Replace Me (13 page)

Even though we still kept in touch, Boner hadn’t changed and still lived his life drinking and hooking up with random girls, even the small amount that came around in the winter.

He greeted me with a half hug and a smile, before shoving a bong in my face. “I missed you, brother. What’s goin’ on, man?”

Boner had a lot going for him. Aside from his parents paying for him to live at the beach year round, his father was a huge part of the Ocean City community. He’d grown up there and only moved recently, when tourism got too much to handle.

Living only ten miles outside of Ocean City, he frequently paid his son visits where he would press him about growing up and finishing school.

Boner didn’t care. He said he was happy and didn’t need anything more to feel adequate. He was a beach bum in every way and a part of me envied his easy going lifestyle.

“Shit hit the fan this week at my place. I had to get the fuck out of there.” He was going to want details and I didn’t know where to begin.

After an hour of explaining, several beers, and then my having to re-explain, he finally got it. “Dude, you really fucked up this time. Lacey, she was a fine piece of ass.”

“Yeah, I know. The thing is, as much as I want to be able to say that I could try to be with one person, I don’t know if I could. I care about the girl, that’s not a lie, but it wasn’t like I wanted to get married and shit.”

“I hear ya, dude. You’re better off just lettin’ her go. Girls like that will mess with your mojo, big-time.”

“Tell me about it.” I popped open a beer, that he happened to keep in a cooler next to the couch, so he didn’t have to get up to grab them.

“You need to get laid?”

“Nah. I just want to get drunk. This one has gotten into my head.”

“You sure you’re over it?”

That was a good question. “It doesn’t matter. She’s moved on already.” I moved my head around, disappointed. “She’s seein’ someone who’s related through marriage. I think I’m just pissed that I still have to see her.”

He looked shocked. “She’s seein’ a relative? Holy shit, dude, that’s lame.”

“We share a mutual cousin. It don’t matter.”

Boner took a hit from his bong and offered it to me, but I held up my hand to pass. While still holding in the smoke, he began to speak. “I’d show up at every function with a hot ass bitch on my arm.”

Hurting Lacey wasn’t part of some diabolical plan to make me feel better. I’d put myself here and I needed to live with it, without hurting her. “I don’t want to do that. She’s a nice girl. I just wish she wasn’t with that prick.”

When Boner sat his bong on the table he checked his phone before leaning back. “Annie and her friend are comin’ over.”

Annie was another local. She was raised by her grandparents and had a wild side that they had no idea about. Not only did she have tremendous tits, but she had an amazing body, skinny in all the right places and stacked in the others. We’d hooked up several times, including right before I got with Lacey and once when we were together. In fact, Lacey always seemed threatened by Annie, so I didn’t tell her that we still talked frequently.

When she arrived, her hair was done and she was dressed nice, as opposed to her usual bummy look. Her long brown hair was rarely down, and especially not straightened and styled like it was. She saw me and smiled, walking over and climbing on my lap without even looking around the room for who else might be there. Her lips pressed against mine before she spoke. “Mmm, I missed you, Shayne.”

My hands traveled back to her ass and I pulled her closer to me, ignoring the fact that her friend had sat down and was waiting to be introduced. Annie finally turned around and began giggling as she pointed to her friend. “Shayne, this is Megan. She’s my new roommate.”

I motioned to wave to the girl, but when I got a good look at her, everything in the room disappeared except for us. Not only was she blonde, beautiful and totally my type, but she reminded me of Lacey. When I said nothing, Boner added his two-cents. “Excuse my friend. You sort of look like his ex.”

“Shut up! It’s nice to meet you.”

She smiled and looked down like she was shy. It was different than I was used to. Most girls came on to me without me having to do anything at all.

Annie climbed off of me and walked into the kitchen like she owned the place. She came out with a bottle of rum and four shot glasses. “Before you decide to hit on my friend and take her innocence away, I think we should get drunk.”

I took a shot glass, but never looked away from the girl. She grabbed one and smiled, but I could tell she was uneasy. “Where are you from?”

“St. Michaels.”

