you tonight. This was fun.” The smile he wears reaches his eyes and I melt. He really has such a beautiful smile.
I had a really great time too and I tell him exactly that. I then hurry inside to text E. I’m so excited about the fair tomorrow, I know it’s going to be a long, sleepless night.
Hey, babe!
What are you wearing?!
Yep! It’s going to be a long night, and in the best possible way.