Did I have a drag strip of lipstick on my teeth? This was just going from dire to disaster. “What,” I questioned, my fingers wiping automatically across my mouth.
His eyes locked with mine with a softness that landed on my heart like a feather. “Nothing, you just have a beautiful laugh.”
He just stared at me, and I stared right back for a moment too long not to be awkward, and yet nowhere near long enough. A woman nearby shrieked with laughter, bringing me back to the room.
I cleared my throat. “Would you like a drink?”
A single nod. “Whiskey, thank you.”
Not “Now get me a drink, will you, sweetheart?” Gone was any trace of the arrogance I’d seen last week. It was as if the Karson before me was a different man.
I poured the whiskey, aware of his gaze still on my face, and placed it on the counter. “It’s on the house.”
His lips hooked up in the corner, and I longed to see him smile again. “You must have a very generous boss.”
“Shelley seems nice, but the other guy I’m not sure of yet. I’m still working him out,” I teased.
This amused him, I think. It was hard to tell. “I’ll be at the bar if you need me.” His tone had changed again to something more serious—calm and comforting.
I nodded and went to serve an impatient brunette drumming her fingers on the bar.
“It’s about time,” she snapped.
“Sorry, what can I get you?”
“Champagne, two glasses!”
No “Thank you,” no “Please.” I would’ve liked to have poured those glasses over her head. But instead I smiled, albeit through slightly gritted teeth. I handed the drinks to the impatient brunette and watched Karson out of the corner of my eye as he strode toward the end of the bar.
“Fifteen dollars, thank you.”
She yanked open her purse, all but threw the money on the bar, gave me one last dirty look, and went back to a waiting friend. I hoped she choked on the champagne.
Despite their noise over the next few hours, the group of security men were reasonably well behaved. Clint was efficient at his job and kept taking the drinks up to them, keeping them away from the bar.
“Hey, Aims.” I looked up to see BJ at the bar, smiling widely. Georgie and Jodie appeared through the crowd like dolls being directed in the grasp of a child’s hands.
Georgie clasped the bar with both hands like it was stopping her from teetering over. Her eyes were bloodshot, and the pupils bobbled around in her head like a buoy on water. “Are you going to the annual ball on Saturday night?”
The smell of weed rolled up my nose. BJ had mentioned the ball last week. I hated wearing dresses as much as I hated formal functions.
I screwed up my face. “I don’t think so. I don’t have anything to wear.”
“Oh, Amy, come on, it’ll be fun,” she wheedled. “There’s drinking and dancing, and I can take you shopping on Monday. Plus, it’s for a good cause. They raise money for underprivileged students.” She batted her eyelashes dramatically.
“I’m not a guy, and those eyes don’t work on me, Georgie.”
“Please, I know you don’t have to work.”
“Come on, Aims. It will be sooo much fun,” Jodie slurred.
BJ was nodding in agreement and grinning stupidly.
I did have the night off. Apparently everyone went to the party that night, and they only needed a skeleton crew. I could choose between sitting at home alone or going. I wondered if Karson would be going. I couldn’t ask him, of course, and I doubted any of them were going to give up easily.
“Alright, I’ll think about it.”
Georgie grinned. “Great, I’ll pick you up Monday at ten. We’re going shopping!”
