Wingmen - Chapter 6

Vanessa and Darren consider themselves expert matchmakers. Now, they're taking on their hardest challenge yet: finding the perfect match for each other.

This story is currently in flight! If you haven’t caught up, check the Wingmen archive here for previous chapters:

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“Hae!” Daphne cried. Vanessa had begun turn around as soon as she saw the look on Daph’s face. Her two friends collided in a hug and she joined them a second later. They did the usual “I haven’t seen you in forevers” and “how are yous” while they made their way to their room.

“So,” Daphne said, drawing out the word. “Let’s see it.” She gestured at Hae’s left hand. Hae obliged.

“And how is Double-O?” Vanessa asked. Double-O was actually a Triple O: Omar Oscar Oakes. He insisted that he was Double-O against all other arguments. If Omar wasn’t too beautiful to be denied, and he certainly was beautiful, his easy-going kindness made you feel bad if you didn’t do as he asked.

“He’s great, said to tell you both ‘hi,’” Hae replied. She had started dating him right as she and Vanessa were finishing up law school. All the girls in their clique loved Double-O immediately. He was quiet and gentle and actually listened when you spoke to him. He had an athletic physique because hip-hop dance was a hobby of his. He was a graphic designer by day, but had moonlighted in a few dance productions here and there.

Hae-Lee held up her phone. “Look at the tattoo he got.” The photo showed Omar’s back, and there in black on his chocolate-colored skin, was Hae-Lee’s name written, she explained, in her native Korean.

Daphne shook her head and uttered a phrase she often used when they discussed Hae’s now-husband. “He’s truly a unicorn.” Then, as she usually did, she added, “you bitch.”

Hae shrugged but not without making a bratty self-satisfied face. You loved to see your friends be adored, but still. Why’d it have to be so hard?

Vanessa redirected her envy, “The wedding photos were so gorgeous.” Double-O’s mom was Puerto Rican and insisted her son would get married at the church she attended in San Juan. The ceremony had been a very small affair.

Hae thanked her. “I’m sorry you guys couldn’t come,” she said. Her wedding party had been limited to just her sisters. “But yes, I absolutely loved the beaches there.” Hae usually got uncomfortable when she had too much of the spotlight and she’d reached her limit. “Speaking of,” she pivoted to face Daphne. “Costa Rica?”

While Daphne recounted her adventures at the turtle sanctuary, the server brought them their margaritas and Vanessa looked through her song options.

“To Hae-Lee Kang and her unicorn,” Daphne toasted.

“Kang-Oakes,” Ness corrected.

“You bitch!” The three of them chorused as their glasses clinked.

“I’ve been so busy,” Hae began. “Are you guys seeing anyone?”

Vanessa affected a teasing voice. “Daph is!”

Daphne rolled her eyes. “I went on one date with Ness’s friend.”

“And! She has another lined up,” Vanessa added.

Hae batted her lashes. “Ooh la la. Promising then?”

Daphne glanced at Vanessa and smiled. “I like what I see so far. He’s nice and not an idiot. Well, as far as men go, you know.” The women laughed.

“Tell me more,” Hae prompted after taking a sip. To Vanessa she said, “Hurry up, I wanna sing.”

“Well his name’s Darren and—“ Daphne began.

Hae cut her off. “Wait, your Darren?” She pointed at Ness. “Are you in an open relationship or something?”

Vanessa blinked. “What? No. We’re just friends.” She took a drink herself. “He’s perfect for Daph. He sat thru the Dante lecture.”

Hae spread her hands. “That’s actually super interesting.” Daph started to get smug but mischief danced at the edges of Hae’s expression. “That he listened to it, that is.”

Daphne’s expression fell. “You know what? You’re both Philistines.”

Hae raised a hand in apology. “You’re right. I’m teasing. Of course he listened, he hasn’t slept with you yet.” Her smile curved a little wickedly. “Or has he?”

“A,” Daph said haughtily, “screw you. And B, no he hasn’t.”

Hae turned back to Ness. “I’m surprised you haven’t. You hang out with him all the time right?”

Vanessa snorted. “We don’t have that kind of relationship. We’re buds!”

Hae blew out a breath. “Oh please. He’s a guy! All you have to do is—“

“Will you stop!” Ness interrupted. “He’s seeing Daphne!”

Hae surrendered. “Okay, okay, sorry. Will you pick a song?”

Vanessa stared at the list. “I’m getting there.”

“Do…Walkin’ on Sunshine,” Hae suggested. “Everyone loves that one.”

“I’m not drunk enough for that,” Vanessa said.

