The bowling alley was packed. Not one lane was open and the arcade room was filled to the max with junior high school kids. After Doug's near death experience with boredom, he called Ioki. Harry came to his rescue and kept him entertained while Tom bowled.

"Thanks for coming." Doug said with relief. "You got here pretty quick."

"No problem. Rachel's with Judy and some friends at a party." Harry said pulling out a chair. "I was just sitting at home anyway."

Tom approached the table with a dismal look on his face. He pulled out a chair next to Harry and fell into the seat. "I suck tonight." Tom folded his arms on the table and put his head down.

"What did you expect? This is bowling." Doug snapped.

"Hey, don't worry Hanson." Harry tried calming his angst. "It's just a game."

"This is not just a game. The Amateur Bowling Tourney is next Friday." He sighed. Tom pulled himself back together and stood up. "Um…I'm gonna get some beer."

The concessions line was around the corner, but Tom had connections. Ira, the concessions manager, was a good friend of his. Ira leaned over the counter as Tom whispered in his ear. In less than a minute, Tom was heading back to the table with a pitcher of beer and three cups in his hands. Doug poured everyone some beer and raised his cup to make a toast.

"This is to my buddy Tom, a terrible bowler…"

Tom gave Doug a stinging look.

"But he's being very, very kind by letting me stay at his apartment another night." Doug finished his joke of a toast quickly and drank some beer.

"Sure!" Tom said sarcastically. "You tell Judy that."

"Do you really think she would mind?"

"Don't worry Doug. She honestly doesn't mind you staying over. It's just that…"

"What?" A curious Harry asked.

"With Doug at the house, Jude doesn't want to have sex."

"No sex at all?"

"None. She feels weird about having sex with him there. I think that it would embarrass her if he heard something." Tom took another sip of beer.

"Poor Hanson!" Harry said slightly laughing alongside Doug.

"It's not funny. One day with no sex has made me really tense. I almost killed some kid in class today because he was popping his gum too loud." Tom elaborated. "It's just hard sleeping in the bed next to her without touching her."

"Not touching Judy with what she was wearing last night? Whew, that's gotta be hard for any man." Doug joked.

"Oh, shut up Penhall." Tom took another gulp.

"Well, at least you sleep next to her. Dorothy won't even let me do that." Doug frowned.

"That's bad Doug." Harry picked up his cup. "I feel really bad for you two, but I'm glad Rachel and I are in a happy relationship." Tom and Doug looked at Harry with piercing eyes.

"Yep, I'm in a happy and healthy relationship." He bragged again pouring more beer into his half empty cup.

"I'm usually in a happy relationship." Tom said in a sad, low voice.

"Chill out man, it's only been one day." Doug pointed out. "You guys probably only have sex twice a week anyway." He chuckled.

"Try twice a day." Tom smiled.

"Twice a day?" Doug's mouth dropped open. "When do you have the time between work, school…and bowling?"

"We always make time." Tom smiled. "Especially before we go to work."

"That explains why you're so chipper in the morning." Doug shoved Tom.

"I wish I was with her right now." Tom used his finger to swirl his beer around in the cup. "I love the way she looks at me. She makes me feel wanted without even saying one word. Sometimes, we just lie in bed holding hands and watch each other fall asleep."

"You love her, don't you?" Harry asked admiring the way Tom desired Judy.

"I'm so in love." He smiled looking down at his cup. "I'm so in love that the thought of being with another woman makes me sick to my stomach."

"I knew it!" Harry leaned back in his chair.

Doug just sat there listening to Tom's confession and remembering what he and Judy talked about that morning. "Why won't you tell her then?" he snapped folding his arms.

"What?" Tom was confused about where the outburst came from.

"You need to tell her that you love her." Doug moved his chair closer to the table. "Jude and I talked about it this morning before you woke up. And she asked me if I thought you loved her."

"What did you tell her?" Tom felt a slight rush of anger and anxiety. He was kinda bitter that Judy talked about something so personal with Doug, but he was also nervous about the situation.

"I said that I thought you did, but I wasn't sure."

"Why the hell would you bring up something like that with her?" Tom erupted.

"I didn't." Doug kept his cool and tried to explain. "She brought it up with me. It was probably due to my bragging on your relationship. I told her I wished Dorothy and I were like you guys."

Tom sat there in silence, stunned by Doug's sincerity. "Thanks, Doug."

"Look, just tell her you love her, so she won't have to question it." Doug tried convincing his best friend.

"It's such a big step, though."

"And you two moving in together wasn't?" Harry jumped in.

"Well, do you love Rachel?" Tom turned the discussion around on Harry.

"Of course I do. And I tell her everyday." Harry smirked. "Why are you so afraid of telling her?"

"I don't know." Tom picked up his beer and brought it to his lips. "Moving in together didn't seem like a big deal at the time, but saying "I love you" and living together is such a huge deal. Before you know it, we'll be talking about marriage and kids and I'm definitely not ready for that step."

