“Come on Amelia. One drink.”

“For the fourteenth time, no Tracey.”

Trace’s eyes narrow at the beautiful blond woman sitting across the room from him, regal even in her cream silk pajamas, before he purses his lips and bites back the reply that’s burning in his throat. Charlotte bites her lip to hide her smile, tapping her half empty bottle of Bud against the wicker armrest of the patio chair she’s sitting in. After a huge dinner of fried pork chops, mashed potatoes, collard greens and corn on the cob, the “kids” as Justin’s grandmother, Sadie, had put it, had retired to the sun porch just off the kitchen to sit and chat, or more so drink and banter. It was chilly but not freezing, a few space heaters humming around the tight circle of furniture keeping its occupants if not comfortable then warm enough. Justin’s cousin Rachel was laying across the wicker sofa, her legs draped over Trace’s thighs, his arm flung on the back of the sofa, his long legs sprawled out in front of him. Their significant others had left early, Ginger claiming to have to get to work early in the morning, her eyes flitting to Amelia the entire time she rattled off all the things she had to do, and Rachel’s husband, Brad, had offered to let them hangout, taking their sleeping daughter home for the evening. Justin and Amelia sit side by side on the love seat, Amelia’s legs curled beneath her and she leans heavily on Justin, his arm resting easily around her shoulders. Charlotte can’t help but think that to the outside observer they would look comfortable and in love but all she can see is how Amelia is pushed against him so she will have more room on the couch and that his arm is around her because he really doesn’t have room to put it anywhere else.

“Who’s ready for dessert?” Sadie asks, nudging the screen door open with her hip, while holding up plates of steaming cobbler watching her feet as she descends the two steps onto the sun porch.

Justin stands immediately at the scent of warm peaches fills his nose and he’s eight years old at his grandparent’s kitchen table, chewing slowly and listening to his Grandfather’s newest joke. Amelia scoffs, nearly toppling into the empty space now left by his body as he steps forward to take the plates from his grandmother who does her best to suppress her smile. Justin snatches both plates, shoving one into Charlotte’s hands without even really paying attention to who he was handing it to and moving to take his seat again. Amelia eyes his plate disapprovingly as he licks his lips, his fork poised to rip into the flaky crust.

“You’re not going to eat that entire piece are you?” Amelia asks right before the tines of his fork pierce a hunk of peach and he looks over at her, blinking slowly.

“Damn straight I am,” he says before shoveling a huge bite into his mouth nearly moaning at the old familiar taste, not even hearing Amelia’s huff of annoyance.

“Don’t curse…and don’t eat so fast,” she pokes his shoulder receiving a nod from him in return and Charlotte thinks she catches him almost roll his eyes. She smirks. Good to know that not even Amelia can get between Justin and food.

Sadie comes back out with two more plates and moves to hand one to Amelia who holds up her hand and smiles sweetly.

“No, none for me. Justin and I are sharing,” she says, smiling brilliantly and even though Charlotte has seen it before she is momentarily dazzled. Amelia can be incredibly charming from the outside.

Justin’s head snaps up, looking at his fiancé as if he were debating telling her no but his shoulders curl when she raises an eyebrow at him, daring him to challenge her. Come on Justin, Charlotte thinks, just this once…But she sighs, disappointed as he offers Amelia a bite from his fork which she takes, albeit somewhat reluctantly.

“Hey do we have ice cream?” Justin asks moving to shovel more cobbler into his mouth and Amelia places a hand on his arm, giving a slight shake of her head. Charlotte thinks she hears Sadie grit her teeth. “Never mind it’s better this way,” he adds quickly, moving to take another bite but Amelia pokes him in the ribs and the fork stops halfway to his mouth, pursing his lips as he offers it to her instead.

“Okay,” Sadie says with a sigh handing Rachel and Trace the plates in her hands. “We’re headin’ home,” she adds as she pads back over to Justin who looks up at her. “You kids have fun.”

She leans down, cupping Justin’s face as she places a kiss on top of his curly head. Charlotte can’t help but grin at the satisfied smile that plays over Justin’s full lips, clearly enjoying being close to his family again. Sadie pats Amelia on the shoulder warmly and receives a tight smile in return and Charlotte can feel Amelia’s ‘don’t touch me’ vibes from where she sits across the room. Sadie’s eyes turn on Rachel and Trace who are both gobbling up their cobbler as fast as they can, their eyes on each other, trying to force themselves not to laugh. Sadie rolls her eyes, chuckling to herself.

