Call her ZADDY

Live bait

Mick looked up from his conversation at the bar when out of the corner of his eye he noticed Gabrielle's dress sparkle from across the room. Ian's twirl had somehow magically caused her dress train to sway, like brilliant, fishing lures twinkling under the tented lights of the party. As she spun He could feel himself being unwittingly reeled in no matter how hard he tried to look away.

God Damn it.... That dress, he thought annoyed.

Mick stopped to glare in disbelief at the scene next unfolding. Now it seemed as if Gabrielle was actually laughing at something the groom must have said. What the fuck? What could they possibly be laughing at?he wondered . Mick frowned, realizing Gabrielle rarely laughed at any jokes he ever made.

With his blood boiling, Mick slammed back a shot of whiskey and shoved his chair out of the way without bothering to excuse himself from his conversation with old whats her name behind the bar. What was her name? Oh well. It didn't matter. There wasn't one-second to spare.

He dug into to his pockets for a few bills, at the same time noticing how ugly the bartender was up close. The realization that he'd slept with someone so hideous in his past only incited him further. He was now completely furious. Gabrielle was his date! Not the grooms!

———

As he approached from behind to interrupt, Mick calmed down and checked out Gabrielle's ass ,  smirking with all of the confidence of a guy in his twenties about to get laid. "I've got this " he thought to himself. Then he put his arm around the groom and purposely ignored his own date.

"Dude man," he whispered to Ian in his best wingman tone, "did you check out the bartender? She looks amazing tonight! Did you see her? I fucking love that girl!,"

Standing there waiting for a response, Mick could have sworn he caught Ian give Gabrielle a funny conspiratorial side-glance. It was more than obvious they already had their own inside jokes which made him feel pathetic. Inside jokes with women were his thing. Not Ian's. Mick sensed there was a possibility that he might be coming off as desperate. But he didn't know how to stop these big feelings. He hated acting this way - jealous-territorial- insecure. It was juvenile and not on brand for him whatsoever. nevertheless... Gabrielle was his.

"Anyway," Mick laughed brazenly, "I forgot you are married now buddy! I guess you aren't allowed to talk to girls anymore, huh?"

Ian looked embarrassed and coughed, "Yeah, right buddy, whatever," before his bride kindly appeared from the crowds and pulled him away to greet some guests across the room.

Mick's gaze lingered sadly as he watched his best friend go. He thought of all the good times they had shared and his face dropped at the thought that one chapter of their friendship was now over. He was now completely single for the first time in his life and left with no real friends. He was friendless and all alone on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It was then, watching Ian dance with his new bride, that out of no where his eyes started to well.