Dave laughed. “To be young and single again.”
“Dude, I’m twenty-seven. Closer to thirty than twenty.”
“Little fucker. You’re a baby. I’m closer to forty, married with two point five kids. I love my wife and kids but I sometimes reminisce about the good ole days when I was like you.”
I considered him a long minute as I took a pull of my beer. I never knew Dave when he was single. I only knew him as a happily married guy with kids.
“Do you ever regret getting married and having kids?”
My parents divorced fifteen years ago and hated each other. I’d been at boarding school at the time, but I still heard about the nastiness during our weekly phone call. They’d fought over money and various vacation homes they jointly owned. My mom didn’t want any part of my father’s Mercedes dealerships or real estate ventures. She just wanted a lot of alimony so she could pursue her acting career.
“Fuck no. April and the kids, they are my world. I only wished I’d met her sooner in my life.”
“Why’s that?” Dave was an interesting man. He was the owner of Dave’s Tiki Bar and respected by everyone. He was also a great listener when I needed someone to talk to.
He bent his elbows on the bar and leveled his gaze to mine. “I was once like you. Surfing, booze, and hot women were my life before April. There are some things you can never change, like taking back all the pussies you dipped your dick into. If I could take it back, I would for April.”
“Some sentimental, sappy shit right there. You saying you regret it?”
“Absolutely regret it. Not all of it. Some of it was pretty fucking gnarly. But when you live in the moment, that’s all it is, a moment. I didn’t think about the future or falling in love because I liked my single life. I enjoyed the variety of women I had. But it was meaningless sex. A fleeting high. Then the right woman came along and showed me what I’d been missing, what forever could look like with her.”
Red’s gorgeous green eyes and irresistible lips flashed in my head. I’d spent several hours with her already, and we hadn’t even had sex. I’d just enjoyed being with her. Shit, it’d only been a little more than an hour since I left her place and I missed her like crazy.
“Deep shit, Dave.” I took a swig of my beer. His wife was awesome and worked in the bar on occasion. They seemed like the perfect couple, both with hearts in their eyes when they looked at each other. It often made me wonder what it would be like to have a good woman in my life. Hell, the love of anyone would be spectacular.
Again, Red entered my mind. I’d caught her green eyes fixed on me a few times. She’d made me feel like I mattered instead of sex on legs. Damn, I felt like a hypocrite. I’d often drooled over women like they were sex on legs too. Strangely, I never treated Red the same way.
“Yes, young Leo, it is. You’ll see. One day your shining star will appear and guide you home.”
“Nah. Not interested.” I was lying; a redheaded siren had already left her mark on me. I was just too damn afraid to admit it to myself or anyone else.
“If you say so, but she’s out there.”
I snorted, lifting my bottle of beer to my lips. Deflection at its finest. Could I have found the one?
“Can I get you anything else?”
“Loaded nachos, heavy on the jalapeños.”
“Coming right up.”
I digested Dave’s words. We were different. What worked for him wouldn’t work for me. Or I thought it wouldn’t. Maybe Red was just the universe’s way of screwing with me.
“Yo, Leo!”
I turned toward my buddy Seth’s voice. He had a woman curled into his side. “What up?”
“Just a little Thursday night fun. Right, sweetheart?”
The woman with brown ombré hair down to her waist smiled and nodded. She was wearing a netted coverup, which hid nothing. Her bikini underneath was orange. If I had to guess, it was a G-string, because that was what Seth always went for.
“You here alone?” He looked around and I stared at his man bun. The dude rocked it and knew it. When we surfed, he’d tie his hair in a ponytail.
“Yeah.”
“Well, there are plenty of gorgeous women to choose from.”
“Naw, man. I’m good.” I furrowed my brow. He knew I didn’t do more than have sex and dash out after the deed was over. So hanging with a woman in the bar was a hard pass for me. Then why the hell had I hung out with Red at the boardwalk? Crap, I was all messed up.