Page 134 of Rescuing Mary

The song was “The Time (Dirty Bit),” and she and Rayne had danced to it time and time again over the years. It had such an awesome beat, it was almost impossible not to get up and dance. Not to mention, it reminded them of the movie Dirty Dancing, which, even though another old classic, was still one of their favorites.

“I’ve had the time of my life!” Rayne sang at the top of her lungs, pointing at Mary. Then she threw the shot back and pulled at her friend’s hand. “Come on! Let’s dance!”

“Go on, I’ll be right there,” Mary assured her. She downed her own shot and watched with humor as Rayne went to the dance floor and began gyrating and shaking her ass. Mary saw several young women and men rolling their eyes at the “old woman” dancing, but didn’t give a shit.

She hoped in another twenty-five years, she and Rayne were still doing shots and dancing their ass off on the dance floor. The hell with what anyone else thought. She and Rayne had been through a lot of shit in their lives. This was them. They weren’t going to change now, and didn’t feel one ounce of regret for being who they were.

Mary plunked the empty shot glass on the bar and hurried out to join her best friend in the world. As they danced, laughing and embracing life, and ignoring the stares from the much younger clientele, Mary couldn’t help but think about her life.

She’d had a horrible mother, and had learned at a young age not to trust anyone, especially men. But then she’d met Rayne, and learned that there were good people out there. Then through her best friend, she’d met Truck. The man who’d changed her entire life. Thinking about her husband made Mary smile once again.

Her man.

He made her crazy and pissed her off all the time.

But he also went out of his way to make sure she knew how much he loved her, and to make her happy. He’d helped raise their two children to be amazing human beings, and Mary felt content in the knowledge they wouldn’t have the same issues she’d had when trying to find a life partner.

At the end of the song, Rayne pulled Mary into an intense embrace. The two women hugged each other long after a new song started. Finally, Rayne pulled away and looked Mary in the eyes. “We did good, didn’t we?”

Mary smiled. “We sure did.”

“You ready to go?”

“Fuck yeah.”

“Let’s go get us some,” Rayne said.

Mary laughed. “You’re gonna be hungover tomorrow for your flight.”

Rayne merely shrugged. “Don’t care. I’m having fun with my best friend. I’ve got one of the hottest men on the planet in my bed. And we’re happy and healthy. What else could I ask for?”

Mary simply shrugged. “Nothing.”

“Exactly.”

“Now call your man and tell him to get here to pick your ass up,” Rayne ordered.

Mary did as ordered, even as Rayne made her own call to Ghost.

They stood outside the bar, under the watchful eye of the bartender, while they waited for their husbands to pick them up.

“Mary?”

“Yeah, Rayne?”

“Thanks for not dying.”

Mary didn’t laugh. She knew Rayne was completely serious. “You’re welcome.”

The two friends linked their arms together and settled back against the side of the bar to wait for their men to arrive…and their beautiful lives to continue.

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