Part 20 (2/2)

It's kind of fun, actually. I bet Rollie would be glad to help - but I have to warn you, he eats a ton of pizza. And maybe Jake or Barry - or even one of the support guys. When do you want to do it?”

”Maybe this next weekend.” He'd spent at least an hour a day the last week at his old place, and Nik had helped him all weekend. He was pretty sure he'd be ready by Sat.u.r.day.

”Cool. I'll talk to the guys and see who I can round up.”

”Great.” Scott appeared in the doorway then. ”Just the people I was looking for.”

Phillip laughed. ”Let me guess - you need help moving Carolyn's stuff into your place.” When Scott looked mystified, he continued, ”That's what Bill and I were talking about. He's moving in to Nik's next weekend.”

Scott looked at Bill, and his expression was more than moderately surprised. ”Hey, that's - great.” In answer to Phillip, he said, ”Actually, no. Carolyn doesn't have that much stuff, and she's getting rid of most of the furniture.” He stepped back so he could see both Phillip and Bill at the same time and said, ”What I wanted to talk to you two about is that we've been planning the wedding. As you know, it's going to be at Seth and Annabelle's, on the last Friday in March. We're hoping you guys might like to be ushers.”

”Oh, neat! I was an usher at my sister's wedding.” Phillip turned to Bill. ”It was great - I was paired with this friend of hers I'd had a crush on when I was a kid, and we got to sit at the head table and everything.

We wore tuxes, too - are we going to wear tuxes this time?”

Scott grinned, as did Bill. It was hard to keep a straight face in the light of Phillip's enthusiasm. ”If you don't mind. Seth's my best man, and he and I are planning on it. He has his own, of course,” he added with a roll of his eyes.

Bill had his own tux, too, but he knew to keep his mouth shut about it. ”I'll be glad to. And thanks for asking me. I appreciate it.”

He and Scott exchanged a private glance and Scott said, ”It seemed appropriate.” Including Phillip again in the conversation, he said, ”I'm glad you're both willing. I'll tell Annabelle, and she'll let you know what's what. She's running the show, thank heavens.”

Phillip grinned. ”It'll be a good party, then. She does a great job.”

And Bill would be part of it!

Nik was home alone, waiting for Bill and the other guys to bring over his furniture, when the phone rang.

”h.e.l.lo?”

”I need to talk to Billy,” his mother's voice said.

”Oh h.e.l.lo, Mrs. Adams. This is Nik, and I'm sorry, but Bill's not here right now. He should be back in a couple of hours. Would you like me to have him call?” She was still in rehab, though, so maybe she couldn't receive calls. ”Or I could take a message.”

She sighed. ”Oh, it don't matter, anyway. I'm gettin' out of here tomorra. I'll jus' get somebody else to pick me up.”

”Don't do that! I'm sure Bill will want to come - what time should he be there?”

”I woulda thought you'da learned by now, girlie - my boy don't take kindly to bein' ordered around. Jus'

like his old man that way.” She sounded somewhat proud of that, although Nik couldn't imagine why.

Conveniently, she heard the front door open just then. ”Say, Bill just walked in. I'll get him for you.” She put the receiver down and hurried to meet him. Despite herself, she was surprised to see that he was sweaty and his face was streaked with dirt. She didn't remember ever seeing him messy or dirty before.”Your mom's on the phone,” she told him. ”She's getting out tomorrow and wants you to pick her up.”

He groaned softly and rolled his eyes. ”I'm not going to be able to move tomorrow - but sure. Find out what time.”

She shook her head. ”Sorry. She wants to talk to you.”

He headed toward the phone, muttering, ”So all this time, it wasn't the booze.”

She went out front to intercept Phillip and the other guys. Luckily, she knew where nearly everything went - into the rooms they'd emptied of Grandma's old furniture by donating it to a couple of local shelters. Bill had been surprised that she didn't mind giving so much away.

He still had no idea how much she was gaining in the process - and she didn't mean the expensive furniture the guys were starting to carry inside.

Bill was the main force in organizing Scott's bachelor party. That role traditionally went to the best man, but Seth was Scott's best man, and any party he organized would be way too lame. Not that Scott was the type for a girl jumping out of a cake, nor even a raucous good time with plenty of booze, but they needed a place where they could relax and not worry about people at the next table complaining about their noise.

They ended up in a private room at one of the local eateries, with a buffet set up for food and a waitress who brought them drinks from the bar. Seth came for a while, but had the grace to leave after eating so the rest of the group, all present or past employees, could enjoy themselves. And enjoy themselves, they did. Even Scott, Mr. Responsibility, loosened up enough to get mildly drunk, something Bill was willing to bet hadn't happened more than a handful of times in his entire life.

Still, the party ended early. By ten-thirty, Bill was taking care of the check and chatting with Larry, a former co- worker he'd often cruised the bars with. Larry wanted to know, ”What's this I hear about you moving in with some woman?”

He shrugged. ”It's true, if that's what you're asking.”

”How come?” Larry demanded. ”She got an extra b.o.o.b or something?”

”You're the one with the breast fetish,” he said, wis.h.i.+ng the guy would give it a rest.

”Coulda fooled me, the way you were all over that blonde, last time I saw you. She had one fine rack on her.”

Yeah, she did, but there'd apparently been no place in that body for a brain. She hadn't been able to keep two thoughts in her head at once. ”Listen, Larry, people change.”

”Yeah, I know,” he said sadly. ”What a waste - although, I have to say I'm not going to mind the lack of compet.i.tion for babes.” He grinned. ”Speaking of which, one of your old girlfriends is out in the bar.”

”Really? Who?” Not that he cared.

Larry shrugged. ”I don't know her name - you were real jealous of her, wouldn't even introduce us. She works in that s.e.xy clothes store at the mall.”

”Tanya's out there? She doesn't usually cruise the bars.” His information was at least six months out ofdate, so he could be way wrong. Nevertheless, she was one of the few women he'd dated that he'd enjoy seeing again. ”Come on. I'll introduce you to her tonight.”

As they left the private room, Larry said, ”If it's all the same to you, the brunette she's with is more my style.”

”Whatever.” Larry could have both of them, as far as Bill was concerned. He'd just stop by their table, say hi, and hit the road. Maybe Nik would still be awake.

Tanya and her friend were definitely the cla.s.s of the bar, but somewhat surprisingly, they were sitting alone. She jumped up as Bill approached their table. ”Bill, sweetie! It's been forever!”

”Hey, Tanya. How're you doing?”

”A lot better now,” she said, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a kiss. She was a great kisser.

”I was just telling Callie that I wished you'd come whisk me away -” She turned slightly back to her friend and slipped a hand into his back pants pocket. ”Wasn't I, Callie?” His arm slipped around her waist of its own accord.

The brunette whose name was apparently Callie nodded. ”It's nice to meet you. Who's your friend?”

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