A Friendly Encounter Read online

  A Friendly Encounter

  Alex Dafney

  A Friendly Encounter

  Copyright 2019 Alex Dafney ©

  Published by Alex Dafney

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents are either products of the authors imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your personal use only, then you should return it to the seller and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the authors work.

  Published: Alex Dafney 2019

  ISBN: 978-1-7332661-4-7

  Alexdafney.com

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Other Books by Alex Dafney

  Chapter 1

  I hear a knock at my front door just as I apply the last touches to my makeup. Tossing the tube of mascara to the counter I walk out of the bathroom toward the front door just as another knock sounds. “I’m coming!” I yell as I click across the kitchen floor in my heels, then through the living room to open my front door.

  Pulling the door open, I’m surprised to find Blake, tilting my head slightly to the side as I arch an eyebrow at him. “What are you doing here?” Blake is my boyfriend’s best friend, as well as mine. Well, not boyfriend, because Remington refuses to put a label on our relationship. I watch as he glances down to the front porch nervously, avoiding my eyes.

  “Uh, Rem had to work late, so he asked if I could fill in tonight.” I let out a long sigh, folding my arms over my chest. “Of course, he had to work late.” I turn, grabbing my clutch from the entryway table and stepping outside onto the porch, continuing right past him for my car.

  “Come on, Abbi. Wait up!” I spin around, teetering on my high heels in the gravel driveway. “I don’t need you to go with me, Blake. I’ll be just fine going by myself.” I turn from him, making the few remaining steps to my sedan and opening the door. I slide into the seat and start to close my door, but he grabs it.

  I let out another sigh, leaning my head back against the seat. “I don’t mind going with you. Hell, I might even pick up a bridesmaid for the night.” He gives me an exaggerated wink as I roll my eyes. “It’s my cousin’s wedding. I’m the maid of honor and Lucy is the only bridesmaid.” Lucy is my sister. She’s ten years younger than I am and a freshman in high school.

  He gives a shrug as a wicked smile pulls on to his mouth. “I swear to you, if you say one thing about Lucy, I will shove this five-inch stiletto straight up your ass.” He throws his head back laughing as I glare at him angrily. “I would never say anything about Lucy.” He looks down to my legs in the car, his eyes traveling upward to where the short, hot pink, dress has hiked up from sitting in the car. He waggles his eyebrows at me with a shit eating grin.

  I pull the dress down with both hands, a scowl on my face before starting the car and placing my hand on the door to close it. “Okay! I was kidding. You know you don’t want to go to a family event alone though. You’re just setting yourself up.” I let out a groan, resting my head back on the seat. I know he’s right. If I show up without a date, whether it be Blake or my long time, on again off again, whatever the hell Remington is, my family will have a come apart.

  “When are you going to settle down?” “Still no wedding ring?” “It’s such a shame you’re not married.” “I just don’t understand why you’re single. “You’re such a beautiful woman.” “Maybe you should talk to a therapist as to why you can’t catch a man.” “Are you sure you’re not one of those lesbians?” All of these comments were made during the rehearsal dinner, just last night. I love my family, but between my Mom, Aunts, and Grandmother, I don’t know if I can take another evening like that.

  I glance up to Blake who has a smug look on his face, giving him another eye roll. “Get in.” He walks around the front of the car, opens the door and slides into my small sedan. “Dammit, this thing is small. Can’t we take my truck?” I think about it for approximately two seconds before turning the car off and opening my door.

  I walk to the curb where Blake’s jacked up truck sits and climb into the passenger side as he gets in the drivers, starting the truck. Once we’re on the main road through town he glances over at me. “I can’t believe you agreed to me driving. This has to be a first.” I give him a shrug as a devious smile pulls onto my lips. “Open bar. I know you won’t let me drive your precious truck, so looks like you’re the designated driver tonight.

  He slaps his hand on the steering wheel, his brows drawing together in a fiend scowl. “Aww, man! So not cool.” I laugh as he shakes his head lightly. We ride in silence for a while when suddenly he clears his throat, causing me to glance over at him. Giving me an impish smile, he asks. “Why do you keep seeing Rem? I mean, it’s not my business, but you’re just so… and he’s just so…” He flips his hand in front of him.

  I turn my gaze away from him, staring out the passenger window, watching the familiar scenes of our small town as we pass by. I’m not surprised by his question. Hell, I’ve asked myself this question a million times in the past few years. I’m just waiting around until Remington decides he wants to settle down with me.

  “Where is he actually going tonight?” I ask, keeping my eyes trained out the passenger window. Blake stays quiet. I look over to him, seeing his brows drawn together. “He has a date, right?” I let out a sigh as I shake my head. Why can’t I just stop seeing him?

  His silence tells me everything I need to know. I look out the passenger window again, tears burning the back of my eyes. I take a deep breath, releasing it slowly. I refuse to cry over Remington Combs, again. We’ve been playing this song and dance since we graduated high school.

