"That's okay because we're your best friends, and we'll never judge you, but we're not going to let you just drink yourself to death." Dude, I might b... drunk now, but I'm not a drunk. I'm not about to get behind the wheel of a car, call James up or do anything else stupid, I'm just, you know?"He nodded and smooched my cheek. After that, Eric came to me and did the same. I couldn't help, but grin at them, and they did the same. No one said a word, but they stayed on their knees with their hands. Of all four, getting on the wrong side of John was theworst because he never quit. To him winning the fight was a matter ofhonor. It justified his worth as a person. He would do whatever ittook to win and that made him the most dangerous out of the four.I stepped up to the group. "I see you all made it," I said in a cheerymanner. All the boys looked at me in a quizzical fashion since none ofthe boys had planned to be here nor did they know why they had come herein the first place. "Well. Is there anything..."Lisa looked up to the beautiful woman standing over her."Would... would you stay with me... here, tonight?" Of course. Just a moment."Marianne was gone but a moment, then returned. "I told my partner I would be staying with you tonight. He's staying at a motel a couple of miles away." Thanks. I know it's silly but..." Not at all. I can sleep on the couch and..." You don't need to do that. You can sleep in Kimmie's bed." I'm not sure that would be best right now." Why don't. But at least it established who I am.At this point in time, I’m not sure of her reaction – having just met her, and being nervous as hell, my reading of her emotions isn’t exactly worthy of a circus fortuneteller act. But so far, I haven’t crashed and burned yet – I must still be on my 20 seconds.Putting some money on the table to pay for her drink, I take a firm hold of her arm to lead her to the car, and as she walks with me, I don’t dare to look at her directly for fear that I’d lose my.