“You two are gonna choke. It’s not a race!”

Just then Trace drops his plate and fork with a clatter to the table, his hands flying in the air as he struggles to swallow the food in his mouth.

“DONE!” he exclaims and Rachel howls in protest, trying to talk with her mouth full.

“’Ooooooo…’ou ‘idn’t e’en ‘inish!” She swallows hard. “You still have some crust right there!”

“I won,” Trace exclaims shimmying a little in his seat and Rachel rolls her eyes, nudging him in the stomach with her foot, scowling playfully at him.

Sadie shakes her head in mock disapproval, turning to Charlotte with a sigh. “Still act like they’re nine years old.” She pats Charlotte on the shoulder, her fingers squeezing affectionately before disappearing back into the house.

Charlotte shrugs her shoulders feeling warm and full. She’s not sure if it’s the food, the alcohol, or the company or maybe a combination of all three but she feels at home. She loves Justin’s joking grandfather and sweet grandmother. She adores his quiet father and doting mother. She loves his dumbass best friend and his smartass cousin. She loves that they accepted her like she was one of the family. She loves that she feels like one of the family.

“I am in need of another drink,” Trace says as he pulls himself up from the couch, Rachel nearly toppling off the side as he lets her legs fall from on top of his. He smirks down at her, snatching her plate. “You want another one?”

“Sure,” she replies with a shrug. “Brad’s on baby duty tonight,” she adds with a satisfied sigh.

“J?” Trace questions, holding out his hand to take his plate from him and Justin hands it over somewhat reluctantly.

“Yeah,” Justin replies, draining the last of his bottle before setting it down on the table.

“You want another one?” Amelia asks quietly, but not quietly enough so that everyone can’t hear.

“Yeah,” he replies, turning his head towards her to muffle the sound and she scoffs.

“You’ve already had two,” Amelia says and Justin sighs.

“We’re on vacation,” he says and then nudges her. “You want some wine or something? I think we’ve got a chardonnay from Grinder’s Switch.” Amelia blinks at him. “That winery near Nashville Mom took us to a few summers ago,” he adds and Amelia shudders.

“No,” she says shaking her head. “I’m fine really.” She forces another smile at Trace who sighs turning to Charlotte.

“Charlotte you want another?” Trace asks and Charlotte hums, her mouth full of cobbler.

“’nyo,” she blushes, putting a hand over her mouth forcing herself to swallow. “No, I’m still working on mine.” Trace smiles, shaking his head as he turns to go back into the kitchen.

“That’s good huh?” Justin asks and Charlotte looks up to find him eyeing her plate. She looks down at it and then at him again.

“Yeah, it really is,” Charlotte replies as Trace shuffles back in, his fingers wrapped around bottle necks, distributing them out. She contemplates offering the rest to Justin and then saying “too bad” when he accepts but she thinks better of it with one glance at Amelia.

“There’s more in there dude,” Trace says flopping back next to Rachel, popping the top off his beer.

Justin hums in thought eyeing the kitchen door. Amelia leans more fully on him as if her body weight would actually keep him in his seat. He wants more cobbler. He’d be lying if he said it wasn’t one of the main things he was looking forward to on this trip. But Amelia has him on this ridiculous training regimen for the wedding. At first he thought his trainer was pissed at him or something but it was only after he’d ran eight miles on the treadmill, upped his weight training by twenty pounds, and practically bent himself into a pretzel that he was told that Amelia had made a call. Amelia always made all the calls. He purses his lips before letting out a sigh and pulling himself to his feet. His knees pop loudly and he winces, Trace chuckling slightly, looking at his friend amused. Amelia huffs annoyed at her fiancé’s blatant disregard to her wishes, folding her arms across her chest.

“Need your cane there old man?” he says grinning cheekily at his friend who gives him a wry smile in return.

“You try dancing every day and night for fifteen years and we’ll see how your knees sound,” he replies as he makes his way to the kitchen door, the screen banging in his wake.

“Yeah yeah we all know what’s coming up in January,” Rachel calls, grinning conspiratorially with Trace and Charlotte looks at them confused. “Justin’s birthday is next month,” she adds to Charlotte who nods, her lips forming a silent “oh” of understanding.