“I’ll do it, you coward,” Daphne teased. Vanessa relaxed. She hated breaking the ice at karaoke, but Daphne was burdened by neither fear nor shame.

As Daphne got set up Hae-Lee leaned over and murmured, “Sorry, I saw your post the other day on Instagram and thought you and Darren were like….” She gestured to finish her sentence.

Vanessa shook her head. “It’s fine. He’s just my best friend.” She smiled, hoping to have to stop explaining this tonight and possibly forever. “It’s why I set him up with my other best friend.”

Hae returned the smile. “That’s lovely, Ness.” Hae had the tact to not add, “I married my best friend.” She and Ness settled in and cheered along with Daphne’s passable rendition of Katrina and the Waves.

Hae went next and insisted on starting with Jewel despite hearty protest from the other two that Jewel was too melancholy. She sang the hell out of it, as expected. The thing about Hae-Lee is she was imminently underestimatable. She was only slightly bigger than a Barbie doll and generally meek…until she got into a courtroom. Or on a stage. Vanessa thought Hae had the chops to make a serious music career, but Hae always shrugged off such praise.

After much hemming and hawing over her choice, Vanessa finally chose the Ramones as her opener.

A few hours later, the women started to run out of steam as they suffered the effects of several margaritas. Most of the songs were interrupted by raucous giggles as the edges of the lyrics were slurred and the singers’ swaying had little to do with the music.

Daph and Vanessa had both tapped out and when Hae slumped into her seat after a great Adele cover, it was clear she was done too. “You wanna know how to keep a man?” She asked, her cheeks tinged with pink and her gaze a little glassy.

“Blowjobs?” Daphne blurted and giggled in shock at herself.

Hae had been holding up a finger to make a pronouncement, and instead of being astonished herself, she pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Not a bad idea,” she conceded. Vanessa found this funnier than it was and realized it was time to go home. “But no,” Hae continued. “Ya just gotta encourage ‘em a little bit, ya know? Just a tiny bit of praise and they eat out of your hand.”

Daphne nodded like this was a major revelation. “Is that how you bagged Double-O Seven?”

Hae-lee grinned impishly. “I think he bagged me.”

“Yeah he did!” Daphne added a lewd growl to her cheer. Hae didn’t even pretend to be coy this time.

Vanessa could see the wheels turning behind Hae’s eyes. “We need to get Nessie laid,” she said, forgetting that Vanessa hated sharing a nickname with the Loch Ness monster.

Daphne used the same tone she had just used. “Yeah we do!”

“Nessie needs to go home,” Vanessa said, forgetting that she hated sharing a nickname with the Loch Ness monster. “I have a date later this week, actually.”

“Whattda hell?” Daphne said.

“Yeah way to bury the lede,” Hae agreed. “With who?”

Vanessa shrugged. “Darren set me up with one of his friends.”

Hae chuckled. “The plot thickens. You guys set each other up. How cute. Is he hot?”

“Yeah, he’s pretty good looking. A doctor or something. We haven’t spoken much, but I’m…intrigued.”

“Ooh, intrigued,” Hae said, giggling at herself.

“All right,” Vanessa said, partly and irrationally annoyed at having to be an adult. “I think we should all go home.”

The other two booed, but it was half-hearted. They, too, were old enough to know better.

“What if we got pancakes?” Daphne suggested suddenly.

“Ooh, I’m in. Let me just tell Oh-Oh.” Hae-Lee pulled out her phone and began texting.

Vanessa held up a hand and shook her head. “I’m good. You two have fun, though.”

“When did you get old?” Hae griped without looking up from her phone.

Vanessa snorted. “In about twelve hours I want you to text me that you don’t have a headache and that you feel great and it can’t be a lie.”

Hae stuck out her tongue. Ness blew her a kiss.

Daph didn’t push, which Vanessa took as a sign that her friend didn’t have the energy to argue. Or maybe, she had bitten off more than she could chew and didn’t want to admit it. “There’s that all night diner a couple blocks away.”

Vanessa was going to offer to order them a ride but Hae had already set one up at Omar’s insistence. Good man. Instead she ordered one for herself.

The three of then ambled outside, bickering at each other about their song choices and comparing it to other karaoke outings. Daph and Hae’s ride got there first.

Vanessa waved as the got in. “I’ll text when I get home,” she promised.

“Sure you don’t want to come?” Hae asked. For a second Ness considered capitulating and going, but a part of her needed to decompress.

“Next time,” she said, and she wondered if she would hold herself to her word if there was a next time. The haggard driver ignored his passengers as they blew melodramatic kisses out of the windows.