Impact, Book 2 of Wingless series

Dice

"Are you sure we shouldn't have brought something?" I'm not a baker, but it is the polite thing to do when you come to a get together.

It's our first night of normal behavior. We are going to play cards, have a few drinks and act like the young adults that we are.

He plants a sweet kiss on my lips before knocking.

"I'm so glad you guys came," Ari says, letting us in.

I can't help but notice the cheesy red streamers draped around the ceiling.

Kenny is at the counter digging through a bowl of chex mix.

"Eve was just saying how glad she was. Weren't you, Eve?" Evan said, raising an eyebrow at me. He takes the spot next to Kenny.

Kenny offers Evan a beer and Ari hands me a glass of red wine.

"I'm always telling Evan how nice it would be to act normal for once," I say, taking a sip from my wine glass.

Evan speaks up. "So let's start these games so I can kick your ass and get back home in time for the game." He smirks.

Kenny hands him another beer and cracks open another one himself.

"I'll kick your ass once Mark shows his ugly mug," Kenny promises.

Ari leads me into the living room leaving our men to talk amongst themselves about whatever it is they say when we aren't there to listen. Part of me wishes I knew.

She sits down.

"How is everything?" I ask. It's good to see Kenny moving around already. He doesn't look anything like he did the night I found him.

"Things are great," she insists. She gives a radiant smile.

"Me too, believe me." She pats the spot next to her. "I wanted to thank you."

I sit down. "For what?"

"For helping him out while I was away."

It's not a big deal. I would have done the same thing for anyone. Maybe not Carlo but anyone else.

"It meant a lot to Kenny. He doesn't like to admit that he needs help sometimes." We watch Kenny finish off another beer. He slams it on the counter and gives us a wink.

"It was no problem really," I promise her.

***

I find Evan, he's racing against Kenny in a beer chugging competition.

"Are you having a good time?" I ask, wrapping my arms around him.

He kisses my cheek. "Of course."

But Kenny is not having it. He punches Evan in the arm. "Don't let her distract you. We need to get fucked up."

I smile, watching them smash their beer cans together. It's nothing I have ever seen before. Evan isn't one to relax and be at ease. It's like he is always waiting for something.

"Are you two professional binge drinkers?" I ask.

Kenny pounds his chest. "This is how the Carlo boys do things around here."

I can't help but laugh at him, a drunken Kenny is a lot more tolerable.

And finally Mark and Journey show up and with more beer.

Ari and Journey start gabbing it up like two high school friends leaving me feeling a bit awkward. Journey touches her hair and they both giggle.

Mark sets his beer on the counter and joins the party.