“You guys left the birthday girl to buy her own drinks?”
Blair’s head swivels. “I thought she was right behind us.”
I nod my head toward the bar, where Whit’s nervously fidgeting with her small black crossbody bag as she waits in line. “Don’t worry, I’ve got her.”
I’m already up and weaving through bodies on the sticky bar floor.
“Bet you do,” Denny calls out, voice dulled by the roar of the live band and the buzzing of neon lights.
I sashay up beside her, butting out a biker dude who looks to be in his late fifties. She still hasn’t seen me, so I lean in until my chin’s nearly resting on her shoulder, and say her name over the blaring music. The move makes her tense for a beat, but when she recognizes my voice, everything relaxes with an easy smile sweeping across her face.
“Birthday girls aren’t supposed to buy their own drinks. I know you don’t frequent bars, but that’s kinda common sense. What are you getting?”
“I don’t…” She scans the shelves behind the bar, hand wound tight around her purse strap. “I don’t know. I usually drink wine at home, but that doesn’t really fit the vibe here. What are you having?”
“I’m having water. I bet you’d enjoy sex on the beach.” I shrug one shoulder.
Despite the dim lighting and neon green glow, I can see her cheeks turn a pastel shade to pink. The muscles in her jaw twitch when she looks up at me and swallows.
“There aren’t any beaches around here.”
I wink at her. “I meant the drink.”
There she goes rubbing at that tiny crease in her forehead. “Oh, God.Duh.Um, sure…I’ll try that.”
A minute or so later, Whit’s got a drink in hand, and we’re weaving through the bar patrons back to the booth. My hand naturally finds a home on her back, guiding her ahead of me through the crowd, and it slips away as we approach our friends. To my surprise, Kate and Jackson showed up in the short time we were gone, and Kate must’ve had some drinks on the drive here, because her glassy eyes are jumping hurriedly between Whit and me.
“Hey, guys. Didn’t know you were coming.” I stand off tothe edge, waiting for Whit to slide into her spot, and then I take my spot next to her.Rightnext to her.
“When Austin and Cecily didn’t immediately say no to babysitting, we jumped at the opportunity to have a night out,” Kate says.
Denny shoots a finger gun at both her and Whit. “Kid-free night calls for shots, I think.”
Any occasion calls for shots, where Denny’s concerned.
Nobody has time to disagree before he’s bolting toward the bar, returning shortly after with a tray of shots. The three ladies hesitate, with Blair giving Denny a nasty look when she sniffs the small shot glass in front of her.
“Tequila?Really?” She turns her nose up with a grimace. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you when this ends badly.”
Whit can’t help herself from looking around the bar every thirty seconds. I don’t know what the hell happened previously to have her so afraid of gossip, but I lean in and assure her that nobody in the place knows who she is. And with that, she clinks her shot glass against Kate’s and downs the tequila with a wince.
For a while, we sit around and talk about the ranch, Blair’s broken leg situation, my shitty pickup, and the fat, shirtless man grinding against a life-size cardboard cutout of Daisy Duke in the far corner.
That is, until a couple tequila shots in, when Kate shoves Whit in the shoulder, knocking her into me. “Let’s go dance, Whit.”
“Oh, I don’t know…I’m not really a dancer.” Whit’s nose scrunches adorably.
“Don’t be so modest,” I say under my breath for only her to hear. “You have agreatscuba diver move.”
She glares at me, then quickly scans the room. I know exactly what her hesitation is, and it has nothing to do with whether she enjoys dancing or not.
“Mama, not a soul here knows you, except the people atthis table. Quit worrying so much about what the losers in this bar are going to think.”
“We’re losers in this bar,” she quips.
“Exactly. And you definitely shouldn’t give a single shit what I think. Who am I to judge?”
She smirks. “That’s true. After all, you thought a ‘Show me your Kitties’ shirt was a good choice tonight.”
