Jake coughs into his fist. “Oh mygod.”
“Should we intervene?” Charlie murmurs.
“Absolutely not,” Tamara says. “I want to see how far this goes.”
Betty strolls over to the bar like she’s been coming here for years, drops her bag onto a stool, and leans in. “What’s your name, handsome?”
Gary doesn’t blink. “Gary.”
“Mmm. Figures.”
“I make the rules in here.”
“Oh, good. Ilovemen with control issues.”
“Sweet hell,” Eli mutters. “I need stronger liquor.”
Chase nearly chokes on his drink. “She’s gonna break him.”
Zoe’s grinning wide. “He’s already broken. Look at his ears—they’repink.”
Lulu finally reaches the table, and I loop a finger through her jeans, tugging her onto my lap. She laughs quietly as she settles in, one hand finding the back of my neck, fingertips stroking gently.
“Hi Pookie.”
I kiss her temple. “You’re late.”
“Was making an entrance.”
“You always do.”
She hums, leans in, and presses a kiss just below my ear, letting it linger softly. “You good now?”
I nod, clearing my throat, my arm tightening around her. “Better.”
She smiles against my skin. Just the smallest breath of warmth, the kind of smile I feel all the way through—quiet and sure and fucking mine.
My hand slides slowly up her back, under the hem of her top, until my palm settles between her shoulder blades. She sinks into it without hesitation, like she knows exactly where she fits. With me.
“Do youmind?” Eli mutters. “Some of us are trying to eat.”
“Let them have their moment, man,” Chase says, practically lounging. “It’s true love. You saw the ring. Youheardabout the rock sex.”
Jake groans again. “Please never sayrock sexout loud ever again.”
Lulu turns back to the table like none of it fazes her, casually steals a fry, and plucks a beer from in front of Zoe. Her gaze catches back on the scene at the bar. “Should we be concerned?”
“I think we’re witnessing the start of a natural disaster,” I say. “Named Betty.”
At the bar, Gary’s pouring her a whiskey on the house. She clinks her glass against his without breaking eye contact.
This cannot possibly end well, but we’re drawn back to the table when Zoe claps her hands.
“Okay. The time has officially come. You’re getting nicknamed.”
Lulu lights up. “Oh God, yes. Let’s go.”
“I don’t want one,” I say immediately. “We don’t need a couple nickname.”
