Best Man...with Benefits

In the dawn light he seemed like a shadow, this man who had shared her bed and brought her so much pleasure. They’d gone through all three condoms and each time she’d thought nothing could ever feel as good. And then the next time it had been even better.

She realized that, from the time she’d opened her eyes long after midnight to find him naked beside her, until now, they hadn’t exchanged one word.

As though feeling her gaze on him, he looked over at her, his Irish blue eyes questioning.

“What happened last night...?” he began in a husky voice that petered out as though he had no idea how to finish the sentence.

“Nothing happened last night,” she said. And as the words came out of her mouth she understood that was exactly the way they needed to play this.

Somehow he’d ended up in her room and she recalled the expression on his face when he’d realized he was in her bed. He’d looked as shocked as she’d felt. She strongly suspected their night together had been orchestrated by the frat boys.

The best way to spoil their juvenile fun was to let them think their schoolboy antics had failed.

Nothing about last night had been a prank, or a joke.

It had been a sexual fantasy come true. If the man who’d rocked her world answered to anything other than Jackson Monaghan, she could imagine hoping this was the beginning of something.

But the man was Jackson Monaghan.

“Nothing. Happened.” She repeated the words, knowing he understood exactly what she was saying.

To her relief, he nodded, and after opening the door carefully and glancing up and down the hallway, he sent her a wave, and was gone.

4

LAUREN SHOWERED, DID her hair and makeup with more care than usual and then dressed in the outfit she’d brought with her, knowing that she’d be seeing most of the wedding party and quite a few of the guests at breakfast.

There was no formal meal, but since checkout was at eleven, she imagined most of the guests would wander in and out before then.

She walked into the restaurant where the hotel served breakfast. She’d agreed to meet Amy’s parents here for breakfast and she had a feeling that Amy and Seth would make an appearance, too. Then they’d be heading off the island and driving to LA for their evening flight to Italy, where they were spending their honeymoon.

Amy’s parents were giving her a lift back to the mainland, where she’d left her car.

She quelled the cowardly impulse to hide in her room until ten fifty-five and then dash down to drop her key at the front desk and claim her ride with Amy’s folks. But, she told her reflection in the mirror as she swiped a confident berry shade on her lips, that might give Jackson the idea that he’d rocked her world or something and that she was too shy to face him this morning.

That thought was enough to get her out the door with her head held high.

When she got to the restaurant it was all very unexciting. No gales of laughter or crude jokes from the frat boys greeted her. Not one of them had made it down yet. She suspected hangovers to be the cause and was only too happy to be spared.

A swift glance told her that Jackson wasn’t here, either, so she was able to relax and join Amy’s parents, who welcomed her with big smiles and a hug from June, Amy’s mom, who was very much a second mother to Lauren.

Looking at June was like looking into the future and seeing how Amy would look in a quarter of a century. June was still an attractive woman who dressed well and never let a week go by without a trip to the hairdresser. Amy struggled with her weight, and with June you got the feeling that she’d given up the fight years ago.

“Thank you, Lauren, for doing such a fabulous job yesterday. You were the perfect maid of honor. You know we’ve always thought of you as a second daughter.”

June got a little misty-eyed, which of course made Lauren get misty, too. “I feel like part of your family, too. It was a lovely wedding.”

“It was. I was just saying to Ted that I can’t wait to see the photographs. I think we got some good ones yesterday.”

They settled at the table for eight, which Ted had grabbed, hoping Amy and Seth would join them as well as Seth’s parents.

“Did you sleep well, dear?” June asked as she poured coffee for Lauren from the big carafe on the table. They’d known each other so long she didn’t have to ask.

The more appropriate question would’ve been, “Did you sleep at all?” But because she tried never to lie if she could help it, she answered with a truth. “I never spent a better night.”

“That’s good. The beds are so comfortable that I’m going to find out where they get them and think about ordering one for home. Ted usually wakes up with a sore back, but you didn’t this morning, did you, darling?”

“No. Only sore feet from dancing so much last night.”

“Try it in high heels,” his wife murmured.

Their waitress came by for their breakfast order, but they decided to wait a few minutes to see if anyone else would show.

“And when you see your daughter, for God’s sake don’t ask her how she slept,” Ted said to his wife.

“But I always ask—” Then her expression changed as she realized what he was referring to. “Yes, of course not. Their wedding night.” She leaned across the table to Lauren. “Sometimes I can be tactless. I never mean to be, I simply say things without thinking them through. Ted gets embarrassed by me.”

“She’s known you for twenty years, June. I think she’s noticed.”

Lauren hadn’t had enough sleep to be able to come up with the right response so she sipped her coffee and hoped Amy and Seth would show up soon.

Seth’s parents arrived next. Natalie and Lance. Lance, like Seth, had been a college football star in his day. He’d worked at the family real estate firm, married a pretty girl from a good family and lived a country-club lifestyle. His son was well on the road to being exactly like him.

As the two sets of parents settled at the same table, she was conscious of how careful they were around each other. Clearly, they were all trying to get along.

