The Bad Boy Next Door

As the evening came to a close, Jo found herself sitting with Frank on his back porch. "I was surprised to see you come out and join us today."

"Yeah?"

Jo took a sip of her drink. "Yeah. You seem like the type who would hide from something like this."

Frank chuckled. "Normally, I would. But I knew you'd be here, pet."

Jo looked up at him. "You came to see me?"

"Well, yeah. We're friends, aren't we?"

"We are." Jo elbowed him. "You sure you weren't here to see that brunette who lives down the street?"

"Huh?"

"The one you were talking to earlier. She kept touching your arm. All big
with the flirty."

"Anne?"

"I guess that was her name. Tattoo on her arm?"

"Yeah, that's Anne. And no, I wasn't here to talk to her. She's not my type."
Jo took another drink. "That's good. She seemed sorta skanky."

Frank chuckled. "I'm surprised you noticed." He gave her a teasing
smirk. "Were you jealous?"

"Jealous? Ha!" Jo waved her left hand in his face. "Married woman here."

Frank cringed a little at the sight of her rings. He hated Pete Wentz for finding this woman first and marrying her. "Doesn't mean you can't be jealous, kitten. I am a rather attractive bloke after all."

Jo felt suddenly lightheaded and blamed it on the couple of beers she had and not on the way Frank was looking at her. Kitten? That was a new one. And he was right, he was an attractive "bloke." Jo giggled.

"What? Something funny in that? You could seriously wound a man's ego that way, you know."

Jo chuckled. "No, nothing's funny."

"Then why are you laughing?"

"No reason."

Frank pointed to her beer. "Had one too many of those?"

"Nope, I'm good." More giggles.

"Somehow, I don't believe that." Frank took her drink from her.

"Hey!" Jo yelled indignantly. "What was that for?"

"I'm cutting you off."

"You can't do that, you, you meanie!"

"Meanie?" Frank laughed. "Case in point, Jordy."

Jo pouted. "I'm not drunk, I swear. Maybe a little tipsy, but still big with the
clear-headedness." Jo sighed. "I just feel relaxed. Kinda happy. I had a good time today. Got to be around people, and I didn't have to think about how Pete isn't here. Even Mrs. Cranston's little 'don't give into the demon of temptation' speech didn't get me down."

"Her what?"

Oops.