The moment I heard a car pull onto the gravel, I jumped up from the patio chair and started at a full run. I could hear Wes explaining the bizarre reaction to Gina as she sipped her Chardonnay.
“Her best friend is moving here from Las Vegas and staying in the guest house,” I heard him say as I slid on my Christmas socked feet along the tile in the entry.
Ripping open the door, there she stood, her hand held up in a fist to knock. “What the hell are you doing here, you fugly whore!” I opened my arms wide and she ran into them.
“God you smell bad.” She inhaled deeply into my hair and squeezed the bejesus out of me. “Shower much?” She pulled back and grinned but kept her hands on my face. “You look good…for a hobag. Jeez, I missed your skanky ass. Do you know how hard it is to catch a guy’s eyes when you don’t have a pancake ass to compare to all this”—she ran her hands down her petite but busty frame—“playing wing woman?” Gin’s eyes moistened and tears threatened.
“So sucky for you! And don’t you dare let your eyes water!” I pouted and yanked her into another full body hug. She was so tiny compared to my larger frame, and by the current standards I was pretty average.
Wes clearing his throat prevented us from throwing additional barbs at one another. Turning, I smiled wide and presented Gin. “Wes, baby, this is my best friend, Ginelle. Gin, meet Weston Channing, the third.”
Wes mouthed “the third” and winked at me. “It’s good to meet you.” He held out a hand.
Ginelle didn’t say anything. Her mouth was open, her eyes bugging out of her head. “Hot damn, my panties are wet. Wait, I’m not wearing any. My invisible panties are wet!”
I closed my eyes and silently steamed. Wes howled with laughter. He grabbed Ginelle and brought her into his arms. She rubbed her tiny body all over my man. Had it been anyone but her trying to cop a feel, I’d have been furious and downright deadly. But since I knew she was doing it more to get my goat than anything else, I pretended to ignore it.
“Um, okay, that’s, uh, enough hugging.” He pried Gin off his body. She made a point of grabbling the front of his shirt trying to keep him close. Clinging like a leech.
Shaking my head, I smacked at her hands. “Get your own,” I scolded playfully, and she pouted.
“What kind of friend are you? You’re dating movie-making Malibu Ken, and you don’t have any dolls for me to play with?” she mumbled and crossed her arms.
Of course that’s when Gina made her appearance, gripping her purse. Gin took in her beautiful body, perfect hair, teeth, clothes, and makeup and hooked a thumb over her shoulder. “Who’s that? Brunette Barbie?”
I laughed but bit my tongue when I saw Gina frown. She’d been through enough. “Ginelle, this is Gina DeLuca, Wes’s friend.”
The instant recognition dawned on Ginelle, and I knew it was going to be bad. Her eyes narrowed and her body went stiff. “You mean this fuck—”
I slammed a hand over her mouth, but she kept spouting profanity, defending what she thought was my honor while trying to break free. I had a solid forty pounds on the lean five footer. Holding her off had become a specialty after all these years.
“Um, good to see you guys. Gin’s tired, long trip. I’ll just show her to her place.” I was physically dragging her out the front door, her heels dragging along the floor. Once we got outside, she pushed me.
“What the hell was that? That cunt is in there acting like a friend when he was sticking it to her only a few months ago! I can’t believe you even allow her in your house. Are you insane?”
I sighed and dragged her to her place. “No, I’m not insane. We’re gonna need some serious booze for this discussion though.” I made my way over to the booze hutch that I had Judi fill. Gin’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. I snorted. “Do you like your new abode?” I splayed my hand out like Vanna White.
Gin took in the place. It was considered a one-bedroom studio, so it had a small kitchenette, living room, and separate bedroom and single bathroom. Perfect for a young woman starting her life over.
“It’s bigger than my place back in Vegas. Are you really sure you want me here? What happened in there, yeah, that could happen at any time.” She shook her head. She really wasn’t apologetic. That was not her style. She rarely apologized for who she was.
I looped an arm around her shoulders and knocked heads. “I know, and I love you just the way you are. But we have a lot to talk about so you know how to deal with certain situations.”