Again Sam seemed to relish the comment. They each took another shot just as the girls arrived at the table with their full plates. “It all looks and smells delicious,” Anna said, setting her plate down.
“Yeah, it does,” Sabian agreed, eyeing Anna’s huge plate.
“This is not all for me,” she said with a sheepish smile. “Nathan asked me to bring enough for us to share.”
“Well, I’m done with shots for a while,” Sabian said, setting his shot glass down on the table. “I think I’m gonna go get my grub on.”
“I will too,” Sam said, setting her shot glass down as well.
Sabian glanced back at her then at Nathan and AJ, who smirked in amusement. Anna had never made Sam out to be a clinger, and Nathan was sure Sabian was used to girls jumping at the chance to hang around him. So this would be interesting. He watched like the rest of them as Sabian and Sam walked away together.
“He doesn’t have a girlfriend or someone coming tonight that I should warn her about, does he?” Anna asked Nathan but then glanced at AJ.
“Not that he mentioned,” AJ said, putting down his own shot glass. “As far as I know, he’s not in any kind of relationship. The guy’s as fickle as shit when it comes to women, though. You might wanna warn her about that, if you’re thinking she might get her hopes up.”
“Fickle like how?” Heidi asked curiously, already sitting down at the table.
AJ shrugged. “We don’t really talk about that stuff. I just know he’s bad. Like sets the bar way too high.”
“Funny.” Nathan smirked, knowing he’d be taking a stab at his brother-in-law Syd. “He was pretty into Em once upon a time. But I guess she set her bar pretty low.”
They all turned to Emi and Sydney, who’d obviously heard. “Ha, ha,” Sydney said then turned to Emi and kissed her on the forehead. “But there you go. You can’t get any higher than this.”
Heidi raised an eyebrow. “So he thinks, err . . . rather knows he’s a catch?”
“Nah.” AJ shook his head. “It’s not even that. He’s not full of himself like some of the other guys on the team. He’s just unrealistic about meeting chicks that’ve never heard of him.” AJ laughed. “Like at this point in his career that’s ever gonna happen.”
“It could,” Heidi said. “I mean I know of him but not like Sam and this one.” She pointed at Gordon. “If I’d seen him out at the mall or wherever, I probably wouldn’t have known it was him. I’m sure most women, well, maybe not in San Diego but in other cities, who aren’t big on baseball or sports in general, wouldn’t recognize him or most sports stars unless they’re like Shaq or maybe Derek Jeter.”
“So there is hope.” Anna said as Nathan continued to stand just behind her chair since AJ and Moe were still there.
Scott got back from the buffet and put his plate down on the table. Heidi immediately stuck a fork into one of Scott’s shrimp and giggled. “I meant to go back around and get some of these.”
“Is Scott your brother?” AJ asked.
Heidi lifted her fork as if to answer, since it wasn’t clear who he was asking. Nathan stiffened. He had yet to mention to any of his siblings about Anna’s best friend and roommate.
“Practically, but no,” Heidi said after wiping her mouth with her napkin. “He’s Anna’s roommate, and we’ve all been good friends since they met in middle school. But he and Anna have been besties since”—she turned to Anna— “the eighth grade?”
Anna nodded, still chewing. Nathan waited, unreasonably anxious about why no one had mentioned Scott being gay or that his boyfriend would be here soon. But with both sisters digging in and Scott as well, no one did. By the time Sam and Sabian were back, the subject had moved on, but Nathan hadn’t missed the curious way AJ and Moe sized up Scott after that.
Once Izzy was back with her plate, Moe excused himself to go sit and eat. AJ and Sabian followed. Sabian’s turning to tell everyone it was nice to meet them was pretty much his way of dismissing Sam. While it felt a bit harsh, since she’d made no secret of how hard she was crushing on the dude, it was better than anything actually happening between them. The way AJ made him sound, given how much Sam resembled Anna, Nathan didn’t think it had anything to do with his not being attracted to her. But she probably made the mistake of trying to impress him with her knowledge of how much she knew about him. If anything happened between them, it’d likely be nothing more than a onetime thing, and Nathan would be stuck hearing the backlash about it for who knows how long. No thanks.
