Disclaimer-I do not own characters used in this story. I merely borrowed them.
Chapter 4- Rosalie's Luck Changes
Shutting off the car I head to her front door. I just enter since there is no need to knock. I call out to her to let her know it is me. Walking into the kitchen I see her walking around naked. No matter how many times she does it, I am still uncomfortable. I am not a prude but I am modest. She points to the bathroom and pushes me towards the showers handing me a towel. As I am cleaning up she is getting ready. She likes to get a head start because she likes to help with my hair and make-up. Saying help is a nicer way of putting it.
Exiting the bathroom, a shot glass is placed in my hand. She doesn't even give a reason. Like one is even needed. I take it and throw it down. Not a fan of the taste but I needed it to relax. I am a bit wound up. I tell her about my latest Edward visit. Being Rose she says I should flirt a bit. I am not very good at flirting. Lack of practice or better instructions. I usually just talk to the guys that Rose draws near. No need to flirt when you have a friend like Rose. Who could compete with her. She is ever guys dream. She is so beautiful. I almost think that the John Mayer song was about her. Even her hobbies are guy friendly. She can talk car, play pool, drink like a fish, and tells the dirties jokes.
I can imagine if I did talk to Edward like she asks. What would I do. Suggestively fondle the produce as I talk to him. I just don't have a clue what I could do. The situation leaves no room for that. I can hear the rumors now. Bella just got in trouble for sexually harassing a customer. She is so desperate she offered to go home with him and cook the food he just bought. No thank you. I think I will just keep things like they are.
As the torcher ends and I am looking presentable, well at least to her. The skirt she has me in is shorter than I like. Plus I am not a fan of dresses or skirts. The shirt is pretty, what there is of it. After seeing what I am wearing I know we are going to a nice bar tonight. If she had me in a jean skirt and a sluttier shirt I would know we were hitting a dive bar. Looks like she is going to try to bait some poor upscale sucker. The dive bars are for when we are just having fun. Nicer places are where she like to scout out men.
No need to bring money, well except the emergency twenty I hide away for just in case. Going out with Rose ensures that our drinks are all taken care of. I am not comfortable with it. What if they expect something. Well I know what they hope for, but I hate to feel like I owe them for their generosity. They are definitely not getting any from me. Well maybe if he were a tall man with the most devilish smile and uncontrollable copper hair. Gosh, at least I am fiending over Edward and not that guy who comes into the store and samples more than he buys. He is just a bit creepy.
I listen as Rose goes on about her day. It seems like someone at work got a bit fresh. The guy is married yet, he asks her to go to dinner with him. It was not an innocent invitation either. Supposable he been quite suggestive at work. He is a consultant traveling in. His contract has him coming in for the next year. I use to work with Rose at Gables Advertising, but I left when my contract was up. I was doing administrative duties there. I got burnt out. They offered to extend my contract but I already agreed to work at my current job. The only thing I miss is the pay. I do not miss the way they treated me. I was like a virtual slave. I never said no to anyone so I was abused. I worked sixty plus hours. I did all the menial jobs. I did not mind doing the tasks, but the way they viewed me like I was insignificant made me feel like dirt.
The guy who is trying to latch on to Rose is not the first one. James was a guy she got mixed up with for while. He was married and her boss. It was uncomfortable answering the phones and greeting his wife while she was off to lunch with James doing god knows what. Actually I do know because I get the full on details later on. There are some things you should not know about your boss. And knowing what he likes is just plain wrong.
Well it looks like we are going out so she will not be tempted to take him up on his dinner date offer. It seems that she needs to get scratched. That is her words. I can't fault her, because I am feeling that building up too.
She hands me a pair of shoes or as I like to think of them, shoes of death. At least this pair are not as high as hers and they have straps so I can not kick them off and hurt some poor soul. When we walk around the bar with us attached, people will just think that we are affectionate. It will actually be me holding on to her for dear life so I do not fall down.
We stopped at her favorite restaurant in the city. I tried to eat enough so that the amount of alcohol I consume later will not affect me so quickly. We then head to a popular spot where a lot of professional hit. Walking in you are engulfed in a sea of business suits. Looks like happy hour got extended. It is busy considering it is a Monday. Must be some sporting event or conference going on.
Rose drags me to the busiest part of the pub and some how is able to get us 2 seats at the bar. She was able to get some poor sap to move. I saw two shots in front of her. How did she get those so fast. That has to be a new record. She smiles at me saying a toast to getting lucky. I smile and toss it back. She brings up the idea of getting a group together and doing a bar game on Saturday. She starts going into details using some ideas from our previous outings. I just finished my second shot at the bar so I agree that it would be interesting. She calls over the bartender and asks for pen. The smile she sends him stops him in his tracks. He leaves the bar area fast and heads to the back of the room. He comes back a few minutes later with a pad and a pen. Boy he was easy. She turns to me and says we should work on the list now. She writes on the pad R & B Bar Game. She says she already knows what number one is.
