“You’re welcome. Now, about that wine…?”
“Right. Christy said you’d take care of me.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” I opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle. “White okay? We have red if you want something with more body.”
“No,” she said with a grin, “more isn’t always better.”
“Especially in the body department?”
“Just like a guy,” she said playfully, “hung up on size.”
“It isn’t the size.”
“It isn’t?” she teased.
“No. Besides, I’m fine in that department. It’s how you use it.”
“Oh, please! Will you open the wine already?”
I grinned and pulled the cork. “How much do you want?”
“Are we talking about the wine, or…?”
“You tell me.”
“The wine.”
“Okay. Then… how much?”
“Do you want to walk or carry me home?”
“You’re pretty small, but let’s start with walking.” I poured half a glass. “On second thought…” I topped it off. “It might be fun to carry you.”
She pursed her lips with a coy grin. “And they say chivalry’s dead.”
* * *
Christy opened her presents a little while later. She started with the obvious ones, a bottle of Chardonnay from Lily and Will and a bottle of Crown Royal from Freddie and Rosemary.
“Whisky, my favorite,” she lied smoothly. “And I love the bag it comes in.”
She opened Terri’s gift next.
“I had to guess your size,” Terri said. “I have the receipt if you need to exchange them.”
“No, they’re perfect!” Christy gushed. “Thank you very much.” She held up the box to show us a pair of ballet slippers.
“You should practice with me sometime.”
“Oh my gosh, I’d love to.”
She opened a present from Wren and Trip next, a large set of Faber-Castell colored pencils.
“Exactly what I needed. Thank you.” She opened their second gift, several bottles of bath oil. “Ooh, I’ll definitely enjoy these too.”
“Maybe with company?” Wren suggested. She was tipsy enough that she didn’t care if anyone else picked up on her meaning.
“How’d you know?” I joked. “I love Opium.”
“That’s nice,” she said sweetly, “but I wasn’t talking about you.”
Trip grinned. “Wren, 2. Paul, 0.”
“Man, I’m getting my butt kicked.”
Everyone laughed at my expense, but Christy leaned over and said, “I’ll make it up to you.”
“That’s okay,” I told the group. “She saved the best for last.”
“And the biggest,” Lily said. She gave me a look that made me wonder what Christy had told her.
Will missed it completely. “Yeah, open the little one first,” he said.
Freddie picked up the smaller of the two boxes and handed it to Christy.
“It’s heavy.” She grinned in anticipation and tore into it. “Oh my gosh!”
“What is it?” Will asked.
“A VCR!”
“Open the other one,” I said.
Freddie scooted it across the floor, and Christy ripped the paper.
“And a TV! Oh, Paul, thank you, thank you, thank you!” She flung her arms around my neck and kissed me soundly. “Exactly what I wanted.”
“Now you can watch porn in your room,” Freddie said.
Rosemary shrieked, “Freddie!”
Everyone else roared with laughter.
“Ay, I’m just sayin’!” he said.
“Well, I wouldn’t know,” Christy said primly.
Wren and Lily both grinned.
“Uh-huh, sure,” Trip said.
“I wouldn’t,” she protested. “I’m a proper young lady.”
“With a proper sex drive,” he added under his breath.
“I wouldn’t know about that, either.”
“I would,” Wren said.
Lily grinned, and even Will noticed, although he looked shocked. I chuckled and reminded myself that he was a nineteen-year-old Baptist preacher’s son. At least Rosemary and Freddie hadn’t heard. She was busy scolding him for the comment that started everything. I glanced at the last member of our little group, Terri.
She was watching me. She arched an eyebrow and sipped her wine to cover a smile.
“Is that it for the presents?” Trip asked. “I have some new music for us. It’s called Alternative.”
“Alternative to what?” Will scoffed.
“Second Invasion, synth-pop, traditional rock,” Trip said. He leaned toward the stereo and hit play on the cassette deck. “These guys are from your back yard, Paul. You’ve heard ’em before.”
“If you say so.”
“They’re called R.E.M.—”
“Oh, yeah. Right.”
“—and they’re about to be huge. Listen.”
* * *
The party lasted until about midnight, when Rosemary gently separated Freddie from his drink and said they needed to go. He didn’t argue, and I followed as she guided him toward the front door.
“You want help?” I asked her. “Getting him home?”
“No, I can manage.”
“She knows how t’ han’l me,” he slurred.
“You’re a lucky guy, Freddie.”
“You better believe it.” He leaned close and breathed licorice fumes. “She can do better’n me, but I wanna marry her.”
I shot her a glance. She blushed and looked pleased, so I shifted my attention back to him. “Have you asked her yet?”
“Uh-uh. Too scared. But shh, don’ tell her.”
“Oh, I think she knows.”
He looked up hopefully. “Do ya think she’ll say yes?”
“If you ask her.”
Rosemary agreed with a smile. “Thanks again for inviting us,” she said aloud.
Freddie jumped in surprise but leaned in to whisper, “Will you be my bes’ man?”
“Freddie,” I said earnestly, “nothing would make me happier.”
“You really mean it?”
“Absolutely. But in the meantime, you need to go home and get some sleep.”
“An’ sober up,” he agreed. “Class t’morrow.” He burped. “Fuggedaboutit.”
“You sure?” I asked Rosemary again. “I can call a taxi.”
“No, but thanks. My place isn’t far. Besides, it’ll do him good to walk.”
“Clear his head,” I agreed.
“Clear m’ head,” he echoed. He allowed Rosemary to duck under his arm and help him down the stairs to the sidewalk.
“You’re a good friend,” Terri said from behind me.
She’d drunk even less than I had, so we were the only sober people in the house now that Rosemary had gone.
“I like Freddie,” I said.
“I can tell. You’re going to make a great architect someday. People respect you.”
“What about you?” I asked. “Do you still respect me? Now that you’ve seen me outside of class?”
“Of course. And I think I understand you better.”
“Well, you haven’t run away.”
“No,” she agreed with a laugh.
“Although… you look like you’re ready to leave.”
“I think so. Walk me home?”
“Sure you don’t want me to carry you?”
She grinned. “I’m fine to walk.”
“Okay. Lemme tell Christy where I’m going.”
The girls were giggling together on the couch in the octagon room. Will was only semi-coherent, and Trip wasn’t much better. They’d finished a nearly full bottle of Jack Daniel’s by themselves.
“Hey,” I got the girls’ attention. “I’m gonna walk Terri home.”
“Okay,” Christy said. “Make sure she’s safe.”
“Don’t be long,” Wren said. “You made a promise, remember?”
“Ooh, what kind of promise?” Lily wondered.
Wren smirked. “The going down kind.”
“He’s a hard licker,” Christy agreed.
They collapsed in a fit of giggles.
“Okay,” I said to no one in particular. “I’ll be back in a little while.”
“What was that about?” Terri asked when I rejoined her.
My cheeks heated. “What did you hear?”
“Something about a promise. Do you need to stay?”
“No. We’re good.”
She nodded and slipped her arm through mine as we walked down the steps. The night air was cool and refreshing, but Terri hadn’t worn a jacket.