In the midst of throwing back my shot, I began to gag. St. Michaels was ten minutes from where Lacey grew up. Realizing the millions of people in the world, I didn’t want to even ask if they knew each other. It wasn’t possible. Lacey had never mentioned a girl named Megan that I could remember. “Is your dad a waterman?”

She gave me a funny look, like I had offended her. “No. My dad owns the Inn on the Island. He also owns a fishing tour business here at the beach. That’s kind of why I’m here. We got a new office and it needs a lot of work. Plus people book their excursions in the winter for next summer. I work Monday through Friday in the office and go to school at Salisbury State at night.”

Annie leaned on her friend’s seat and pointed to me with the glass still in her hand. “You need to stay away from this one. He can be charming until he gets you naked.”

I gave her a dirty look and wondered if she’d made the announcement because she didn’t want to share. It would have been fine if this new chick wasn’t so intriguing to me. Annie was a great lay, but maybe it was time for me to slow things down. This girl was too nice to fuck and walk away from. I could tell that she was uncomfortable and hated that I was pegged as some douchey man whore. “Let the girl decide that herself.” I winked at Megan but she didn’t respond.

Annie walked back over and sat next me, putting one leg over mine. She put one arm behind me and looked back at her friend. “Or, I could just tell her all your dirty little secrets.”

I looked at Annie and clenched my jaw. She knew she was pissing me off and I think she was doing it on purpose.

Boner cut in before I could say something that would make her leave and never come back. “Are ya’ll staying the night? We need to get more liquor before the store closes.”

Megan stood up and grabbed her purse. “I’ll go.”

I practically pushed Annie off of me as I stood up, too. “I’ll go with you, since I know he doesn’t have any money.”

Boner put his hands up. “Hey, I supply the place, you’re in charge of the booze.”

Annie remained sitting, but added, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

As we walked outside, I finally felt like I was going to have a chance to get to know this girl. Then she turned around and stuck her finger to my chest. “I know who you are, Shayne. Don’t get any ideas of trying to sleep with me, because it’s never going to happen.”

Lacey

I woke to the sunlight coming in through a cracked curtain. Upon turning over, and discovering that the spot on the bed next to me was empty, I sat up. On top of Joey’s pillow was a note.

Lace:

Had something to do this morning. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen. I’ll be back around 3pm.

J

I traced over the words that he’d written in cursive and thought about how he’d made me feel, even after the horrible day I’d had. Joey’s touch made me forget about all of it, especially Shayne.

Then the guilt hit me and I began to cry.

A knock at the door startled me, and before I could get up out of bed and find my clothes, I heard Sky calling my name.

“Lace, you need to open this door, right now. I know you’re in there hiding. Ford called Joey and made sure.”

I grabbed the blanket, wrapped it around my naked body and went to unlock the door. Sky was standing there with her hands on her hips. I held the door open for her to come inside. She plopped down on the couch and I followed. “I wasn’t hiding. I just woke up.”

She motioned to the blanket I had around me. “I guess you lost your clothes? Do you usually sleep naked when you’re hiding from your ex in another man’s home?”

“Shut up!” I shook my head and covered my face. “I slept with Joey. Are you happy now?”

“You said it was never going to happen. How long has this been going on? I knew you two were hiding something.” I hated that she assumed I was sneaking around.

“It just happened. You weren’t home and I didn’t know where else to go. Joey’s different when it’s just us. He’s nice to me.”

“Of course he’s nice. He wants to screw you.”

I had to know what she knew that she wasn’t telling me. “You think I’m stupid?”

“No! Of course I don’t. Joey’s a perfect one-night-stand, forget about Shayne kind of guy, but don’t expect anything else. Ford says that Joey doesn’t have girlfriends.”

“What do you mean? I know he’s not gay.” After last night and the way he devoured my pussy, I knew that was impossible.

“I didn’t say he was. It’s just, he doesn’t get involved. Joey likes casual sex and that’s as far as he goes. Ford told me that he’s never had a real girlfriend. In the time we’ve lived here, he’s had several girls come over and they’re gone by morning. I just don’t want you thinking that it could be more. I don’t want to see you hurt.”

