Everything & More (Book 1 in the E.C.N Series)

Chapter 24-Martha

The smooth tequila burned going down, "Aaah, that's exactly what I needed." I slammed the shot glass on the bar along with Lori and Ryan. They started chuckling looking at my face.

"Another round?" Lori looked at me with her eyebrows raised as she drum rolled on the bar waiting for my response. I immediately nodded as she bounced up and down and ordered it.

"Remember no more than five." Ryan had a playful stern look on his face. Every time we went out, I wasn't allowed to have more than five shots of tequila.

Lori turned from ordering, giving us a confused face, "What is up with that anyway?"

I looked at Ryan sheepishly not wanting to tell the story. He sighed and gave Lori his attention as he explained. "Back when she was in undergrad I would visit her from time to time or vice versa and we would go out. Martha's drink of choice was tequila, obviously nothing has changed. So one night, we were doing shots back to back and she was on her fifth one. I warned her not to take another one but she didn't listen and well lets just say the custodian asked us to never come back after she wrecked their floor."

Lori's eyes were wide and her jaw was on the floor, "My Martha was a wild child!"

"No! I wasn't!" I said immediately.

"Either way now the rule is, when it comes to tequila no more than five." Ryan stated.

Lori leaned against her side and raised a brow up at him, "You don't think she can handle it."

"Not without vomiting" He scoffed back.

"Want to put that to the test?" I heard it in Lori's voice she wanted to make a bet though I didn't appreciate that it was involving me.

My face was in disbelief as I waved my hands around making sure I was still visible, "I'm standing right here."

"It's up to her, but you'll be the one holding her hair back at the end of the night." Ryan took a sip of a drink he had to the side pointing to Lori.

She eyed him for a second before looking at me, "You are proving him wrong tonight."

"I don't know." I was apprehensive about the possibility of going overboard. Hard liquor was something I would never have alone anymore. It was part of me getting myself together. Lori's pleading eyes to let loose a little was killing me and pushed me over the edge. "Ugghh fine."

"Yes!" She jumped up and then raised her voice to the bartender that was down the bar, "Keep the shots coming over here!"

I turned away not wanting to be a part of the unwanted attention Lori tends to bring to herself. Ryan was leaning against the bar already staring at me. "What?"

"So what happened outside on the porch?" His tone was soft, remembering what took place just a few hours before made me not want to look his way. I didn't want him to see the pain that was still there.

"Oh yea, what exactly happened?" Lori states, leaning face front against the bar.

I rolled my eyes, "Oh please, when I came back, you," pointing to Lori, "practically had your face plastered to the window."

"I told her not to do it." Ryan looked at Lori shaking his head.

Her face looked like a child being caught doing something they shouldn't be doing, "Whaat? I couldn't help it."

Ryan hand gently cupped my elbow gaining my attention, he raised his eyebrows slightly, urging for me to continue. I sighed, "It was those flowers he brought."

"Yea I noticed, why did he bring those? You hate Primroses, you think their name's a knock off of real roses." I couldn't help but be taken aback by how much Ryan remembered about me.

"You remembered?"

"Of course," He held my gaze, "I remember everything about you." Warmth and a bit of nervousness is what I felt in my chest as I continued to look up at Ryan. A small smile touched our lips.

"Okay!" Lori announced her presence loudly and broke us out of it. I stepped back from him ever so slightly as Lori lined up more shots for us to drink, "These will be number three!" Lori looked at me and looked a little confused at my state. I felt a bit flustered but I just smiled and picked up the shot. "So what's wrong with Primroses?"

"Those are her favorites." I said looking down at the shot in my hand. No one said anything, so when I was ready to clink our shot glasses together they both looked frozen in their place. Lori's mouth was practically on the floor and Ryan looked like he was about to murder someone with that dark look in his eyes and how his jaw was set tight. I was afraid the shot glass in his grip would break. "Guys, please." I begged, I wanted to move on. I knew I would have to deal with it later just not right now.

~~~~~~

We were all laughing about something as we left the club and entered the cab. After learning that Jonathan brought the wrong flowers Lori was hell bent on making me forget. With all the drinks I had I wouldn't be surprised if I found out that Lori invented peer pressure. She was currently on the left hand side behind the driver staring out the window saying how pretty the lights were. While Ryan was in the middle with my legs over his lap. I leaned my back on my side of the window as he spoke to me.

"That was definitely more than five shots." Ryan was waving a finger in my face playfully acting disappointed.

"I am n-not even d-drunk yet *hic*" I giggled realizing I most certainly am drunk. Ryan chuckled, shaking his head and rubbing his hand up and down my shin as we continued to talk.

~~~~~~

Soon the cab reached my house and we all stumbled out, not before I argued with Ryan about wanting to pay. He won. Walking up the pathway I started regretting my 4" heels as I tripped over the curb and landed on my butt in the grass.

Fuck that hurt. "Ow," I said as I turned a bit to rub my butt.

Lori came scurrying over. Thinking she was going to help me I put my hand out for her to take. Instead she snatched my purse and ran to open the door, "That bitch." I mumbled but realized I wasn't alone when Ryan was standing over me almost in tears laughing at my disbelief. Failing at trying to seem upset a smile broke onto my face and we were both laughing.

Ryan cleared his throat and bit down on his bottom lip to stop himself from laughing any further. "Here let me help you," he said, taking both my hands and pulling me to my feet. I was way more confident than I should have been because I let go of Ryan's hand too quickly, thinking I was balanced. I closed my eyes waiting for the impact of the ground when a large pair of hands found their way around my waist, grabbing me fast and pulling me forward. I was secured in his arms but felt the wind knock out of me with all the fast movement. He had a firm grip on my hips and I was still looking at his chest trying to catch my breath. When I looked up, Ryan's eyes were closed and his brows furrowed.

"Hey you okay?" I asked, taking a step back but his grip just tightened like he never wanted to let go.

Instinctively my hands went up and rested on his shoulders. Opening his eyes, Ryan's royal blues were slightly darker than before. Though it wasn't anger. He swallowed hard and removed his hands, stuffing them in his pockets. "Yea I'm fine." He nodded his head towards the house, "Come on, let's get inside."