  Rem and I started dating in middle school. We were each other’s firsts for many things. As soon as we graduated, he had told me he wanted to open our relationship. Saying we both should know what else is out there before we commit to one another fully. Only problem, I was already committed. I had our wedding planned, the plans for the house over on Sycamore Drive that we would buy and fix up together, and our future children’s names picked out.

  The only piece missing in my perfect vision of the future, is Rem’s unwillingness to commit. Now, here I am, five years later, still allowing him to string me along while he sends in reinforcements to take me to my cousin’s wedding. I asked him to go with me months ago. Months! Yet here I am, going with our best friend instead.

  I let out a sudden, humorless chuckle. “What’s funny?” I shake my head, keeping my eyes trained out the window. Blake has escorted me to more than one family event. He’s taken me to almost all of them over the past few years. Mom is always bugging me about our ‘relationship’, but I could never look at him as more than a friend. A really great friend.

  I look over to him as we pull in
the church parking lot, a small smile coming to my lips. Reaching over the console, I place my hand on his knee as he pulls into a parking spot. “Thanks for coming, Blake. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” He pats my hand with his own, giving me a sideways grin. “Sure, you do! You’d be bombarded with dating advice.” He throws his head back laughing as I punch him in the arm.

  “Ass.” I mumble as I hop out of his oversized truck. He struts around the front of the truck, exuding confidence in his fitted gray suit. He offers me his arm, to which I accept, as we make our way inside the church to watch my last remaining, unmarried, female cousin tie the knot.

  I stand at the back of the church, dabbing my eyes with a tissue as my cousin, Gina, nervously fusses over my dress. “Stop messing with my dress!” I swat her hands away as she looks up to me with an impish grin. “I’ve got to do something with my nerves!” I reach between us, gripping her hand in my own as the music in the church begins to play. “No time for nerves. Let’s get you married to the man of your dreams.”

  She throws her arms around my neck, sniffling against my shoulder. “I love you, Abbi.” I give her a nod as her fiancé’s brother steps over to us, offering me his arm. The doors open and we begin walking down the aisle. “This could be us in a year if you’d ever just say yes when I ask you out.” Chip whispers as we walk down the aisle.

  I keep my fake smile planted on my face. “You know I’ve been seeing Remington for years.” He lets out a low scoff next to me as we part at the end of the aisle, each of us stepping to our respective sides. I ignore his response as I turn to watch Lucy walk down the aisle with Chip and Dale’s younger brother, Scott. Yes. Chip and Dale. I firmly believe their parents were intoxicated when they decided on those names.

  She steps over next to me, turning just as the music changes to the traditional bridal march. Gina steps into the doorway on her Dad’s arm. Mom’s only brother. Her eyes glisten with tears as she walks down the aisle toward her future husband. I can’t help the twinge of jealousy that I feel. Gina and Dale met each other less than a year ago, and here they are. It’s impossible to not wonder if I’m ever going to get my own happily ever after.

  The wedding goes by quickly and we all find ourselves at the reception hall two buildings down from the church. I sit at the bar in the back of the room, bouncing my pink stiletto on my toes with a drink in hand. Blake slides onto the stool next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “Feel like dancing?” I shake my head before throwing back the rest of my drink, turning back to the bartender as his arm slides from around me, and lifting my empty glass.

  The bartender gives me a nod then begins fixing me another drink. “Feel like talking?” I raise an eyebrow at Blake with an annoyed look on my face. He chuckles as I spin around to grab my drink from the bartender. “What do you feel like doing then?” I spin toward him, lifting my vodka drink to him before bringing it to my lips. He gives me an eye roll before standing and walking over to a group of girls huddled at a nearby table. “Lover’s quarrel?” I turn back to the bartender who smiles warmly at me. Shaking my head, I look down to the drink in my hand. “No. We’re just friends.”

  “Why not dance with him then?” I glance up to the nosy bartender with a raised eyebrow. “I don’t feel like dancing.” He nods slowly at me as he dries off the glass in his hand. “That’s a good reason not to dance with him then.” I let out a chuckle before bringing my drink to my lips.

  “Hope he really is a friend.” I glance over my shoulder to find Blake walking out of the reception hall with his arm around one of Gina’s friend’s shoulders. Whispering into her ear as she laughs. I turn back to the bar, rolling my eyes. “There goes my ride.” I finish off my drink as the bartender places a fresh one in front of me. “On the house.” He winks at me as I scoff loudly.

  “It’s an open bar.” He gives me a shrug as he leans his elbows against the bar in front of me. “Why’s a pretty girl like yourself sitting at the bar alone?” I look up to the ceiling, letting out an annoyed sigh. The last thing I feel like is being hit on by some random bartender. I pull my eyes back level with his, noticing the charming smile he wears as I position my best resting bitch face.

  “Let’s keep this professional. I order the drinks. You fix said drink. I drink the drink, and so on and so forth.” I raise one eyebrow at him, as I wave my hand in a circle. “Think we can do that without flirting?” His eyes widen in shock as he pushes away from the bar, holding his left hand up to me as he points to a simple gold wedding band on his finger.

