Almost Easy

Liz’s POV

Zack seemed all but thrilled during the move in but I chalked it up to the fact we were signing our mother away to a home in all layman’s terms. The next few days went pretty uneventful, Matt spent some time here and there at the studio, I worked, and then Wednesday night hit and Matt drove up to Big Bear. Nothing told me to check with anyone else to see who all was going so I packed my overnight bag and headed off to Santa Ana to Marie’s house for the weekend of wine drinking and TV watching we had planned. Ok and probably a night out at the club but don’t judge me, it was time to get away and have girl time without worrying about having to get back in time for Jacky to be up for Liddy in the morning.

“Hey babe!” Marie opened the front door to the condo and embraced me in a tight hug, “It’s time to get this weekend on!”

“I’m so damn ready.” I laughed and tossed my bag down at the bottom of the stairs, “Damn the memories in this place.”

“Yeah, right?” She laughed and handed me a pre-poured glass of wine, “Jacky going in to labor here and all..”

“And Levi taking us there.” I laughed as Marie nodded exasperatedly, “Weird, I drove towards the house the other night.”

She choked on her wine, “Levi’s house?”

“Yeah, odd, I don’t know where my mind was.” I shrugged, “So enough of that shit let’s plan this weekend. What are we doing tonight?”

“Kicking it off in downtown LA at a club, then we can recover the rest of the weekend until I have to hand you back to your husband in shambles of the woman you once were.” Marie winked at me, “Ready for this?”

“Oh I was born ready, you do remember I’m a Baker, right?”

“Last time I checked, regardless of that bogus last name, you’re still a Baker at heart.” She winked and we made our way upstairs to get ready for tonight.

:.:.:.:.:

“Oh my god let’s fucking rage!” I laughed as Marie and I downed our fourth shot of tequila, raising our hands in the air and screaming the typical wasted white girl ”WOOOO!”

“Can we get two dirty martinis?” She leaned over the bar, exposing an excessive amount of cleavage to the bartender as he nodded and made our drinks ahead of a few others. Marie smiled and handed him her card to start a tab.

“No,” I grabbed her card and handed mine over, which happened to be Matt’s since mine still hadn’t come in, “I got this, I’m spending the weekend at your house!”

“I can’t argue with a rockstar’s wife!” Marie took my hand as we grabbed our drinks and dragged me to the dance floor, “I’m so happy to have you back again! I was absolutely dying without sane female interaction that didn’t involve staring at our nails for hours just mumbling!”

“Oh hun,” I laughed and began dancing with all my ability to the beat of the house music, “You know I’m always here for the good shit! Also… someone’s got their eyes locked on your ass!” I gestured behind Marie where a guy, who looked our age, was staring at her from the bar. She smiled and kept looking at me.

“Cute?” She asked, I shrugged, “Describe him! Help me out here! I’m not the one who’s married with eternal dick to come home to!”

I internally squashed her comment and laughed it off, “Ok he’s around our age I’m guessing, definitely tall, he’s wearing a hat though so I can’t see his hair. Ugh! He turned around…. Must have known I was grilling him.”

“Lame! Well at least I’m not the only one catching attention.” She gestured with her eyes behind me, I turned and a tall guy with light blond hair smiled at me, nodding a little, I felt my cheeks blush as Marie slapped my left hand, “You sneak! When did you take that off?!”

“I barely ever wear it out.” I shook my head and retracted my ringless hand, “I’m not trying to lose it, and plus… never mind.” I laughed as Marie kept staring at me, “Girls weekend come on!”

“Yeah!” Marie shouted and kept dancing, “Oh shit, oh shit he’s coming over.” She giggled under her breath as my jaw dropped, eyes opening wide as I felt a tap on my arm. I turned to face his bright blue eyes.

“Hey,” He nodded at me, “Can I buy you a drink?”

“Uh…” I glanced at my half gone martini, “I’m good for right now, but thank you though.”

“Alright.” He nodded, “I don’t scare easily though.”

Marie nudge my hip as he winked and walked away from us, back to the table where his group of friends was sitting talking, “Way to turn it down quick.” I could hear Marie behind me as another guy approached us I rolled my eyes, thankfully this time he made his way to Marie not me. I danced beside Marie for a while as they talked, he offered to buy her a drink and disappeared to the bar.

“God it’s nice going out with someone hotter than me because they’re going to fall to me when you swat them down!” She giggled.

“Excuse me, Miss?”

I looked up as a shot girl held a drink to me, “Yes?” I asked.

“This is from the blond hottie over at that table,” She gestured with her head towards blue eyes from earlier, “Said you looked empty now.”

“Thanks.” I smiled and accepted the extra dirty martini. Marie smiled at me and I rolled my eyes, “Ok ok. I’ll go talk to him. But I’m fucking married, stop egging me on.” I took a sip and walked over, leaving Marie to her man that had returned from the bar, “So I guess I have the blond hottie to thank for this?”

“Oh is that what she called me this time?” He laughed, catching my slight eyebrow furrowing, “That’s Tessa, she’s my sister. She always tries to help me out when hot girls turn me down.”

“Oh so you didn’t send me the drink-… hot girls, huh?” I stopped my sentence as he smirked during my realization.

“I sent it over, and yes hot girls. I don’t flirt with anything less…?” He stared at my cleavage with too much obviousness, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“… Elizabeth, my name’s Elizabeth.” I raised my drink a little and he tapped his whiskey glass to it gently.

“Thomas.” He sipped, “So… I’ve never seen you here before and I tend to frequent this place to keep an eye on the little sis, y’know, make sure no one gets handsy.”

I laughed a little, nodding at the thought of Zack being the same way, “I get it, I have an older brother.”

“Shit, he’s not going to jump out from behind someone and beat me up for failing at picking his sister up is he?”

“Smooth,” I laughed a little as did Tom, “No, he’s actually not here, uhm… I’m here with my friend Marie.”

“Oh, well good to know you didn’t solidify my last statement. So… is the flirting working? You haven’t run yet.”

“I’m not a runner.” I smiled and glanced back to make sure Marie was all set on the dance floor before continuing our conversation.