Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love

[Evening]

Around seven in the evening, everyone gathered in the front yard for the barbeque night. The ladies were enjoying their drinks and snacks while the men were busy with the preparations. They were in charge of feeding everyone.

Taking a sip of the martini prepared by Emma and Tina, Elsa moaned, "Damn, this is good."

"You should try the margarita Tina makes someday," Rachael remarked. "It's so good."

"This drink is actually very good," Juliana exclaimed. "I am gonna get so drunk tonight."

"Me too." Elsa took another sip of the strong cocktail. "I can already feel tomorrow's hangover."

"Same," Rachael chuckled.

"Well, at least you three have your men by your side to help you out if you get drunk," Tina remarked. "Juliana and I are all by ourselves."

"Oh you shouldn't worry about that, I am sure Ben and Owen will be more than happy to help you both out," Elsa grinned.

Tina smiled and helplessly shook her head before gulping down her drink and going for the fourth one.

Emma and Rachael gave each other a look. Though she didn't say it out loud, they knew Tina was upset over whatever was going on with Ben.

"Drink as much as you want, Rachael and I are enough to handle you," Emma remarked.

When she placed her hand on Tina's shoulder, she slapped it away. "Don't touch me."

"Come on, you are still mad?" Emma sighed. "It's already been two days. Even Rachael wasn't mad for that long."

"I am curious about one thing though—" Elsa looked at Emma. "Why did you even try to hide it in the first place?"

Emma pinched the space between her brows and frowned, "I don't know. Now when I think about it, it was a very bad idea."

"What was a bad idea?" Juliana inquired.

"Emma is dating my brother but they did not tell anyone," Rachael answered.

"Okay, how did you find out?"

"I ran into them while they were doing it in my brother's office, on the couch," she chuckled.

"Really?" Juliana widened her eyes in shock.

"If I was in Rachael's place, I would have beaten the shit out of her right there," Tina glared at Emma.

"How many days until you forgive me?" When Emma told Tina about her and George, she was very excited at first but later when she learned they had been dating over a month already, she got mad and refused to talk to her anymore.

"Alright now, discuss this later. Let's not ruin the good vibes." Rachael looked at Andrew who was busy grilling the meat. When their eyes met, they smiled at each other.

"Oh God, everyone here knows you love him and he loves you," Elsa remarked.

"He is crazy about you and you are crazy about him," Emma added.

"He is so hot, isn't he?" Rachael sighed and took a sip of her drink. "I will never be enough of this man."

"Girl, how many drinks?" Tina chuckled.

"Fifth one—" She raised her glass. "But seriously, he is so loving and caring. And to top everything up, the man does whatever I tell him. I mean, one look from me and he understands what I want and does exactly the same thing."

"You are lucky," Elsa scoffed. "Justin does listen to me but sometimes he does something incredibly stupid even though I tell him numerous times not to do it because it's fucking stupid."

"Yeah, I can relate to that," Emma nodded. "Goerge is stupid too. You tell him something and he will end up doing the exact opposite. I mean, he doesn't even understand when I give him looks."

"Well, feel lucky that you have someone to give looks too," Juliana chuckled. "There are people who have been single for as long as they can remember."

"When was the last time you dated someone?" Elsa curiously inquired.

"Roughly five years back," she answered. "He was my high school crush. We met again at our school reunion and hit it off. Dated for six months before mutually calling it quits."

"Cute?" When Juliana nodded, Elsa asked, "Cuter than my brother?"

"Well—" Juliana shrugged her shoulders. "Do I even have to answer? Your brother is hot and cute."

"I feel like Owen is more on the hotter side than cute," Rachael remarked.

"That is true," Emma agreed.

Just then Ben arrived with a plate full of the first grilled meat batch. "First grilled meat for the ladies." He kept the plate on the table.

"Thank you Ben."

He smiled and left.

"Before I forget, how are things going on with Ben?" Elsa looked at Tina.

"Nothing," Tina shook her head. "Nothing is going on."

"Why not?" Elsa frowned in disappointment. "I was really rooting for the two of you."

"Well—" Tina shrugged her shoulders. "Apart from the fact that he told me nothing will ever happen, I think there is not even a slim chance."

"I don't think that is true." When everyone looked at her, Juliana said, "I saw the way he was looking at you when you were talking to the hot dude earlier. Trust me, he was literally drilling the guy with his eyes. There is no way that guy doesn't have a thing for you."

"Ben is stupid, he is probably just scared that you will ditch him in the same way his ex did," Elsa remarked.

"Okay, I am already in a mess because of this and this is really not helping," Tina sighed. She was already having a hard time trying to get over the guy and the comments filled with hope weren't helping.

"To be honest, he did ask about you many times when you were away," Rachael added.

"He did?" Tina raised her brows.

"Yes, many times."

"If he really cares that much then why is he always giving me the cold shoulder?" Tina frowned. "Forget the cold shoulder, he told me on my face that nothing could ever happen between us no matter how much we want it."

…..