“Shut up!” is the muffled reply from inside the house and Charlotte laughs along with Trace and Rachel.

“Thirty is a big deal, man,” Trace says as Justin descends the stairs back onto the sun porch, a large plate of cobbler in his hand.

“No…no it’s really not,” Justin says with a sigh as he settles down next to Amelia again who is now sitting rigidly in her seat, her arms crossed over her chest.

“You gotta do something. It’s your birthday,” Rachel says, taking a swig of her beer watching Justin shovel cobbler into his mouth and shake his head at her. “You gotta celebrate stuff like that J. Trust me, having a kid makes you realize that milestones are important.”

“I’s ‘ot ah ile’one,” Justin protests and then swallows before repeating. “It’s not a milestone. It’s me being old.”

“You gotta do something. Nice dinner?” Rachel suggests, looking from Trace to Charlotte for approval.

“Maybe drinks afterward,” Trace adds.

“A party.”

Everyone in the room turns in shock towards Amelia who for the first time in several days looks elated. Justin blinks over at her slowly before chuckling lightly to himself, pushing his food around on his plate.

“No babe…no I don’t need a party.”

“Oh come on Justin!” Amelia exclaims patting his forearm. “It’ll be fun. And it’s your birthday.” She grits her teeth. “Rachel and Trace are right. You need to do something special.”

Trace laughs. “What was that Amelia? I didn’t quite hear…something about me being right?”

Amelia ignores him. “We can invite all our friends. We could have it at 583!” She glances at Charlotte. “Write this down-”

“No! No…no!” Justin says as Charlotte looks around for a pen and paper. “583 Park holds like a thousand people. Amelia I really don’t want this to be a big deal,” he says quietly and watches her face fall.

“Why don’t you just have it at your place,” Trace offers and Rachel nods.

“Yeah then just your closest friends,” Rachel adds.

“DUDE!” Trace exclaims and Amelia jumps in surprise, pressing a hand to her chest as Trace reaches across to slap Justin on the arm with the back of his hand. “You could do a theme party! Like remember for your twenty-first you did that white trash theme. With the Twinkie cake!”

Justin grins. “Oh yeeeeeeah that was fun!”

“A…white trash party?” Amelia asks, looking at Justin incredulously and he grins back at her.

“Yeah it was a blast! We could do something like that,” Justin muses, looking up at the ceiling as he thinks.

“No!” Amelia exclaims and everyone turns to look at her.

“A party was your idea Amelia,” Trace responds grinning at her and she narrows her eyes back at him.

“Yes but, Justin,” she turns to sit on her hip, facing him and he looks at her warily as she takes his hand in both of hers. “Darling you already did a,” she swallows hard, “white trash party. You should do something else…be more well rounded.” She pats his hand for emphasis.

“Yeah she’s right I don’t wanna have the same party twice,” Justin says looking back at Trace and then facing forward again, thinking.

“What about toga?” Trace asks and Justin’s face lights up.

“TOGA TOGA TOGA!” They chant together and Amelia cringes as they chuckle.

“I like it,” Justin says. “Toga it is! Happy birthday to me!” He grins as he brings his beer bottle to his lips taking a hearty swig.

“Yes…” Amelia says shifting. “Charlotte, make a note to call the caterers when we get back. And the florist. Oh and we’ll need gift bags-”

“Amelia,” Justin chides and she purses her lips.

“What, it’s a party Justin you’ll need food…and incentive to be there,” Amelia bristles, squaring her shoulders as she searches for her blackberry. “I need to write this down. Charlotte-”

“Shouldn’t the incentive be that it’s my birthday and my friends want to celebrate it with me?” Justin asks incredulously as he brings his beer to his lips again and Amelia blinks at him.

“Well of course but people expect things when they come to parties,” Amelia replies looking at him.

“Yeah some cake and for him to be there,” Trace replies. “Oh and alcohol.” He winks cheekily taking a swig from his beer and Justin laughs.

“Are you laughing?” Amelia asks Justin who coughs, pulling his face into a serious expression.

“No. No of course not,” he replies seriously but he catches Trace’s eye and coughs out another laugh.

