Chapter 1

Please forgive the meme-influenced title. It did not suggest the story, but once I knew what I was going to write, I couldn’t avoid the choice.

See the recommended reading order at my author page. If you want a short-cut introduction to the main characters, see Mentor Ch. 04 – The Booby Prize. As always, though, I hope the story stands alone.

One note that I should make: The story is told from the point of view of Alex, who has a habit of making statements sound like questions. I wanted to preserve that, even though from Alex’s perspective they’re not questions, so I left the question marks in. If that’s confusing, I apologize.

This isn’t a typical HelenL story. It’s not a romance. And it’s maybe a little raunchier than most of mine. It overlaps Part 2 of Wedding Dances (not yet posted).

Eleven hours, including a change in Denver that had Alex running through the airport only to wait for the next delayed hop. It had been one of the cheapest flights, but the most expensive took over eight hours, still with a change that was likely just as frustrating, so she hadn’t considered it worth paying more. At that, she’d had to be up before the crack of dawn to get a ride to the airport, to be sure she’d left enough time for security check and random variables.

She’d checked one bag, but she’d managed to fit enough changes of clothes and toiletry essentials into her carry-on garment bag to survive for a few days if the bag went on safari without her. She could make more space in the garment bag for the return trip, so there would be room for the bridesmaid dress that she’d be picking up on Friday.

Possibly because of the extra delay, her checked case arrived on the correct flight. After a frustrating day, that was welcome news. And the car rental reservation allowed her to bypass the counter, so she wheeled the cases to her vehicle and drove directly to the hotel.

She had a week to revisit familiar haunts. The hotel she’d chosen was a short walk from her old apartment, and thus convenient to places she knew. She had intended at least to get dinner, possibly at one of the restaurants she knew, but after a day’s travel she didn’t want to make the effort. Instead, she threw herself onto the bed without eating, and barely woke in time to get breakfast before the nearby restaurant switched to its lunch menu.

After breakfast, she showered and changed into the clothes she’d brought for the day – a denim off shoulder front lace up crop top and lace up mid-thigh skirt. With cowboy boots and a denim shoulder bag she was ready for the events, the first taking place at a bar called “The Axe’s Head.” That was an Uber ride away. There was no way she’d drive to party with her friends.

Maybe she shouldn’t have arrived early. She could have travelled Thursday, slept in Friday and been refreshed for the rehearsal dinner. But she missed her friends. When Allison had emailed her about the optional events, she’d been skeptical. Axe-throwing? What the fuck?

But the events had included visiting the club where she’d spent many happy evenings, several of them leading to even happier nights. The organizer of the axe-throwing event was a woman with whom she’d spent one of those happy nights. One of the very last, in fact, before she’d met Jackson. That in itself wasn’t motivation for attending, especially since she’d heard she now had a partner, but Fi was one of the most capable people she knew, and if she thought it would be worthwhile, it probably would.

So she tugged her copper curls through a pair of scrunchies and headed out.

Alex arrived at The Axe’s Head thirty minutes after the scheduled start time. The party was already boisterous. About twenty women were present when Alex arrived.

She found Fi at the bar, instantly recognizable with dark green hair decoration and black dress. The woman gave her a tight hug. Though she’d only spent one night with Fi – there were rules – her body felt familiar in Alex’s arms. The soft skin within the cotton beneath her fingers. The pressure of breasts as full as Alex’s own against hers. The narrow waist when she ran her hands down her friend’s back. It wasn’t that it was Fi in her embrace, as such. It was that it had been two years since she’d held a woman closely.

She released Fi, whose smile was warm. “It’s great to see you, Alex,” she said. “I wasn’t sure if you’d make it.”

“Neither was I?” Alex said. “This is where you work?”

“Yes and no,” said Fi. “The bar staff mostly keep it running now, but I set it up, and I’m still responsible for it, along with the arcade next door and a restaurant. Maybe others soon. My boss is ambitious.”

“I always knew you’d do well for yourself,” Alex said.

Fi’s expression softened. “Wait until you meet Jenna. Then you’ll know just how well I have done.”

Alex smiled. Lowering her voice, she said, “You deserve someone special, Fi. She’s lucky to have found you.” Then she continued in a normal tone, “Speaking of young love, where are the brides?”

“They’re with Ann and Kate. Kate’s from another bar. We trade staff from time to time.” She gave Alex a conspiratorial smile, adding more quietly. “Ann may need to be rescued from her.”

“Ann’s here?” Alex’s heart rose. “My Ann? Well, not my Ann? But my roomie?”

“That’s the one,” Fi said. “I heard her tell Kate she has a girlfriend in New York. It doesn’t seem to have deterred her. Do you want anything to drink? We have two new craft beers…” She frowned. “Not that you’d know what we already had, I guess,” she said. “It’s weird to think how many years it’s been since I’ve seen you.”

“I know, right?” said Alex. “Let me get one of those.”

The bartender standing nearby nodded to Fi and took care of the order. Alex took the beer and headed off in the direction Fi had indicated.

Take the feelings hugging Fi had brought about and double them. That was being in Kayla’s arms again. Kayla, the first woman Alex had kissed. The first she’d slept with. Who had seduced her again for good measure. Now she was getting married, and Alex was her bridesmaid. They’d been friends from the first, and had remained good friends. They’d never been more than that, other than in the most technical sense, when they’d been naked in each other’s arms.