See who gets the most phone numbers. You need to keep each one you receive. They have to be written down. Pretend you do not have your cell phone. (Each number is 1 point)
She says its my turn to pick one. I think it over and get a simple one.
You need to collect a lighter. (Red & Blue 1 Point, Green & Purple 2 Points, Yellow 3 Points, all others ½ Point)
She looks at me calculating and shrugs. Its her turn.
You have to ask a guy to dance. (Regular 1 Point, Dirty 2 Points)
I take the pen and add another line.
Take you picture with random guys (1 Point of each guy, Suggestive pictures 2 Points)
She gets a sparkle in her eye as we down our next shots. She says she is going to list a few ideas this time before she forgets.
Walk up to a couple and turn to the guy and tell him that his girl is one sexy bitch.
Ask a guy if you can put lip gloss on him. (Using the wand 1 Point, Using your lips 2 Points)
Get a guy to buy you a drink. You can accumulate this one. (1 Point)
Use a cheesy pick up line on a guy. (1 Point)
Ask a guy if he wears boxers or briefs. (1 Point)
I look them over. Oh boy I definitely can't be sober to play this game.
Get the deejay to play a really embarrassing girlie song. (1 Point)
Got up to a guy and take his hat off and put it on your head. Then ask if if it looks good on you. (1 Point)
Rose grabs the pen she says she thought of a few.
Tell a guy he has a nice ass. (1 Point)
Pretend you know a guy and tell them a funny story that happened to both of you. (1 Point)
Talk the bartender into letting you make a few drinks behind the bar.
Go up to a guy and turn to your game partner and kiss her. Then ask it the guy to grade you on the kiss, 1-10. (Peck 1 Point, Full on Dirty Kiss 5 Points) (Grade one - five 1 Point, Grade six - nine 2 Points, ten 5 Points)
At this point I am feeling quite buzzed and Rose is having a good time thinking up ideas. We are giggling. As Rose looked up from the sheet something or someone caught her eye. I looked over and noticed a guy that looked like he spent some time at the gym. He looked like he could lift both Rose and I with ease. He was dressed in a nice suit. There was a guy beside him that had blond wavy hair in an equally nice suit. If I guessed correctly I am betting on the hulk. I don't think the blond could keep up with her. She looked like she was up to no good. What was she planning.
"Bella I think it is time we freshened up our lip gloss." I looked back across the room towards the guys and noticed the bathrooms were right behind them. She put the pad in her purse and we started a walk around the bar. Our trek around did not go unnoticed. Some heads turned in her direction. I think she was counting on that because the attention she gathered caught the two men that the show was for. Mr. Hulk focused his eyes on Rose and that is where they stayed. He watched as we headed into the bathroom. Rose took her time applying our lip gloss. With one final look she headed for the door. Opening it up she headed for a spot close to the two men. She leaned over to tell the bartender our drink order. When the drinks arrived and Rose went to pay for them Mr. Hulk handed over a twenty and paid the bartender. Rose looks over and smiles thanking him. She then turns around and heads for the pool tables. She looks and then walks over to an empty table. Only she could find an empty one.
Rose places her drink on the bar ledge by the pool table. She starts to dig in her purse for some quarters. She didn't have to look long because we heard the sound of quarters being placed in the slot of the table near us. We turn and see the blond straighten up after the last quarter is entered.
"Do you lovely ladies wish to play a game against us?" Mr Hulk says as he stares down Rose.
"That is fine with me. Bell is that alright with you?" I nod my head. I know my part.
"My name is Emmett and this is my friend Jasper. I am glad you decided to play with us. It was getting a bit boring over by the bar. Are you good at pool?" This was all directed to Rose. I sat back and watched the show.
"Nice to meet you both. I am Rosalie and Bella is my girl." Oh wonder how he'll interpret that . "I play fairly well." Yeah right she is a shark. "Do you play often Emmett." Are you going to cry when I beat you. This is entertaining when you have your own commentary.
"I play often enough. Would you like to make a bet to make it interesting?" Oh that is such a line from a testosterone filled 80s movie. But you can tell she is already enjoying herself. This night might be very interesting.
"Maybe, what did you have in mind?" I think I can guess what he wants, what will be interesting is what he thinks she would want to win.
"Well if we win I get your number and a date" He stops and thinks before answering. "If you will I will let you choose what we do." He smiles like he made the most brilliant suggestion. I got to give him credit. He pulled it off. Nice play. Now what will be her response. My bet is she will go for it.
"I guess those are acceptable. Will we play teams or is it just you and me big guy?"