“I’m fine and I don’t expect anything from Joey. We’re friends, who had one hot night together. It’s no big deal.” I was lying through my teeth.

“Are you planning on sticking around or do you want to go out with me and my mom for lunch?”

I shrugged and ran my hand through my tangled hair. “I don’t know. I didn’t sleep much last night and I think I need to go home and take in all that’s happened. I mean, I pretty much told Shayne to go to Hell then jumped right into bed with Joey. I need to clear my head before I do something even more irrational.”

Sky stood up and leaned in to hug me. “I love you. I’m here for you. We would have come home to be with you last night. Why didn’t you call?”

“I don’t know. Joey was just there. It wasn’t a big deal.”

“Sleeping with Joey is a big deal. Ford is flipping out. He said he told Joey to back off. Last night when we saw your car was back, I thought he was going to beat down the door. Joey text Ford and said you were going to sleep in his guest room, but we both know that’s not what happened.”

“He said I was different.”

“He probably says that to every girl he brings home. Look, I’m not trying to hurt you, Lace, but someone needs to look out for you. I can see you falling for him and it would be another Shayne all over again.”

I faked a smile. “Why do I always make the worst decisions?”

“Get dressed and come over to our place. You can sleep all day for all I care. All I know is that I don’t want you here when Joey gets back. He needs to know that last night meant nothing to you either. Don’t give him the benefit of the doubt.”

I was shaking as I grabbed my clothes and got dressed while Sky waited for me. For someone that was pushing me to move on, she didn’t seem happy that I’d been with Joey. I knew it was because she knew me better than I knew myself. Sky was fully aware that I liked Joey more than I should have.

Once we got to her place and I got in her guest bed, it all hit me. I’d slept with someone who would never be anything more than sex. He’d made that clear and even offered me a chance to just be friends, probably because he knew that if we slept together it would sever any type of friendship that we’d made.

I felt worse. Considering how amazing he’d made me feel, caused me to crave him more. I wasn’t going to be okay watching him with someone else, knowing the things that he was able to do. Hate filled me when I imagined him being with different women and telling them the same things that he’d said to me. Maybe that was his game all along.

Suddenly Joey and Shayne seemed like the same person. Leave it to me to find someone else to drag my heart into the dirt and destroy me again.

I cried myself to sleep, but woke up when I heard men talking with raised voices.

“I said you’re not comin’ in here and fillin’ her head with lies.”

“Back off with that. I just want to talk to her.”

“Is that what you told her to get her into bed with you, Joey?”

When I heard his voice and then his name, I jumped out of bed and ran into the living room. “Stop!”

Joey looked right at me. “This fool won’t let me talk to you. Tell him we’re cool, Lace.”

I just stood there, thinking about where he’d went all day. I knew he didn’t have to work at the Country Club where he worked as head chef during the week, and he’d been gone all day. I shook my head. “I’m going to stay here tonight.”

He looked confused and even hurt. “What did I do?”

“I’m sure you can call someone else to keep you company. Do you keep a black book or do they just show up on certain days of the week?”

Joey took a step forward, but Ford made him stop. “Lace, I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”

“I think you should go, Joey.”

He shook his head and even smiled. “This is bullshit and the reason I don’t get involved. See ya’ll later.” He backed himself out of the door and we heard his motorcycle starting up and pulling out of the driveway. I didn’t understand why’d he’d care anyway. Didn’t Ford and Sky say he had plenty of women? Why had he even come looking for me?

More importantly, why was I such a mess over it?

Chapter 14

Shayne

I’d spent the night getting to know someone that wanted nothing to do with me. After six shots and a five hour conversation, Megan fell asleep against my chest on the couch. It was the first time that I’d not tried to sleep with someone.

Annie passed out in my bed and I refused to go in there with her, knowing what would happen if I did. One look at her naked body and my dick would fight me until I was inside of her.

I slid off the couch and checked my phone out of habit. There were messages from my sister and even Parker, but none from an odd number that could have been Lacey. It drove me crazy that we were really over with and I couldn’t, for the life of me, understand why it was bothering me so much. She was just a girl, who’d been a friend and then something a little more. I didn’t deserve another chance and I didn’t even know if I wanted one.