“I think I need another shot,” Sam said with a pout.
Since Nathan was sandwiched between Anna and Sam, Anna reached across him to squeeze Sam’s arm. “He might come back around later. The night just started.”
“No,” Sam said, still pouting. “While we were over there, someone asked him if he’d be around all night, and he said he had a date but he might come back with her.”
“Well, AJ said he’s fickle,” Heidi said then took a drink of her soda. “So it’s probably for the best that you don’t get your hopes up for someone like that.”
“Fickle?” Sam asked. “Like how?”
The conversation about Sabian went on a bit more but thankfully moved onto the food. As usual, it was delicious. When Heidi questioned Scott about where Josh was, he was noticeably annoyed. “I have no idea.” He stood up after wiping his mouth. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m getting seconds.”
Heidi, Anna, and Sam all exchanged concerned glances, but neither commented. The girls and Gordon got up for dessert, and Nathan took off to where Liv was flagging him down. Apparently, it was family photo time.
He’d barely reached her when Liv, Izzy, and Valerie—Alex’s wife and Izzy’s best friend—surrounded him. Nathan held up his hands with a suspicious smirk. “What?”
“Scott.” Liv motioned toward the buffet where he was still walking around. “Anna’s roommate. Tell us about him.”
“What about him?” Nathan felt himself tense as his eyes went from hers to the other two who were waiting and regarding him just as curiously.
“What’s his story?” Valerie asked, glancing back toward where he was now walking back to the table, then turned back to Nathan with a lowered voice. “He’s gorgeous. Is he single? Obviously, he’s not married if he lives with Anna.”
“No, he’s not single,” Nathan said with a bit too much conviction. “As a matter of fact, his date should be here soon.”
They all seemed deflated. “Really?”
“Yeah, really,” Nathan said, annoyed now with all of them. “You’re all married. What are you asking about him for?”
“Not for us.” Liv smacked his arm. “Valerie’s friend Lucy.” She pointed at one of the ladies at a table in the far corner.
“She said he was flirting with her at the buffet, so she wanted me to find out,” Valerie said with a frown.
“I feel so bad for her,” Liv said, shaking her head with a pout. “You said she’s had the worst luck with men, right?”
Valerie nodded. “Her husband left her for another woman, and she’s been alone ever since.”
“Well, no sense in trying to hook her up with a flirt who’s already in a relationship.” Liv touched Nathan’s arm with her pointer finger. “Take note of that. Your girlfriend lives with the flirt. I’d keep a close eye on him.”
“He’s gay,” Nathan informed them but didn’t feel such conviction anymore. “The date he’s waiting on is his boyfriend of two years.”
All three jaws fell open, and they all turned to look his way at once. “No way,” Valerie said first.
“No freaking way, Nathan,” Liv seconded that.
Izzy, who hadn’t said a thing yet, was suddenly compelled to do so. “I would’ve never guessed it.” She turned to Nathan. “You sure?”
“Of course I’m sure,” he said, clearing his throat, but glanced back at Scott, who was now surrounded by the girls and Gordon.
They all watched as another guy Nathan didn
’t recognize approached the table where Scott and the girls sat. He looked as straight as Scott did, but Nathan could only assume that was Josh after he went around greeting them all before taking the seat next to Scott. “That’s probably his boyfriend now.” As much as he hated to ask, he had to know, so he turned back to Valerie. “Your friend said he flirted with her? How? What did he say?”
“She wasn’t specific, just asked if I knew him because he’d flirted outrageously with her while they were both at the buffet.”
Liv raised a brow at Nathan, making him purse his lips. “Maybe he was just being friendly,” Nathan offered, feeling slightly unnerved by this. “As far as I know, he’s been gay all his life. Anna’s known him since middle school. She’s never mentioned him ever going out with girls.”