He stares into her eyes and then turns to look at his friend. He then looks back and says, "I think for this game it should just be you and me."
"Ok, rack 'em up muscle man." She then turns to get her drink and sends me a smirk. She is going to cream them. Either way they both win. They both get a date that you can tell they both want.
Jasper heads over and sits on the stool next to me. He ask who do I think will win. I told him honestly it does not matter. Either way they are going on a date. But I did ask if Emmett is more likely to play all out or let her win. He said he is not sure. He needs to see how his first few shots go.
It was entertaining to see Rose try to semi-distract Emmett. She was doing it more to flirt than actual game strategy. She would bend over suggestively, position herself in his line and give him nice view down her shirt, and send him seductive glances. He was eating it up. He did not get flustered, but enjoyed the attention. He might be a match for her. Not a push over but an equal match.
Jasper seemed really nice. I found out that he is dating Emmett's younger sister. She was out of town right now so they decided to have a guys night after work. He works as an architect that was apart of the recent work the city has done to improve business in the area by putting a few blocks of buildings. They ended up housing the new the fitness center, condos, movie theater, restaurants and stores. The structures are quite beautiful. He was part of the team that designed buildings that line 4 blocks facing my store. Emmett is in the business end of construction. The city project had them working together which they love to do.
If you want to get Jasper talking, just ask questions about his girlfriend Alice. From what he mentioned, she seems like a fun girl. She is outgoing and smart. She has a knack of predicting where the market is heading. She is a financial planner. Her grandfather was a whiz and it looks like she inherited those same skills. Little did I know that I would be actually talking to the girl.
Jasper turned and got out his phone. A smile came to his face as he excused himself from our conversation. He greeted the person and was soon telling them about his night. Narrating the story of Emmett's new friend and then I heard my name. Jasper was telling them about our meeting. Next thing I knew a phone was being passed to me.
I put it to my ear hesitantly.
"Hello?" I hesitated. Confused as to who I would be talking to. And why?
"Hi there, I'm Alice. Jasper was just telling me about your night. It seems you saved him from boredom when Emmett ditched him for your friend."
"It is nice to talk to you Alice. I have heard so much about you. Jasper just raves about you. I feel like I already know you." I was feeling rather nice with the alcohol running through my system. I felt bolder.
"Really, I should not be surprised. I hope he is not driving you crazy with all of that."
It really was nice talking to Alice. It was like I found a friend that I did not know I missed. We talked about her trip and about some of her vices. Seems like she is a bit addicted to shopping. I hate to say it but what women isn't. Well except me, not a big fan of shopping. Karaoke is another one of her crazed obsessions. Belting out pop songs turns her into a teenie bopper again. She was a very upbeat person who had me laughing and enjoying the time on the phone with her. I guess the drinking got me a bit sentimental. Then my drunk ass had an idea.
"Alice I know you are due back tomorrow. By any chance do you have plans for Saturday night?"
"Nothing planned, why?"
"You see my friend Rose and I want to have a girls night. I don't want to go into specifics since there is a man present and listening to this conversation. Top secret girl stuff. But I was wondering if you may be game to participating in our festivities. If you are I will give you my number and you can call when you are back and I will give you the details."
"Oh this sounds interesting. I'm game. I will call you definitely."
I proceeded to give her my number. I felt bad keeping her husband just sitting there while I stole his wife attention. I looked at him and he had a smile that showed that he did not mind and was actually pleased. I handed him back his phone and told him to spend some time with her and that I was going to wonder. He nodded and focused on what Alice was saying.
As I walked around I noticed that it looked like Rose and Emmett never finished that game of pool. It was long forgotten as they spent the night deep in their own world. I started thinking if maybe I should just take a taxi home and let her enjoy her time with him. I decided I would text her and tell her I was going to head home. I then watched as she looked at her phone. She looked up and tried to search me out. She spotted me and started over after signaling to Emmet she would be right back.
"You sure honey that you want to leave."
"Yes. I think you should stay. I can see you two are hitting it off."
"We are. He is great. I will talk to you tomorrow and tell you all about it. Do you want to take my car?"
"No I had too much to drink. I will be by tomorrow to get my car. Have fun. Say goodnight to Jasper for me."
After hugging Rose, I headed for the door. I had called a cab so they should be here soon. All I thought about was sleeping. The thought of curling up in bed is looking very appealing. Remembering that I have to work tomorrow, I stopped dead. A feeling of dread filled me as I thought about working with a hangover. A crooked smile sprang into my head. Edward would be stopping in. All of a sudden work did not look so bad anymore. I wonder what he will want tomorrow. Maybe me.
Author Note:
Yes this was a longer chapter than my previous. Just did not could not bring myself to break it up.
I like to thank Jess. She made me smile.