“I thought you didn’t work here anymore,” India teased.
“I feel like I’ll always work here in a way,” Logan said, looking around. “I met Rory here. I met Candace and Keith, and they’re two of my best friends now. I also kind offoundmyself in this bar, which I realize sounds a little strange, but it’s home to me in a different way than Rory is home to me, you know?”
Logan stood then.
“I’ll help you,” Bryce offered.
“Hey, Dana. Congrats,” Sophie said when Bryce walked off to help Logan with the table.
“Thank you. It means a lot, coming from youandBryce. You’re both the reason this whole thing is happening.”
“That’s all my girlfriend,” Sophie replied, nodding back toward Bryce. “She wrote the thing and made it happen. I’m just here to support her.”
“Sorry about that,” a recognizable voice said, and when Samara walked up to Sophie, Dana realized she’d been right. “My agent needed to ask me something.” Samara tucked her phone into her purse, looked up at the booth, and quickly found Dana’s eyes. “Hi.”
“Hi. What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Um… Bryce invited me. I hope that’s okay,” Samara replied. “If not, I can go. I just–”
“No, it’s totally okay,” Dana interrupted. “Sorry, I was just surprised to see you in my friend’s bar, with my friends here, too.”
“Uh, hello,” Lainey spoke.
“Hello,” Samara said, turning her eyes toward her.
“I’m Dana’s sister, Lainey,” she said, waving at Samara with her free hand.
“Oh, hi. I’ve heard all about you,” Samara replied with an actual smile.
“Youhave?” Lainey asked, looking at Dana now.
“Well, not all, I’m sure, but Dana has mentioned you. And you must be Paige, Lainey’s fiancée.”
Samara nodded to Paige.
“Yes. Nice to meet you,” Paige replied.
“I’m sorry; I’m not sure I know who you two are,” Samara said to Maisie and India.
“I’m Maisie. And this is my girlfriend, India,” Maisie introduced.
“Nice to meet you both,” Samara said and looked back at Dana. “Should we get another booth or something? There aren’t enough seats.”
“I’ve got it,” Bryce replied instead. “Logan and I moved tables together. This is Logan.”
Bryce nodded to the woman standing next to her now.
“Oh, hi,” Samara said.
“And that’s my fiancée, Rory, who doesn’t work here butis helping Candace get us all drinks,” Logan said, motioning to Rory, who was working behind the bar.
“Hi! I’m Rory!” Rory waved.
“Samara,” Samara replied.
Then, she looked around, and Dana wondered what she was thinking. If Dana had to guess, she’d put money on the fact that Samara was thinking about how every woman was here with another woman whom they were either dating or engaged to, with the exception of Dana, who hung out with a lot of lesbians.
“Let’s move,” Lainey said.