Nathan left out that it was likely that Anna might be the only girl Scott had ever kissed—possibly ever had a date with. They were interrupted when Emi called them over to take photos. Nathan thought about bringing Anna over to get in on the photos, but he figured they’d have plenty of other chances for it. Besides, from what he could see, she and her friends and sister were busy taking photos of their own.
When Nathan got back to the table, just Gordon, Scott, and the guy he assumed was Josh were there sitting with Anna. As soon as he got there, Scott introduced him to Josh. Josh reached out his hand and smiled. “Nice to meet you,” he said then turned back in the direction of the other table. “I can’t believe Anna is dating AJ Romero’s brother. I’m a huge fan.”
“He really is,” Scott said with a playful roll of his eyes. “He’s not just saying that either. He actually owns a Romero jersey.”
“I almost wore it tonight,” Josh said with a smirk. “But I thought maybe it’d be a bit much.”
Nathan laughed as he took the seat next to Anna and slid his hand over her thigh. “So you’re a Padres fan.”
“Hell, yeah,” Josh said, sitting back in his seat. “I was born and raised in San Diego. I bleed the Padres and the Chargers.”
“Really, what part of San Diego you from?”
“Del Mar Heights.”
They chatted for a while, and once again just as he had with Scott the first time, they talked sports. Nathan couldn’t get over what regular guys they seemed like. He felt stupid now, actually. What was he expecting? For them to drink their beers with a pinky in the air, wave their arms and hands in the air, and blow kisses at everyone? These two could’ve been any of the guys Nathan normally hung out with.
“My uncles lived out in Del Mar for a few years, way back. They’d probably talk your ear off about all the money they made on the track up there.”
“Did they?” Josh asked, surprised. “I never win shit when I go there.”
“They made out good,” Nathan said, taking a shot from the waitress walking around with a tray of them.
Gordon took one, but Anna and Josh passed. “I’m driving,” Josh said then smiled at Scott. “You’re good. Go ahead.”
Scott took a shot, and they all held their shot glasses up in the air before downing them. Nathan told them more about how his uncles made so much money on the races they took their winnings, moved down here, and opened up a bar.
Heidi came back from wherever it was she’d gone, and Anna immediately questioned her. “Where’s Sam?”
“I don’t know.” Heidi glanced around. “She was gone when I walked out of the ladies’ room. I thought maybe she’d come back here.”
“Great,” Anna said, stretching her neck to get a better visual of the place. “She’s getting pretty tipsy. Hopefully, she went back for more food.”
Nathan scanned the buffet area but didn’t see her. “You want me to go look for her? There’s a bar on the other side of the restaurant. Maybe she went over there.”
“Would you, please?” Anna’s pleading eyes had Nathan instantly smiling.
He leaned in and kissed her softly. “Be right back.”
Nathan made his way around to where the bar was but didn’t see Sam anywhere. He walked around the opposite way, thinking maybe she’d gotten lost. The restaurant was pretty big, and if she’d had a little too much to drink, that seemed possible. By the time he’d made his way all the way around the restaurant, he wondered if maybe she was back at the table. But one look in that direction and he could see Anna was still sitting there, glancing around with that same concerned expression on her face.
Loud bray-like cackling distracted him momentarily, and he turned to see the woman Valerie had pointed to as her friend, chatting and laughing with Scott. Nathan watched them for a moment. From what he could see, she was doing most of the talking.
Nathan flinched when he felt someone slap then squeeze his ass. “Hey, handsome.” He turned to face a very drunk-looking Sam. “Where’s everyone?” she slurred, smiling big.
“Back at the table,” he said as she latched onto his arm for support. “Where have you been?”
“I don’t know.” She giggled. “I couldn’t find you guys. I thought maybe they’d left me here.” She hiccupped then giggled some more. “That’s okay, though. I can Uber.”
“No one left you.” They started their wobbly walk back to the table. “They were worried about you, actually. I think maybe that’s enough shots for you, though.”
“You think?” She giggled even more.
Anna looked mortified the moment she spotted them on their way back. She was on her feet, immediately rushing to them. “Oh my God,” she said, reaching out for Sam. “Where were you?”