Even so, hugging Kayla reminded Alex of how much she’d given up when she’d left. When her friend released her, after a kiss on the lips that was both chaste and tender, Alex felt a surge of affection both for Kayla and for her bride-to-be, Anita, who stepped in for the next hug.

Not until Anita stepped back did she pay attention to who else was in the narrow lane, holding a wicked-looking axe in her hand. Alex beamed. “Ann! You look dangerous?”

The hug for her former roommate was less intense. They were friends, not former lovers.

They’d been placed together in their junior year. They were different enough to avoid competing. Ann was driven, working hard for a high GPA, while also partying hard. Alex was laid back. She still got good grades, but could have done better if she’d applied herself. Ann studied economics; Alex was an engineer. Ann was gay. Alex was straight – up until she realized she wasn’t. Ann was a planner – a schemer might be a better term – while Alex took life as it arrived. Which she was currently regretting more than she’d anticipated.

Ann was manipulative with others in her orbit, but those had never really included Alex. She was devious in other ways, spinning events for her own benefit, but as long as they were just roommates, it wasn’t her problem. Likely because of that, they’d fallen into an easy friendship, and had chosen to continue rooming together into their senior year.

Alex had met Kayla through Ann, when those two had planned to hook up. She and Ann had been high, when Ann had goaded Alex into kissing a woman for her own amusement. It was only after Ann’s exhaustion had overwhelmed her that Alex had taken her intended one-night partner into her own bed, changing Alex’s life. She’d always be grateful to Ann for that one opportunistic act.

Alex may never have fully trusted Ann, but she did like her and was thrilled to see her again.

Her friend released her, holding the axe reversed to avoid accidentally spiking Alex. She wore a short-sleeved maroon shirt with black jeans. The shirt was tight everywhere, but especially below the U neck, where a short row of buttons had the top two open, revealing the smooth, pale skin of high breasts. Her brown hair was longer than Alex remembered, lying against her shoulders.

She had filled out a little in two years. Alex had always thought her hyperactive lifestyle had kept her too thin. Now her waist was a little thicker, her jeans didn’t look like they were hiding a malnourished teen, and her breasts strained delightfully at the buttons. The extra weight looked good on her.

“Thanks for not sticking me with your sticker. Thing. The sharp pointy thing?” Alex said, when Ann let her go.

They’d stayed in touch for a few months, both Ann and Alex having taken jobs on the East coast, though hundreds of miles apart. They’d intended to visit, but it was inconvenient and expensive, and eventually their emails had become rare. Now, two years later, they’d finally shown up in the same place at the same time, and the entire sequence of events, the changes in Alex’s life, and both of them showing up at the wedding of mutual friends, was all thanks to them sharing a joint in Kayla’s presence. Alex grinned at the thought.

“What’s amusing you?” asked Ann, suspiciously.

“Nothing?” Alex replied. “Thinking about how long it’s been since we were all together. How long are you in town?”

“I leave Monday,” Ann said. “I need to get back to work, but wanted a couple of days in the area. You?”

“I’m here until next weekend? Same idea. I’m staying at the hotel near the apartment.”

“That’s convenient,” said Ann. “I’m there, too. We can share rides.”

There were three other women in the narrow lane. One with blonde curls held an axe that appeared to be the mate of Ann’s. A younger woman with long pale hair streaked pink and blue was standing around looking irritated. The third, with dirty blonde hair and large red glasses, had seemed at first of an age with the one with colorful hair, but on second glance she may be younger, if taller.

“Alex, this is my cousin Tara,” Kayla said, indicating the taller girl. Alex saw the family resemblance the moment she looked for it. “She’ll be starting college in a few weeks. You probably remember Grace. I think she’s been lying to Tara about how wonderful life is going to be for the next few years.”

The girl with pink and blue hair brushed a strand of it back. She gave a perfunctory smile at Alex, but she clearly had better things to do with her time.

“I don’t think I do remember you?” Alex said.

“I had lavender hair,” said Grace. “Short.” She sighed. “Most people remember that I was with Kennedy. Now I’m not.” She turned to Kayla’s cousin, clearly done with the conversation. “C’mon, Tara, let’s leave these old people to their memories.”

She walked away from the group. Tara gave Kayla a quick glance, raising her hand, before scurrying after her.

“I do remember her now?” Alex said. “Thought she and Kennedy had a future together. Doesn’t always work out, does it?” she added, thinking of her own ex.

“Kate is teaching us how to throw sharp objects, without embedding them in each other” said Anita, indicating the blonde, who continued to wait patiently.

Kate, right. Fi said Ann may need rescuing from her. As Kate resumed her instructions, Alex peppered Ann with questions about mutual friends, and about the girlfriend Fi had mentioned.

“Madison, right,” Ann said. “We’ve been together for over a year now. She just passed the bar, so she’s a real lawyer.” She pouted. “I have another year.”

When their instruction was complete, Kate left for another group. Then Kayla and Anita had to exchange greetings with new arrivals, leaving Ann and Alex alone. “Thanks for the save,” said Ann. “I thought Kate wasn’t going to get the message.”

“Fi said she’d ignored the hints you were dropping about your gee-eff?” Alex said. “Is she real?”

“Is Fi real?” Ann asked with a smirk. “I think so. I’ve known her for years. Or do you mean Kate? She’s a bit too real.”

“Your girlfriend, idiot,” said Alex.

“She’s real,” Ann said, with a sharp nod. “I’m in luuuurve.”

“Ann, sweety?” said Alex. “I lived with you for two years? You’ve never been in luuuurve. I doubt you ever will be?”