Amelia narrows her eyes. “Do you think this is a joke? I’m trying to do something nice for your birthday-”

“No, of course not babe I-”

“You know you’re no fun at all when you drink,” she snaps and Trace has to cover his mouth with his hand to muffle his laughter. Charlotte and Rachel both look at their laps. “I think I’m going to bed,” Amelia says standing and Justin sighs, unmoving taking another deep swig of his beer. “Are you coming?”

“It’s eleven o’clock,” Justin replies blinking at her slowly and she presses her lips into a thin line of irritation before turning her heel and stomping back into the house.

“Way to stand up for yourself there J,” Trace mocks and Justin cuts his eyes at him, sipping his beer.

“She’ll get over it,” Justin replies with a shrug, all the while thinking back to where his mother keeps the extra blankets incase he had to sleep on the couch.

“I especially liked ‘It’s eleven o’clock,’” Trace sniggers and Charlotte ducks her head further down wishing for Trace to just shut up.

“What!” Justin exclaims, his ears turning pink. “It is!”

“Yeah it is as opposed to ‘I don’t want to yet, Amelia.’” Trace rolls his eyes and chuckles bringing his beer to his lips. “Take off your purse and grow a set, dude.”

Justin scowls, draining the last of his beer, pulling himself to his feet and Charlotte has had enough. It’s bad enough that he has to take it from Amelia but he didn’t need a running commentary from his best friend too. She brings her bottle to her lips, draining the last of her beer before dangling the bottle in the air.

“I’ll take another one Justin if you’re going in,” she says and he nods silently, taking the bottle from her. She takes a deep breath before adding, “And none of that pansy ass light shit Trace is drinking.”

All movement stops and everyone turns to look at Trace who has stopped with his beer halfway to his lips, looking at her wide eyed over the rim of his bottle. Rachel coughs out a laugh, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth quickly to muffle the sound and Justin grins slowly, crossing his arms over his chest regarding Trace with a raised eyebrow. Trace blinks slowly before chuckling and shaking his head.

“I like you,” he says, jabbing a finger at her and she grins back at him. “I like this girl,” he says to Rachel who just laughs, nodding in agreement. “Yeah J don’t bring me anymore of this – what was it?” he asks looking at Charlotte.

“Pansy ass light shit,” Justin provides for him with a snigger as he climbs the stairs to the house. “Don’t worry I got ya’ll covered,” he adds as the screen door bangs shut behind him and Charlotte can’t help but grin at the southern drawl in his voice.

***

“And then…” Trace says through gasping laughter, trying to raise his voice over Rachel’s coughing cackle and Charlotte’s wheezing for breath as her stomach cramps with laughter. “Then he fuckin’ got cracked in the head with a goddamn water bottle. Some fuckin’ concert.”

“Oh yeah it was just fucking HILARIOUS,” Justin replies, his voice dripping with sarcasm but he ruins it by giggling. He turns his glassy eyed gaze to Charlotte, who’s wiping her eyes, crying from laughing so hard. “One of the biggest crowds I ever played and they fucking hated me.”

“Because you were in the line up with the fucking Rolling Stones and AC/DC and shit,” Trace says, waving his glass and Jack and Coke sloshes onto the carpet. “Whoops,” he says giggling as he rubs the spot with his shoe, receiving a chorus of giggles from everyone around him. “Pishure…Picshure” he frowns trying to form the word correctly. He shakes his head. “Envision it,” he says grinning drunkenly and they all giggle. “The Rolling Stones. The Who. AC/DC…and Justin fucking Timberlake.”

They all burst into giggles Justin nearly rolling off the loveseat and onto the floor with the force of it. Charlotte brings her glass to her lips again, nearly dumping half of the contents down her front but catching most of it as it dribbles down her chin, sucking her bottom lip into her mouth noisily, receiving a giggle from Rachel in return. She’s really really drunk. Charlotte hasn’t been this drunk since college. God, college was fun. She remembers doing things like this with her friends on Friday nights. John and Lakyn and Tim and Evie and her all laid across the futons in her dorm room at NYU just drinking themselves silly and laughing until the wee hours of the morning.

“I think I should change my name to that,” Justin drawls slowly, tipping his head back to try and look at Trace without getting up but only really succeeds in making blood rush to his head. “Justin FUCKING Timberlake.” He giggles.

“Doin’ a lot of fuckin these days huh J?” Trace teases and Rachel makes a face, taking a hearty gulp from her drink.