“The wedding was absolutely perfect, June,” Natalie gushed. “I can’t remember a lovelier wedding. Exactly what we would have chosen if we had a daughter.”

“And Amy’s a great girl,” Lance added. “Great girl.”

“We couldn’t be happier to welcome Seth to our family,” June countered. Ted made a noncommittal sound that could have meant anything. Lauren was fairly certain that he was having trouble accepting that his little girl was all grown up now and had another man in her life.

While they drank coffee, the first frat boy staggered in. Behind him was the rest of the sorry crew.

Ted eyed them in distaste. “I’ll be lucky if last night’s bar tab doesn’t ruin me.”

“Oh, Ted,” his wife said. “We’ve got plenty of money. And they certainly look well punished this morning. Good morning, boys,” she called out.

“Morning,” they all mumbled. Those who weren’t up to mumbling nodded.

“Breakfast?” the cheerful hostess asked them.

“Coffee,” Willy groaned.

She saw Willy and a couple of other guys glance at her curiously, then at the empty seats on either side of her. She said, “Good morning,” and went back to her coffee.

As they were being seated at a table close by, Jackson strode in.

His timing couldn’t be worse, for now they had an audience of people to witness them seeing each other for the first time since he’d left her room at six this morning.

His hair was wet and he was wearing sweats. He’d clearly been working out in the hotel pool or the gym or somewhere. Compared to the frat boys, Jackson was a poster boy for clean living. If she hadn’t known absolutely, positively that he hadn’t slept all night, she never would have believed it from looking at him. His blue eyes were clear and bright, and he carried himself with energy.

He greeted everyone generally. His gaze skimmed over her and she willed every cell in her body to stay calm and not to even think about making her blush.

She did not want to feel fluttery. Jackson was an entitled twit who was completely full of himself and did everything he could to make himself a chick magnet. She’d always prided herself on being immune to him.

Now, thanks to a stupid prank, she’d ended up naked in bed with the man and nature had taken its course. Maybe if they hadn’t been at a luxurious hotel and alcohol had not been consumed and they hadn’t found themselves all but naked in the same bed, nature would have left them well enough alone.

However, what had happened, had happened. She had no regrets. If anything, last night had reminded her that she was a woman who really liked sex and that she’d gone way too long without it.

Why, it had been rather nice of Jackson to come along and give her such a thoroughly satisfying wake-up call to her own needs. Now she could go on with her life and meet someone who would not only give her great sex but also wouldn’t make her want to gag with his annoying personality.

She knew that, hungover as they were, the frat boys were still watching her and Jackson closely.

It gave her immense satisfaction to see that Jackson looked and acted exactly the same as he always did. And, to her relief, she could tell that she neither blushed nor squirmed.

Good thing they couldn’t see inside her, where everything was aflutter. So long as the frat boys didn’t check her pulse, they’d never know how successful their little trick had been.

“How are the heads this morning, boys?” Jackson asked, giving Rip a good-natured slug on the arm.

“The shooters may have been a mistake,” a chubby guy named Chad admitted.

Seth walked in at that moment, followed by a faintly blushing Amy. The distraction was exactly what Lauren needed. Now all eyes were on the newlyweds.

“Morning, everybody,” Seth said, looking heavy eyed and pleased with himself.

Jackson was preparing to sit with the frat boys, but Seth stopped him. “Come on, bro, keep the wedding party together one last time.”

Lauren felt his hesitation. He wanted to sit at the same table with her as much as she wanted him there. Which was to say, she’d rather go out front and eat sand right off the beach.

But with Ted and June, plus Natalie and Lance, joining in, encouraging him to sit with them, there wasn’t much he could do. “Sure,” he said. “Thanks.”

There were seats on either side of Lauren, and one in the corner beside Ted.

He squeezed past June and Ted and took the empty seat that was as far from Lauren as he could get.

Oh, she could do better than that. With a big smile, she said, “I don’t want to split up the bride and groom. I’ll move so you two can sit together.” And she moved in the opposite direction to Jackson, taking the seat as far away from him as the table allowed.

Amy settled herself beside Lauren, and as Seth made to join them, he glanced at his school buddies and said, “Toilet paper in the bridal suite? Really, guys?”

“At least one of our pranks worked,” Rip muttered, too hungover to keep his voice down.

Her gaze went immediately to Jackson, who glanced at her at the same moment. His face never changed expression, but he sent her the ghost of a wink.

While Seth, with his excellent manners, thanked both sets of parents for the fantastic wedding, Amy leaned in to Lauren and in a very low voice said, “That was the best night of my whole life.”

She looked so blissed out that Lauren couldn’t help smiling. “It’s not like it was your first time,” she reminded her best friend.

“I know, but being married made it so much more special. Every time he touched me, I thought, ‘This is my husband,’ and when he kissed me and looked right into my eyes I felt like he was looking into my soul.”

As happy as she was for her friend, Lauren experienced a pang of worry. Amy sounded almost too happy. She’d always been such a romantic that Lauren feared she was going to be disappointed when the real world intruded on her fantasy.