"Did you ever think that maybe you are?" Doug asked.

Tom just sat there in silence. Was he ready to settle down for good? His hands started sweating as he gripped his cup. Tom finished off his beer and grabbed his bowling bag. "Ok guys, let's get out of here. I want to get home before Judy does, even though nothing exciting is gonna happen."

"You never know." Harry placed his half empty cup on the table. "She's probably getting lit with Rachel and Cassie at the wine tasting. She might be more relaxed, even with Doug crashing."

"Yeah, but I don't want to take advantage of her when she's drunk."

"Then don't, let her take advantage of you." Doug smirked poking his finger into Tom's chest.

Harry rose to his feet and pushed his chair in. "I'll see you guys tomorrow, right?"

"Oh shit! I forgot about that dinner party thing." Tom said looking at Doug. "Is Dorothy coming?"

"Nah man, I don't think so. She doesn't want to see me."

"I can ask Jude if Cassie would want to join us. Just so you don't feel like the fifth wheel." Tom volunteered.

"That's the loud mouth red-head, right?" Doug questioned.

"That's Cassie."

"Perfect, just perfect." Doug said wiping his face with his hands.

Judy, Rachel and Cassie walked outside of Jack Ramsey's wine tasting party so Cassie could grab a quick smoke. They smiled as the good-looking host walked back inside from his chat with the valet workers about lack of good judgment. Mr. Ramsey made every attempt to make sure Judy noticed his breathtaking smile and his interest in her.

"Whoa, Judy! Someone has their eye on you." Cassie commented taking a puff of her cigarette.

"Oh please Cass. He's not even that cute."

"Come on, Jude. Even I have to admit it." Rachel pointed out. "He's got a great body, gorgeous eyes and he's so intelligent."

"Tom is everything Jack is, plus more!" Judy smiled. "My sweetie is the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"But you forgot rich, filthy rich." Cassie added.

"Money isn't everything. Trust me, I know."

"How do you know?" Cassie asked.

"Because I went to school and dated guys just like Jack. Nothing special."

A small group of guys walked by the trio and turned their heads to catch a glimpse. One guy stepped on the back of his friend's shoe because he was staring at Rachel. Rachel was a slender blond with mystifying green eyes that melted Harry's heart every time he looked into them. She was the shy, quiet type, which was identical to Harry's personality.

Cassie blew them a kiss as they walked inside. Judy just smiled and shook her head at her friend's daring actions. Cassie was a petite red head with a loud mouth and outlandish ideas. She could easily grab all the attention in the room and loved every second of it. When Judy was single, she had no problem being as bold as Cassie was, but things were different now. Judy had become the perfect mixture of her two good friends. She was mysterious and calm like Rachel, but witty and charismatic like Cassie.

Cassie threw down her near-finished cigarette and stepped on it. She reached into her little black evening handbag and pulled out her lip gloss. After a quick touch up, she was ready to re-enter the party and become the center of attention again.

"Let's go ladies!" Cassie gave with enthusiasm.

"Actually, I think I'm heading home." Judy looked at her watch. "It's almost eleven. Tom should be getting home right now."

"Oh no Judy! Don't leave now!" Cassie started throwing a fit.

"I've been waiting all day to spend some alone time with him. Besides, I'm sort of tired."

"In other words, she's horny." Cassie added.

"Cassie!" Rachel shouted feeling embarrassed for Judy.

"Well, maybe I am." Judy admitted with a slight smile. Judy gave her friends goodnight hugs and started walking off. "Oh Cassie," Judy yelled back. "Don't forget about dinner tomorrow. Remind Harry for me."

The valet attendants hailed a taxi for her and she was on her way to see Tom. Judy was a little tipsy from the wine tasting, but it only made her more eager to get to her sweetheart. She hoped Tom wasn't sleeping, but she had on good certainty that he was waiting for her because he was just as anxious as she was.

The two officers walked into the dark apartment. Tom turned on a two lamps as Doug made his way to the bathroom.

"I'm gonna take a shower." Tom said through the bathroom door. "Keep an ear open for the phone in case Judy calls."

The taxi pulled up to their apartment building as Judy rummaged around in her purse looking for her apartment keys and money to pay the driver. "Oh shit! I can't find my keys."

"I don't have all night lady." The driver impatiently told her.

Judy found her money, but her house keys were still MIA. She paid the driver and walked up to the building. She noticed Tom's car and let out a big sigh. At least Tom's home, she thought to herself. Walking to her apartment door, she continued looking through her purse, but no such luck. She gave up and just knocked on the door instead.

Doug got up from the comfortable sofa and gave a quick look through the peep hole. He hurried to unlock the door for her. Judy became wide-eyed when the door opened.

"Doug, what are you doing here?"

"I'm….I'm staying another night with you guys." He confessed.


Sorry it took me so long to post another chapter, but things have been a little crazy here. I should finish up the next chapter by Sunday, so enjoy this one! Hopefully, I still have your attention :)