Sweet Addiction

“Problems with our favorite bridesmaid?” I ask, noticing that she hasn’t graced us with her presence at the table yet. I pick up my water and take a few sips.

“I’m going to kill her. She insisted on riding with me and then tried to feel me up in the car.” Water shoots out of my mouth and covers the thankfully empty place setting across from me as I quickly bring a napkin up to my face.

“Jesus, Dylan. Are you all right?” Juls asks as I continue coughing. I glance over at her and see that everyone is staring at me, and I mean everyone as I quickly shake off my choke fest.

I turn quickly towards Joey. “Are you serious?”

“Do I look serious? I feel like I’ve been molested. She almost made me cause an accident on highway eleven.”

My coughing turns into giggling as I lean my head onto his shoulder and we both crack up at the situation. “Oh my God. That’s amazing. I so needed to hear that right now.” I laugh out as he shakes his head at me, picking up his water.

“What’s going on?” Juls asks softly as our dinner is brought out to us. I’m suddenly starving and the dish that’s in front of me is about to be destroyed.

I eye her up mischievously. “Your lovely sister has been putting the moves on JoJo.” Her fork drops.

“What? Oh great. That’s just great.” On cue, Brooke appears and quickly claims her seat next to Joey who stiffens next to me. Juls leans across and snaps her fingers at her sister. “You’re an ass**le.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry Joey. That was a bit embarrassing. Although, was it just me or did something move?” She giggles and orders something alcoholic from the waiter that Joey quickly cancels for her.

“Did something move? Are you f**king insane? And no booze for you. I can only imagine what would happen if you started drinking.”

I shake my head and take a bite of my chicken picatta, moaning around my fork as a familiar face moves towards our table and stands across from me.

“Hey, Dylan. How’s it going?” Juls’ cousin Tony eyes me up and I quickly smile and wave at him from my seat. We’ve known each other for years and go way back, but never anything more than friendship.

“Hey, Tony. How are you?”

“I’m great. Get your sweet ass out of that chair and come give me a hug.” I laugh and scramble out of my seat, walking down the side of the table that does not contain my ex-fling and get quickly lifted into the air. “You look good, girl,” he says into my hair as he gives me his usual bear hug.

“Thanks. Jesus, put me down already.” He sets me on my feet and I shake my head at him, straightening out his tie. “So, what’s new in the world of computer programming?” My eyes quickly flick towards Reese who is staring at me with daggers. Oh please. Like you have any right anymore.

“Nailed it. Nice memory. It’s good. How about you? Juls told me something about your bakery getting broken into or some shit a few months back? That’s f**ked up.”

“Yeah well its fine now. They caught the psycho that did it and there wasn’t any permanent damage.” Heather was apprehended by the police a few weeks after the break in. Her prints matched the ones on the brick and she admitted to everything, getting charged with breaking and entering and also getting moved out of the city by her parents. Juls had relayed the information from Ian when he found out about it.

“So, any man in your life or have I finally caught up with you when you’re single?” I smile sweetly at Tony but shake my head. He is definitely not my type and even if he was, I have no interest in dating anybody right now. Especially when the man that broke me is sitting no more than ten feet away from me, continually staring at my profile.

“Oh please, like you could even handle me,” I playfully respond and he nods in agreement. “It was good to see you. I’ll catch up with you later, okay?” I turn to go back around the table but see a major pile up of bodies at the end I want to walk down and grunt as I have to make my way towards the other end. I walk behind Trent and Billy’s chairs, giving them both smiles as I quickly push past Reese’s and feel his hand grip my elbow, halting me to his side.

“What the f**k was that?” he growls up at me.

I snatch my arm out of his hand and scowl back down at him. “What the f**k was what?”

“You know what. Are you seriously going to blatantly flirt in front of me? Is that how this shit is going to play out?” Is he serious? I am in no mood for any Reese style tirade and this is definitely not the place for it.

I bend lower to get my face nice and close to his and see him back up a bit. “You think that was flirting? I’ve known Tony for ten years; he’s like a brother to me. But if I did want to flirt with him, it wouldn’t be any of your God damned business now would it?” My tone is clipped and I’m fuming, feeling Ian move quickly out of his seat.

“Okay. Wow, that didn’t take long. Umm, Dylan, why don’t you go over to your seat, and Reese, just calm the f**k down, man.” Ian ushers me past Juls. I quickly pull out my chair and plant myself down in it, glaring over in his direction as Reese narrows his eyes at me.

“Jesus, what the hell was that?” Juls asks as Joey leans in.

“Actually, I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner. I had money on you kicking him in the nuts at the church,” he adds. I wave my hands at both of them to back them off me.

“Nothing. He accused me of flirting with Tony. Fucking prick,” I say through clenched teeth. I was definitely not flirting with him. I’ve never seen Tony as anything other than an acquaintance, even though he’s asked me out more times than I can count. My eyes glance down the table and I see Ian leaning in and talking to a tense looking Reese. Ugh. Stupid men.