Then she mentally smacked herself. She was cynical about marriage for a lot of reasons that had nothing to do with Amy or with marriage. She should be happy that Amy was the kind of person who believed that perfect love existed. Maybe she’d even been lucky enough to find it.

So, Lauren put away her cynicism for a minute and squeezed Amy’s hand. “I am really happy for you.”

“I hope one day you find a man like Seth. I really do.”

She smiled, but knew that a man like Seth would never do for her. He was a nice guy, in his way, but, like Amy, he’d never been tested by life. He’d grown up rich, healthy and sheltered. He didn’t seem like a person who thought deep thoughts or had big dreams. He’d work in his family’s business, as he’d been born and bred to do, and he and Amy would have a few kids and join the right country club. She hoped they’d continue to be as happy as they were today, or at least manage to enjoy the future that she could see rolling ahead like a movie of the week she’d already seen.

“You were such a beautiful bride,” she said, because she’d rather talk about Amy’s wedding than the likelihood that she would ever end up with someone like Seth.

“You were such a great maid of honor. You’re the sister I never had.”

“I don’t know how I got so lucky,” she replied.

It was true. The odds that she and Amy would have ended up best friends were insanely low. She’d only met Amy because after her parents divorced, her mom had rented a former pool house on the property next door to Amy’s parents.

Since they were the same age, they’d played together all summer and in the fall, when she’d started school, Amy had already been her best friend.

Lauren’s mom worked long hours as a nurse and Amy’s mom, wonderful woman that she was, had opened her home and her arms to the lonely child. She’d often gone over to Amy’s after school and had so many sleepovers at her friend’s place that she’d started leaving extra clothes and a toothbrush over there.

Her mom had done her best, but she’d always been tired from work and bitter over the divorce. She’d been only too happy to let someone else help rear her only child.

Lauren’s dad had married again soon after the divorce and she’d overheard more than one telephone argument between her parents as her mom complained that he didn’t take Lauren often enough.

As her father went on to have a second family, she’d seen less and less of him. The pain had softened, but she knew herself well enough to know that she would always bear the emotional scars.

Her mother had remarried not too long ago, to a radiologist she’d met at work. Her mom finally had the big house she’d always wanted and she’d cut her work hours way back. They tried to be close, she and her mom, but deep down she knew it was an effort for both of them.

“Excited about the honeymoon?” she asked.

“I can’t wait. Remember when you and I went to Venice? I always thought it was the most romantic place in the world. I picture us eating wonderful food, and seeing all the sights. And having fantastic sex every single night.” She shivered. “I love being married.”

Lauren had decided on eggs Benedict for breakfast, but when the waitress took their order, to her annoyance, Jackson ordered eggs Benedict. She decided to change her order to something else, then mentally chided herself. If she wanted eggs Benny, then that was what she’d order. So she did. Like Jackson, she also ordered freshly squeezed orange juice. Because she wanted it.

After breakfast, she packed up, freshened up once more and then headed down with her travel case. She dropped off her key and was waiting in the main foyer for Amy’s parents when Jackson came toward her with his own overnighter. She knew the second he caught sight of her. His steps faltered and she could see him debating whether to duck off into one of the hallways or face being alone with her.

After an infinitesimal pause, he continued toward her.

She was pretty sure that, in his shoes, she’d have ducked down another hallway.

When he got close to her, she saw that he had a newspaper tucked under his arm and a take-out coffee. He stood close but not too close. Nodded.

She checked her watch. Eleven on the dot. Where the hell was everyone?

“Well, we got through it okay,” he said.

“Yes. We did.”

She did not want to have a conversation with this man. She wanted to be far away from his annoying presence and the hot, hot memories it evoked.

He clearly felt the same. He moved a step away and flipped open his newspaper.

Not to be outdone, she pulled out her cell phone and checked her email.

Not that there was much email on a Sunday. She had an invitation to submit a piece to a curated exhibit, which was flattering. A note from a supplier that the copper oxide she’d ordered was going to be delayed, which didn’t please her at all.

Since she didn’t want anyone thinking she was the kind of loser who got only two work-related emails on a summer weekend, she took her time replying to both of them. By the time she was finished, Amy and Seth had arrived with both sets of parents in tow.

Amy and Seth were driving their own car and heading to the airport. Seth’s folks were driving back to their home, and she was riding with June and Ted to their house where she’d left her car.

Since they were all heading to the same ferry back to the mainland, they saved the hugs and final goodbyes.

The Ruehls’ Lincoln pulled up in front and the valet attendant flipped the trunk and helped load their luggage.

“Jackson,” June Ruehl said, “can we offer you a lift back to the city?”

“No, thanks, June,” he said. “I’m catching a ride back with Willy.”

“All right, dear. We’ll see you soon.”

When they were all settled in the car, Lauren in the backseat, June gazed out the window at Jackson, who was throwing his case in the back of Willy’s Mustang. “That Jackson is such a lovely young man,” June said. “I wish he could find a nice girl.”

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