“Please Amelia’s an ice princess,” Rachel replies with a snigger. “Her thighs are probably frozen together.”

Trace lets out a booming laugh and so does Charlotte. Justin scowls before chuckling a little himself.

“His dick would probably freeze off,” Charlotte slurs and then slaps a hand over her mouth trying to stop the words but it’s too late.

Everyone’s eyes widen before they all burst into laughter, Trace sliding off the sofa and onto the floor as he holds his stomach gasping for air. Even Justin lets out a nervous chuckle, raising his glass to her before taking a big gulp from it.

“I fucking love you Charlie,” Trace says and Justin’s head snaps up, narrowing his eyes at his best friend.

“Fuck you only I get to call her that,” Justin snaps, sniggering as he takes another gulp of his drink.

“Fuck you,” Trace spats quickly before looking at Charlotte blearily. “Seriously you’re awesome. We should get married or some shit.”

Charlotte giggles. “Oh…well since you proposed so romantically...”

“She’s not gonna marry you asshole,” Justin says, smacking Trace’s shoulder hard and Charlotte giggles.

“What I could!” she exclaims bringing her glass to her lips and then stops. “Well there’s Ginger…”

“Oh yeah,” Trace says and then grins stupidly. “Ginger…RAWR”

“You’re such a pig,” Rachel chuckles, slapping him on the arm.

“You’re just jealous,” Trace smirks wiggling his eyebrows at her. “I always knew you had a thing for me.”

They all burst out laughing except for Trace who looks around offended, exclaiming “What?” before dissolving into laughter himself.

“Fuck all of you,” he says finally, reaching onto the table for the near empty bottle of Jack Daniels, knocking it over with a loud clank of glass falling on glass.

“Stop you stupid ass,” Rachel exclaims, slapping his hand away and picking up the bottle and unscrewing the cap. “You’re gonna fuckin’ break shit.”

“I’m not breakin nothing,” Trace scoffs, watching as Rachel refills his glass, the amber liquid splashing over the ice cubes. “Where’s the soda?”

“We drank it all,” Justin replies with a giggle as he holds his glass above his head, watching the light splinter off the cubes of ice and the brownish gold mixture in his glass.

“Well I guess I’ll just have to drink it straight then,” Trace replies with a lazy grin as he takes a sip, smacking his lips. “It’s better that way anyway.”

“You’re gonna hate yourself in the morning,” Charlotte says with a giggle and Trace smirks at her.

“Not if I wake up next to you darlin’” he drawls and wiggles his eyebrows, sending Charlotte and Rachel both into peals of laughter.

“I told you already mother fucker she’s too good for you,” Justin says, cutting his eyes at his best friend and Charlotte stops laughing her eyes meeting his across the room and he grins widely at her.

“She is not!” Trace exclaims, clanking his glass down on the table hard and Rachel laughs loudly, reaching out to close her hands around Trace’s on his glass to muffle the sound, shushing him but it comes out more of a slur than anything else. “She likes me,” Trace adds grinning cheekily and Charlotte laughs, shaking her hair out sexily and giving him a coy wink which causes them all to dissolve into fits of laughter.

“Charlie doesn’t fuck elves dude,” Justin says finally and the room explodes in a chorus of “ooooooh’s” as Trace scowls up at his best friend.

“Hey the pc term is vertically challenged dick wad,” Trace replies turning his nose in the air and they all snigger. “And what do you know about fuckin anyway?”

Justin scoffs. “I’ve fucked plenty of women.”

A different chorus of “oooooh’s” follows his statement. “Oh really,” Charlotte can’t help but saying, her brain hazy with alcohol. She wouldn’t mind knowing what it was like-

“Most outrageous place you’ve done it,” Trace exclaims and they all look from one person to the other, grinning at the challenge in his words. “Rachel,” he says, turning to her and her eyes widen.

“Fuck Trace I don’t know,” she replies, brushing her dark hair back from her face and Trace shakes his head.

“No, no Mom we know you were wild back in the day. All that touring with Justin…” Trace smirks at her and Justin cringes throwing his arm over his eyes.

“I don’t wanna hear this,” he says, his voice muffled by his arm.

“The hottub at the Marriot,” Rachel says, waving her drink at Trace for punctuation and Justin groans.

“Didn’t wanna know that.”