  “I believe you got the wrong impression, mam.” My shoulders slump as I drop my gaze to my lap, my cheeks heating as I mumble. “Sorry. I’m just not in the mood to be hit on tonight.” I glance back up to him, noticing the small smirk on his face. “No offense, but my husband wouldn’t appreciate me flirting with a woman. Even one as beautiful as you.” He winks at me before setting the glass he’s been drying on a towel, grabbing another.

  I let out a humorless laugh, turning around in the swiveling stool with my back to him. I must be really desperate and pathetic to think the gay bartender is hitting on me. Once I’ve finished the drink in my hand, I turn to him, giving him an impish smile as I hold my empty glass toward him. “Sorry for the implication. Would you mind?” He takes the glass from my hand, filling it with ice before pouring vodka and cranberry juice.

  As he sets it in front of me, he leans his forearms on the bar, glancing around at the wedding goers who all sound to be having a great time behind me. “How do you know the bride?” I give him a small smile. “My cousin. Gina. We’ve been close all of our lives.” I glance over my shoulder, finding her in the arms of her husband on the dance floor. A knot settles in my chest as I watch them sway back and forth to the music, smiling at each other with so much love.

  I face back to the bar, taking a large gulp of my drink. “Dancing not your thing?” I shake my head slightly. This guy’s not going to quit. “I don’t dislike dancing, I’m just not in the mood tonight.” He steps back, leaning against the counter behind him as he folds his arms over his broad chest, giving me a knowing look. “What?” I ask him with sass and a head roll.

  He chuckles, giving me a shrug. “When you’ve done this as many years as I have, you begin to learn the wedding moods.” I stare at him, waiting for him to continue. He steps forward, dropping his elbows back to the bar and nodding toward something over my shoulder. I glance behind me as he speaks lowly. “The guy in the gray suit. I’m assuming he’s the brother of the groom. He’s single, but he’s looking for something like what his brother has.”

  I smirk slightly at his words. He’s pretty much right on about Chip. “The girl he’s talking to however, is single and loving it. See how she keeps casually placing her hand on his arm and laughing far too loudly at anything he says? She’s looking for a one-night type of thing.” My smirk widens as I find Gina’s long-time bestie chatting with him. She’s been known to have a causal hookup on more than one occasion.

  I turn back to the bartender, shoving my hand toward him. “Abbi, by the way. And you’re right about both of them.” He smiles widely, shaking my hand. “Dave. Nice to meet you.” I slip my hand from his, placing it in my lap as I sip from my drink. As soon as I place it on the counter, he swipes it, refilling it quickly.

  “So, tell me more, psychic Dave.” He throws his head back laughing. A deep timbre sound. “I’m not psychic, just a good people reader.” He lightly points behind me. I turn toward the side of the room he’s gesturing to. “The lady in the purple dress.” I nod as my eyes land on my least favorite cousin’s face, Nikki, watching as she scowls at the newlyweds. “She’s jealous of the newly married couple, but it has nothing to do with them. It’s about her and her husband, or boyfriend.”

  I turn back to him, nodding my head as I lift my drink to my lips, taking a sip and placing it in front of me. “Right again. That’s my cousin, Nikki. Her and her husband are complete opposites. I’m surprised they’ve been ma
rried as long as they have.” He gives me an impish look. “Sorry. I should know better than to play this game with a family member of the bridal party.” I wave a hand toward him in nonchalance. “No worries. She’s not my favorite person.”

  I turn in my chair so I can see everyone behind me and have access to my drink. “Do another.” He laughs as I look back to him over my shoulder with a wide smile. I watch as his eyes wander the room. “Ok, this isn’t an interesting one, but I noticed earlier. See the young lady in the pink, over by the cake table?” My eyes zero in on my younger sister who stands clasping her hands in front of her, watching the couples dancing. “Yeah.” I say with an edge to my voice.

  I’ve already threatened to shove a stiletto up Blake’s ass over Lucy, and I’ll be damned if this guy won’t get the same treatment. “See the young man who’s dancing with the blonde in the floral printed dress?” I scan the crowded dance floor, my eyes finding Scott dancing with a girl I don’t know. I look back to Dave, a questioning look on my face. “And?”

  “And, the young lady in the pink dress wishes he would’ve asked her to dance.” I look back over to where Lucy stands, noticing her gaze is locked on Scott. Aww. Her first crush. I look back to Dave, a wistful smile on my face. “That’s my little sister, and the guy is the groom’s younger brother, Scott. This is probably her first crush.”

  He nods, giving me a bright smile. “There’s always that one that finds love at a wedding.” I groan as I lift my drink, taking a hefty pull. “Would you like to know my thoughts on you?” I point to myself, my eyes widening as I sit my drink down. “Me? You think you have me figured out?” He gives me a devious smile as he nods his head slowly.

  “I could be wrong, but as you’ve seen, my people watching skills are spectacular.” I laugh lightly, giving him a small shrug. “Do your worst.” He pushes off the bar, grabbing another glass to dry. “You came to the wedding with a friend. A friend you’re not dancing with, who you didn’t care left with another woman.” I roll my eyes, sipping my drink. “Well, that wasn’t too prophetic.”