“Good job guys,” I nodded as the day drew to a close. “We’re getting better and better each time. More polished, more in sync.”
“We haven’t gone out in a while,” Nathan said. “I say we celebrate.” He made a drinking motion with his hand.
I hesitated. “I don’t really want to deal with a loud, crowded club full of potential fans.”
“I know a place where a rock star can get a quiet drink,” Gael said, faking an innocent look.
“You just want to see your girlfriend in a leather mini-skirt,” Nathan snorted.
“Can you blame me?” Gael grinned.
The rest of us agreed as Seth insisted we call a taxi.
“I don’t want to be the DD tonight,” he said.
“I’ll drive,” Liam offered.
We all piled into Liam’s car. It was a tight fit, but we made it work. I grabbed a seat in the back. Unfortunately, I choose the exact spot where Liam had tilted his rearview mirror. Every time his gaze flicked to the back window, he lingered on me, expression inscrutable.
Gael gave directions, leading us into a shady part of town. Not as shady as where we grew up, but the graffiti, trash on the sidewalk and tough looking groups of young men lingering in storefronts clearly made Liam nervous.
“I didn’t even know there were parts of the city like this,” I heard him mutter. “You sure this is the right way?” he spoke up louder.
Gael nodded. “This place is awesome,” he said. “You’re going to love it.”
Knowing how Liam had been brought up, and knowing exactly what kind of bar we were going to, I very much doubted that.
Still, Liam followed the directions and pulled into a parking lot at the back of a dark building. Gael hopped out and headed to the dented metal back door. He knocked in a rapid pattern and the door soon opened with Jessie in the doorframe.
Gael wolf-whistled and looked her up and down. She wore heavy eye makeup to rival mine and a tight black dress with a hemline several inches above her knee. I could see the fresh-faced young woman behind all that makeup, if I squinted and tilted my head.
“Come on in,” she gestured. “You’re in luck, tonight’s karaoke night.”
I tried not to wince. Karaoke nights could be hit and miss, depending on who got up there to sing.
We walked down a short hallway and turned a corner, finding ourselves in a small little pub with rickety seating and dirty beer mugs left sitting on empty tables.
Liam’s face scrunched up in distaste. “This is where we’re drinking?”
“Of course not,” I said, holding back a smirk. “This is the public bar. We’re going to the special hidden one out back where nobody will bother us.”
“It’s like the VIP section,” Seth said, eavesdropping in on our conversation.
“Thank god,” Liam said, no doubt thinking the VIP section would be a little — or a lot — more upscale.
When Jessie pushed open a door that had a “Washroom Out Of Order” sign on it, his face screwed up with uncertainty again.
When we walked into the “VIP section” he made a choked sound in the back of his throat.
This bar was even sketchier than the one we’d just come from. It was the very definition of a dive bar. Sticky floor, tabletops with suspicious stains, dim lighting, and rough-faced biker types playing pool.
“You’re fucking with me,” he said flatly.
“Nope!” Seth cheered as he bounced over to the bar.
A tall, barrel chested man with a small scar over one eyebrow nodded to Seth as he washed and put away beer mugs.
“What’ll it be this time?” the man said in a gruff voice.