“In Phoenix Arizona,” Rachel adds with a giggle and Justin’s arm flies from his face, nearly rolling off the loveseat as he tries to roll onto his stomach to look at her.

“That weird bleach blond guy?” he asks, his eyes squinted at her incredulously and she nods.

“His name was…” she frowns thinking. “Fuck what was his name?”

“Oh god. Raaaaacheeeeeeel,” Justin says burying his face in his arms as the others burst out laughing.

“That’s what he said,” Charlotte says giggling and they’re laughing returns full force.

“J,” Trace says, gulping down more of his drink. “You?”

“Me?” Justin asks, resting his chin on his hand and Trace nods.

“Most outrageous place you’ve fucked someone,” Trace replies snapping his fingers. “Come on grandpa stick with us here.”

“Fuck you,” Justin says pointing at him with his glass and then chuckles. “I dunno where’s the most outrageous place you’ve ever done it? Your hobbit hole?”

They all snigger and Trace just smiles wryly. “Driving through the Lincoln Tunnel,” he says proudly and everyone stops laughing just blinking at him.

“How?” Rachel asks, her face scrunching as she tries to wrap her head around what he just said.

“When?” Justin asks before Trace can answer, his face expressing the same confusion as his cousin’s.

“During your last tour and-”

“On the tour bus,” Justin, Rachel and Trace say together and Trace grins nodding.

“You sick bastard,” Rachel chuckles and Trace smirks at her.

“Justin? Come on man…try and outdo that one,” Trace challenges and Justin sighs, screwing up his face in thought then he grins slyly.

“Three words,” he says, holding up three fingers and looking from Trace to Rachel and finally to Charlotte, smiling at the way her green eyes dance even though they’re hazy from the alcohol, the way he has her full attention. The way her bottom lip is pulled between her teeth in anticipation of his answer.

“Yes?” Rachel asks with a giggle and he looks around, shaking his head, suddenly remembering where they are and what they’re doing.

He clears his throat, pulling his shoulders back again as he says, “Madison. Square. Garden.”

The other three blink at him in awe and he smiles, satisfied as he drains the last of his glass, smacking his lips, wishing there was more.

“Not…not…” Rachel says, not even daring to finish as she eyes Justin incredulously and he grins cheekily at her.

“On stage? Yeah,” he grins wiggling his glass and enjoying the sound the ice makes. “It was like four hours before the show. No one was around.”

“Okay you fucking win dude,” Trace says raising his hands in the air in concession. “You fuckin’ bastard.”

“No wait,” Justin says, his head turning slowly and he grins at Charlotte who has her head tipped back, trying to coax a piece of ice into her mouth from the bottom of her glass. She tilts her head forward, looking at them all slightly bewildered.

“Wha’?” she asks, the ice cube in her mouth inhibiting her speech and Justin grins.

“Most outrageous place you’ve head sex, Charlie,” Justin says smirking at her triumphantly, his stomach curling in anticipation of her answer. “And don’t say in the weather van because I’ll know you’re lying.” He chuckles to himself.

“Oh I dunno,” Charlotte says, giggling as she looks down into her glass, crunching the ice cube between her teeth and the other occupants of the room hoop and holler in protest.

“You gotta say,” Trace says banging his hand on the table and they all shush him, giggling to themselves.

“You gotta,” Rachel says nodding and Charlotte purses her lips.

“Okay…” she takes a deep breath. “Washington Square Park.”

Rachel and Trace both burst out laughing and Justin’s eyes look like they’re going to explode from his head. Charlotte covers her face with her hands, feeling slightly embarrassed but not near as much as she would had she been sober. She was having fun. She could divulge some information and it wasn’t like they had sticks up their asses like Amelia or something. They were just having a good time. And she had to admit the look on Justin’s face was priceless.

“Washington Square Park?” Justin asks, slightly flabbergasted. His Charlie…who knew?

“Did you do it on a bench or something?” Rachel asks with a giggle and Charlotte shakes her head.

“Against the arch,” she says and they all cheer, laughing and goading her, causing her to blush again.

“That’s kinky Char,” Trace says and then nods approvingly, picking up the bottle of Jack and motioning her forward. She holds out her glass for him to fill. Why not? Like Justin said, they were on vacation. “I like it,” he winks cheekily at her and she wiggles her eyebrows at him in return. They all giggle. “Favorite position?” Trace exclaims and they all groan.

