“You know you’re never gonna’ marry anybody, Travis” Kristin says.

Travis furrows his brow.

“Yeah, dude,” Ian says encouragingly. “Vaquero. You’re a cowboy.”

“No time for dames,” Nick agrees gruffly and then quickly corrects himself to Kristin and Daphne. “Except for you two luscious ladies.” Kristin and Daphne make duh faces.

Travis shakes his head. “I was at a party a couple of months ago, trying to explain to this girl that I was a misogynist—she asks me if I had to go to school for that.”

Nick looks over at Travis, “Speaking of pizza.”

“That wasn’t relevant?”

Dizzy, “Unless you were trying to say that you hate us…”

“No, sorry,” Travis agrees. “It’s the whole marriage thing got me on it—you know, just incompatibility.”

“Actually,” Nick says, “that’s like that girl at that party at Appleby Muse.” Nick elbows Ian.

“Do you remember that?”

Ian just shuts his eyes and shakes his head, somewhat shamefully. He waves the matter off with his hand as Travis laughs in remembrance.

“I mean, Ian totally lambasted this girl. She is just totally playing it up and flirting with Ian…” Nick turns to Ian for a moment, “What was it you said? I can’t even remember now.”

“He said somethin’ like ‘I know you’re just tryin’ ta’ get laid,” Travis offers.

“No. She was just fishing for compliments. I told her that if she was just looking for flattery, she should look elsewhere.”

“That’s like that girl here—Rhonda’s friend Jamie,” Travis starts. “Ian told her that he didn’t expect her to remember him after they’d already met once, but that it didn’t matter anyway because he didn’t want to inflate her already sizable ego.”

Ian laughs and hits the table. He had said that, and he could remember the expression of horror on the girl’s face.

Kristin hits him playfully, her mouth wide open in utter amazement. “You did not say that.”

“He can be a feisty little spic when he wants to be,” Travis adds.

“Eh,” Ian says. “She deserved it.”

“Oh no,” Travis agrees, “That is the beauty of it. She totally deserved it.”

“But you don’t say things like that,” Kristin argues.

“I would never be able to say something like that,” Dizzy agrees.

Ian shrugs though. “I was feelin’ surly.”

“I don’t think I’d ever have the guts,” Travis says.

“I’m gonna’ hire Ian to say somethin’ like that to Vicky.”

“Aren’t you still with her?” Kristin asks.

“No.”

“I haven’t seen her around in a while.”

“Yeah,” Nick answers. “She got an internship.” He shakes his head.

“You didn’t do anything?” Dizzy asks.

Nick shakes his head and shrugs.

In sudden epiphany, Kristin leans over across Ian and asks Nick, “What were you doing with your old girlfriend tonight?”

“I jus’ hadn’t seen her in a while,” Nick says, casual. Too casual.

Kristin nods her head knowingly keeping her eyes on Nick.

“No,” Nick answers. “That’s it.”

“She’s got a new boyfriend,” Travis adds, leering, and Nick takes his turn rolling his eyes in response.

Raising an eyebrow suspiciously, Kristin leans back into her seat and watches Nick.

“Yeah. He’s real interesting.”

“He’s not a bad guy,” Travis argues.

“Eh.”

“Okay,” Travis concedes, “he’s a moron.”

“Are you jealous?” Kristin asks.

Nick looks frustrated for a moment, with Kristin’s line of questioning. “Nooooo,” he says, as though you’d have to be an idiot not to know it.

Kristin raises her eyebrow in suspicion again.

“How long did you go out with Karen?” Ian asks. Nick and Karen had been dating since before Ian knew Nick.

“Two years.”

Ian nods appreciatively. “That’s a while, man.”

“I guess we were the standard bearers for a while.”

“You’re the standard bearer now,” Travis says, pointing at Ian as if to tag him and say you’re it.

Ian doesn’t seem quite comfortable with the notion, and he shifts slightly in his seat.
“Really?”

Travis nods.

“What about John and Rachel?” Ian asks in his defense.

Travis makes a cutting motion at his neck with his forefinger, and Ian, Dizzy and Kristin look surprised.

“When?” Ian asks.

“Earlier today. John left just before you got here.”

“Shit.”

“Fuck,” Nick corrects him.

Ian laughs lightly and then asks, “What happened?”

Travis shrugs. “He didn’t say much. Apparently she is not interested in a long distance relationship.”

Ian looks confused.

“The band’s moving to Atlanta.”

“You’re kidding?”

“No. Fuck,” Nick corrects Ian more emphatically.

“They decided on it this afternoon apparently.”

“When’s he leaving?”

“Sounds like the end of this month.”

Ian nods again and says, “You know, I kinda’ feel like getting out of town.” Dizzy agrees with a silent nod. “Maybe go home for a couple of weeks,” Ian finishes.

“What would you do that for?” Travis asks.

“Eh. I just don’t feel like I’m getting anything done around here. I really wouldn’t mind going home and at least making a few bucks working for my Mom. It’d be relaxing.”

Travis looks around the table. “I guess it’ll just be me then.”

“It’s only for a couple of weeks,” Ian offers. “Actually, you could come with me if you wanted. We could head up to the city for a while. Check out some clubs. You might get a gig in New York!”

“Nah,” Travis says.

“Suit yourself.”

Travis leans back in his seat. “I don’t mind. I got stuff to do do here… I guess.”

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