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and Chance was standing at the end of the table. I wasn’t sure what the circumstances were of their breakup, but I wondered if he was going to try to get back together with her. If he was, then the odds would be in his favor. It wasn’t at all uncommon for couples our age to break up and get back together multiple times.
    She was looking at him, laughing. I sat silently assessing my options. If he was trying to get back together with her, then I would only have a small window of opportunity. Not that I wouldn’t go for her anyway, but it would be easier before she became his official girlfriend.
    My mind told me to turn away. Dara wasn’t the kind of girl that I needed. Chance laid his hand on her shoulder, and I forced my eyes to Mike’s face.
    “Have you asked her out yet?” he asked.
    “Is she with me?” I shot back, toggling between being angry that I hadn’t asked her and being glad that I didn’t.
    Mike grinned. “She could’ve turned you down.”
    “Yeah, and you could’ve been voted Homecoming Queen.”
    “If it matters that much to you, then why don’t you go ask her now?” he asked, turning in the booth to glance her way.
    “No.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because you were right. She’s not my type.”
    The front door opened, and Jess walked in. She wore a shiny, silver tank top with a black miniskirt and silver, beaded high heels. Her jet black hair hung in long, wavy curls. She was voluptuous, and many heads turned as she made her way down the aisle to our booth.
    She sat beside me and planted a kiss on my cheek. “Hey, baby,” she cooed as she took the napkin and wiped her lipstick from my face.
    “Hey, Jess.” I put my arm around her shoulders and hugged her to me. Jess and I had been dating for the last few months, but never exclusively. We both liked our freedom, and that was what made our relationship so perfect. Neither of us was clingy. We liked keeping our options open.
    “You want something to eat?” I asked her. She wasn’t extraordinarily beautiful, but she knew how to dress to get a guy’s blood pumping.
    “No, I’m not hungry,” she replied. She looked across the table at Mike. “Hey, Mikey.”
    “Hey,” he said, nodding his head to her in greeting.
    “So what do you guys want to do tonight?” she asked. “Are you on your bike, Mikey?”
    “I am. It’s much too nice of a night to be in a car.”
    “So why don’t you pick up a girl and we’ll all go riding? You do have your extra helmet with you, don’t you?” she asked.
    “You know I always have an extra helmet with me.” Mike looked around the room. “So should I just pick one, chuck her over my shoulder, and tie her on the back of my bike?”
    “Mikey,” Jess purred. “You’re so shy. It’s really cute.”
    “What’s cute about it?” I asked. “He’s going to die a virgin because he doesn’t have the balls to look a girl in the eyes.”
    “Heck, Stone. It’s not like I’ve never been on a date.”
    I laughed. I could tell I had gotten under his skin.
    “I’ll be right back,” Jess said softly.
    I had no idea where she was going or what she was doing. I was as shocked as Mike when she walked up to the table where Dara sat. Chance was gone, and it was now Jess standing at the end of the table, talking to the three girls at the booth.
    I couldn’t hear what she was saying, but she was smiling and motioning with her hands. Then, she pointed at our booth.
    I was even more shocked when one of the Cruze twins got up and followed Jess back to our booth. “Mikey, you remember Crimson Cruze from school, don’t you?”
    Crimson smiled. “Hey, Mike.” She waved.
    “Hi, Crimson.”
    Jessie motioned to me. “And this is Stone Hamilton.”
    “Crimson.” I nodded my head in greeting, and she waved.
    Jess continued, “Crimson’s going to ride with us. So let’s go, guys.”
    Mike picked up his check and paid it on the way out. I glanced at Dara as I made my way to the door. Since her back was to