"You're telling me. I wasn't even sure they made condoms that tiny."
"Oh God, this conversation is over. I need to go to bed. We have to be up in five hours."
"You didn't finish telling me about the rest of the date," she whines as I walk out of her room.
"I'm guessing it went really well since he's taking me to dinner tomorrow night," I say, walking down the hall in to my own room. Just as I start to close my door I hear her scream, "Shut. Up."
THE NEXT morning, I can't contain the huge smile on my face as the guys walk into Nell's. However, Brett looks anything but happy. If it wasn't for Caleb behind him with the world’s biggest grin, I would have immediately run to hide in the back office. My mind come up blank as I try to figure out what could have ticked him off in the eight hours since he dropped me off. So instead, I go straight to the point.
"What's wrong?" I ask as my heart begins to race. Maybe he regrets last night? We had been drinking, but by the time he drove me home and he gave me that toe-curling kiss outside my door, we were both very sober.
"Nothing," he answers shortly as Caleb slaps him on the back of the head.
"Stop being a dick, you’re scaring the poor girl," Caleb scolds before looking back at me and saying, "Jesse, you little minx," and flashing me his million watt smile.
"What are you talking about?" I ask completely confused, but none the less embarrassed.
"Just ignore him," Brett jumps in, looking only slightly less furious than he did a few minutes before.
"Um, okay. What can I get you guys today?"
"You serving up any hickies today?" Caleb asks, laughing as Brett punches him hard in the arm.
Obviously something is going on, and I'm the only one in the dark. "What the heck are you guys talking about?" I ask irritated.
"Oh man, Brett. Jesse said heck! She must be serious," Caleb mocks me. Before I can even respond to his rude comment, I look over at Brett to see the angry ogre has returned.
"Make fun of her again, asshole, and I will punch you in the face."
"Whoa, calm down there buddy!" Caleb laughs, surrendering with his hands in the air. "Although, I have to say, I am digging this caveman thing you have going on right now."
"I am too. It's hot," Kara chimes in from behind me. Eyes glued on Brett.
By this point, I'm beyond annoyed. Nothing is making sense, and no one is stopping to fill me in. I don't know why Brett could possibly be mad at me. He was kissing me breathless only a few hours ago. Now his best friend is making fun of me, Brett is threatening physical violence in my honor, and my best friend is staring at him like she wants to throw him down to service his vegetable right here in the middle of the shop. It's a madhouse!
"I'll be right back," I say quickly escaping into the back office. I shut the door and flop down in the chair to gather my thoughts. It only lasts for about thirty seconds before I hear Brett around the corner.
"Jesse?"
"Crap," I say to myself as footsteps approach the office door.
"Jess?"
"Come in. It's open."
"You okay?" he asks, locking his incredible green eyes on mine.
"Yeah," I answer simply.
"Why are you hiding back here then?"
"I'm not hiding."
"Yeah, you are. Don't lie. Your eyes got big and you sprinted back here like a cat with its tail on fire." He crooks a smile.
"Oh my God, don't say that! I love cats. I don't need that visual in my head."
"You like cats?" he asks surprised.
"Of course I like cats! Well, not all cats. The black ones kind of scare me. When I was a kid, I watched this scary movie made by Disney, and it had the scariest black cat in it. So, I only really like the white ones." I ramble, not exactly clear why we are having this conversation.
"The Watcher in the Woods!" he shouts.
"Yes! You saw that movie too?"
"Scared the shit out of me. I slept with the lights on for...well I still sleep with the lights on." He smiles a brilliant, white toothy grin before getting serious again, "Now, why are you hiding?"
"Fine. I'm hiding. You guys were all talking out there. You were noticeably mad at me. Caleb was making fun of me. And Kara was drooling over you. I had no idea what the heck was going on. So I came back here to see if I could catch my breath and sort things out.”
"I'm not mad at you, babe. I was annoyed with Caleb. He has been giving me shit all morning. We were at the gym working out and he noticed this." He loosens his tie and pulls his collar over to the side, revealing a quarter-sized bright red hickey.
"Oh my God! Did I do that?" I ask in horror covering my gaping mouth with my hands.
"Well, you were the only animal attacking my neck last night, so I'm assuming this little beauty is your handiwork."
"I am so sorry. I had no idea I was leaving a mark-"