“What the fuck is this, Trace, twenty questions?” Rachel asks, shaking her head as she reaches for the bottle and tips some more into her own glass.

“Yeah,” Trace replies sipping from his glass. “The dirty twenty questions.” He chuckles at his own joke. He elbows Rachel in the ribs. “Favorite position?”

“Oh I don’t know,” Rachel replies, leaning against him, her eyelids drooping as she stifles a yawn with the back of her hand.

Trace scowls at her as she rests her head on his shoulder. “Justin?” he asks, trying to shrug her off him and she punches him in the arm.

Justin smirks. “Oh I dunno,” he says as he rolls onto his back, folding his arms behind his head Trace and Charlotte snigger.

“Yeah you can’t even remember,” Trace says sniggering and Rachel giggles, her eyes cracking open to glance at Justin who scowls. “It’s been too long huh?”

“I like hittin it from the back,” Justin spats and Charlotte covers her mouth to mask her sharp in take of breath at his statement. He screws up his face in contemplation. “Girl-on-top is nice too,” he adds as an afterthought, gripping the air over his groin and rolling his hips up in a way that makes Charlotte blush and look away. He chuckles to himself, reaching a hand over his head towards Trace and his best friend gives him a high five the best he can in his drunken state.

“I’m a from-the-back man myself,” Trace says, swirling the whiskey in his glass before downing it and Justin chuckles.

“Yeah it has a tendency to go better for you when they can’t see you,” Rachel deadpans and they all burst into giggles again, Trace scowling.

“Yeah yeah. Charlotte!” He exclaims and Charlotte jumps, nearly spilling her drink all over herself. “Your turn…favorite position?”

“Well it depends,” Charlotte replies, giggling as she brings her glass to her lips and the boys let out a low “ooooooo” in response.

“Depends on what?” Justin asks, his eyes dancing as he stares at her, licking his lips involuntarily.

He likes the way her hair is curling softly over her shoulders, how her brown locks frame her face, drawing less attention to the roundness but he likes it. He likes how she’s all soft curves and warm smiles. He likes the sound of her laugh and the little dimple she has in her right cheek that’s only visible when her smile is at its widest. He likes the little freckle just over her left eyebrow. He shakes his head trying to clear it. Maybe he’s had too much to drink.

“Yeah depends on what?” Trace asks smarmily and Charlotte gives him a devilish smile.

“Depends on how big your dick is,” she says and Justin relishes in the shiver that shakes through his body. “Because if you have a small dick my favorite position is with another mother fucker.”

The entire room erupts in laughter and Charlotte curls her knees to her chest, burying her face in her arms that are crossed atop them. She feels her face burning and wonders what on earth has come over her. She is well aware of her tendency to stick her foot in her mouth but that was a little much. She lifts her face, peeking carefully at Justin who is wiping his face, still chuckling slightly to himself. She sighs. They’re just goofing around. It feels good to be able to joke and play. This is the best night she’s had in awhile.

“Justin?”

Everyone freezes, except for Justin who scrambles into a sitting position, trying to pull his face into a stoic, easy expression. Amelia’s face peeks out the screen door and peers at all of them, her eyes slightly bleary from sleep. Charlotte keeps her eyes on the floor, forcing her brain to focus, doing her very best not to move.

“Yeah?” Justin says, his voice deeper than usual in his attempt to sound sober and Trace makes the strangled snorting sound of someone trying to keep their mouth closed while laughing.

Amelia narrows her eyes. “Are you coming to bed? It’s late,” she says, her eyes moving from one face to the other.

“Yeah…yeah sure I’ll be up in a sex,” his eyes widen and Trace and Rachel completely lose it, leaning on each other as they laugh. Charlotte crushes one hand in the other, biting her lip hard to keep the laughter at bay. “I mean…sec…sorry.”

“You’re drunk,” Amelia says with a disapproving sigh and Justin purses his lips.

“Fuckin’ hammered,” Trace giggles and Rachel shushes him drunkenly, avoiding Amelia’s gaze.

“Of course,” Amelia says with a sigh. “How could I expect any less when you hang out with…” she trails as her steely gaze falls on Trace, “him.”

“What’s wrong with me?” Trace asks a hard edge to his voice and even Justin isn’t drunk enough to not see that this could end badly.