“I don’t know.” She giggled then pointed behind her with her thumb. “Somewhere back there.”
Anna looked up at Nathan, who shrugged. “She came out of nowhere, said she couldn’t find her way back.”
“I’ll get her some water,” Scott said, walking away.
Nathan was surprised to see him back at the table, but he later explained he rushed over when he saw Nathan escorting Sam back. The girls sat Sam down, trying to get her to eat some more. “How’d she get so drunk so fast?” Heidi asked, taking the seat next to her. “She didn’t seem so bad when we walked to the ladies’ room together.”
Anna frowned, shaking her head. “Did you take more shots while you were lost?”
Sam lifted her fingers up, holding her thumb and pointer close together, and squinted at the tiny space between her fingers. “Just a little,” she slurred then hiccupped again.
Scott got back with her water, and Anna stood up, appearing even more anxious as she pulled Nathan aside. “She’s normally not like this,’ she said quickly and lowered her voice. “She’s been depressed lately, and it’s why I hate Valentine’s Day. It only reminds people like her just how miserably single they really are. She never really admits it outright, and when she does, she makes a joke of it, but I can tell she’s really been down for months. I’ve actually been a little worried about her.”
They both turned when Sam giggled again even louder this time. Anna frowned and Heidi was already talking about getting her home. Anna turned to Nathan again. “This isn’t like her—”
“Baby, I get it,” he said, deciding he’d keep Sam’s grabbing his ass to himself. “She’s not the first person to have a little too much, and I’m sure she’ll regret it tomorrow. I’m not holding it against her, and I’m especially not holding it against you. So don’t worry about it.”
Anna nodded, still looking unsure, but then smiled and hugged him. “I love you,” she whispered.
Nathan hugged her back tightly. “I love you too, Anna. Embarrassing friends and all.”
He laughed as Anna nudged him playfully. They helped Heidi and Gordon out with Sam and saw them off. Scott and Josh stuck around for a few more hours. Despite Anna’s obvious misgivings about Scott and Josh getting back together, try as he might, Nathan hadn’t found a single thing about the guy not to like. He was as down-to-earth as Scott, funny and easy to shoot the breeze with. Unlike Scott, who didn’t golf, Josh was an avid player. By the end of the night, Natha
n had even made plans to shoot a round of golf with the guy, the following week at the country club Josh talked up so much.
Chapter 20: Beyond Mortifying
Aiyanna
“Why don’t I remember anything?” Sam groaned, shuffling into the kitchen where Anna sat with Scott having breakfast.
“Just let it go,” Anna said as she finished sipping her coffee. “At least you’re not hung over anymore.”
“How could she be?” Scott laughed. “She was still asleep when I got home yesterday afternoon. Do you really not remember anything?”
Sam was at the coffee maker now, pouring herself coffee. “I remember everything up until Heidi and I went to the ladies’ room. I had a shot while I waited for her outside. Then I think I wandered off and everything after that is a blur. But I don’t remember leaving the place or even getting home.”
“That makes sense,” Anna said, spreading jam on her toast. “Heidi said you passed out the moment the car started moving and they had to practically carry you in. And according to this one, you were out until he got home yesterday.”
“No, she was still out when I got home but didn’t get out of bed until about four in the afternoon.” Scott shook his head. “It’s not like you were even partying all night. You must’ve pounded several shots while you went MIA for a while there.”
“Never again.”
Scott laughed. “Yeah, I’ve heard that one before.”
“Well, never again for a while,” Sam said, hopping onto the counter as she always did. “And I’m usually pretty good with shots, but maybe it’s because I’m used to the cheap stuff? Those bottles they brought out Friday night were top shelf.”
“There you go.” Scott pointed at her. “That stuff was way too classy for you. Your body was all ‘what the fuck?’”
Sam gave him a dirty look then took a sip of her coffee. Scott got up, picking up his plate and walking it to the sink. “So Nathan and Josh are playing golf this week.”
“Yeah, I know,” Aiyanna said, crinkling her nose at Sam, who seemed as surprised as Anna had been when she heard them making the plans. The traitor.