“Nothin’ man,” Justin says patting him on the shoulder as he pulls himself up from the love seat, wobbling only slightly. “I’ll be up in a minute babe. I’m just gonna get Rachel and Trace settled in the living room.”

Amelia rolls her eyes and turns on her heel, letting the screen door slam behind her. Charlotte cringes, everything suddenly coming more sharply into focus and her brain clears for the first time in hours.  The fun is over.

“Why do you do that?” Trace asks, squinting his eyes at Justin as he tries to pull him to his feet.

“What?” Justin grunts, hoisting Trace up and his friend leans heavily against him, looking at him blearily.

“Let her do that!” Trace exclaims, tripping over his own feet as Justin tries to maneuver him around the table.

“Let her do what?” Justin asks with a sigh and then glances at Rachel. “Ray you think you could help here?”

“Sure,” she slurs, trying to pull herself to her own feet but stumbles, sliding back down again. “erm….”

“I got it,” Charlotte says, standing and the entire room spins but she somehow manages to stay upright, stumbling over to Trace, slipping his other arm over her shoulders.

“You know ezzacly what,” Trace spats as they step carefully up the stairs. “You jus’ let her…walk all over you!”

Trace stumbles and all of them nearly fall to the kitchen tile, something that only moments ago would have made them scream with laughter but now nothing seems funny anymore. Justin keeps his head down, trying to focus all his energy into his muscles to carry his best friend into the living room, saying a silent prayer that his drunken ramble ends. But it doesn’t.

“She jus’ took over your life dude,” Trace whines, his feet dragging and Justin wills him to move faster. “She’s like a fucking black hole.”

“Come on, Trace you’re drunk,” Charlotte says softly, her nails digging into his ribs and he wriggles in their arms.

“Did he tell you he missed my granddad’s funeral?” Trace slurs and Justin feels his face burn, his stomach churning. He feels he could be sick and it’s not from the alcohol. “That man was like my fucking father, J and all you did was send fuckin’ flowers.” Trace turns to Charlotte. “He never would have done that before. He would have been right fucking there with me. It’s all fucking her.”

“Shut up, Trace,” Charlotte snaps, her tone firm as they drop him onto the couch. “You’re drunk you don’t know what you’re saying.”

Justin takes a step back, watching as Trace lays down blearily pulling one of his mother’s throw pillows under his head, his legs hanging off the side of the couch and he looks as if he’s just fallen over while sitting. Regret tastes bitter in the back of his throat and he wishes for the millionth time he would have been there for his friend. He should have been there. He opens his mouth to say as much but Trace’s eyes sink closed and he’s dozing off within seconds, his anger forgotten as the alcohol pulls him into sleep.

Charlotte reaches for the blanket on the back of the couch and covers him awkwardly, her eyes flitting to Justin who looks as if he’s been slapped. She turns to him, placing a hand on his chest her green eyes crashing into his and she pats him gently, trying to soothe the ache in his chest and he marvels that she even knows it’s there. His hand comes up and covers hers sighing and Charlotte can smell the whiskey on his breath. Somewhere in her brain she knows she should step back, that this is dangerous given her earlier revelation but she can’t help but relish the warmth of his palm over the back of her hand, the roughness of his fingertips against her knuckles. His thumb rubs over the back of her hand and she knows she should step back. And he knows he should let go but they don’t. They just stand and stare up into each other’s hazy eyes, waiting…waiting for something to snap them together or snap them apart.

“Hey!”

They jump, springing apart like opposite ends of a magnet and turn to see Rachel looking at them blearily from the doorway. She leans heavily on the doorframe and grins at them sleepily before trudging into the room, falling onto the couch next to Trace. She pulls the blanket off of him and around herself and Trace grunts in his sleep, reaching for it but Rachel slaps at his hand, curling up behind him and laying against him.

Justin and Charlotte watch them for a moment, their brains too slow and drunk to really do much else. They look at each other after a moment and that feeling is back, the tightness in her chest, the racing of his heart and the feeling of waiting, as if something were supposed to happen but wasn’t.

“JUSTIN!”

They both jump, stepping farther away from each other as Amelia’s voice rings down the stairwell, shattering the moment and Justin turns towards the doorway, trudging out into the foyer. Charlotte wonders what exactly she was waiting for.