“Did y’all come with one of the guys?”
“No,” Lindsey said. “I’m friends with Katherine.”
Abby caught the tone of Lindsey’s voice but didn’t understand the reason behind it. Julia’s questions seemed innocent enough.
“I’m going to get a refill,” Dani said. “Can I get anyone anything?”
“I’ll take another,” Abby said, holding up her beer. If she was going to let loose, she needed a little social lubrication.
“Me too,” Lindsey said.
Dani took her empty glass and left.
“What do you teach, Abby?” Angela asked.
“Art and fashion design.”
“Ooh, you’re a teacher?” Julia asked.
“Yes. We both teach at Charleston STEAM Academy.”
“That’s so cute. It must be so fun to teach kids to finger paint.”
Of all the condescending, fake-ass crap she’d ever heard. Now she understood Lindsey’s tone from earlier. A commotion in the foyer distracted her before she could think of a snappy retort about her Master of Fine Arts and year interning as a restorationist in Prague.
A tall man with dark blonde hair and a lot of tattoos held the elbow of a woman as he pointed toward the front door. He was attractive in a bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks kind of way, even as he scowled at the woman he was talking to. Honestly, he looked like a cover model from one of her favorite MC romances, which, yes, may have influenced her opinions of motorcycle clubs and what would be going on at the party. She liked her forbidden fantasy on the page, not in real life.
The man let go of the woman and stood with his arms crossed while the woman appeared to plead with him.
“Who’s he talking to?” Angela asked. They were all watching the interaction.
“No idea,” Lindsey said. “I’ve never seen her before. Looks like a lovers’ quarrel though.”
Angela scoffed. “Tink doesn’t do lovers’ quarrels.”
“Tink?” Abby asked. What kind of name was Tink?
“It’s short for Tinker. It’s his callsign.” Dani set their beers down.
“Mmm.” Julia tipped her chair back to get a better look at the man as he walked away from the woman. “Dangerous is fucking sexy, but not for long-term. I wouldn’t want a convicted criminal around all the time.”
Dani slammed her glass on the table. “Why don’t you fuck off and shut the fuck up about something you know nothing about.”
“Sor-ree.” Julia stood and flounced away.
Abby stared wide-eyed at Dani as she took a long drink.
“He’s Dani’s brother,” Angela explained. “She’s a little protective.”
“Oh,” Abby said. “Does Julia know?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Dani said. “She’s a gossip and a bitch and she’s repeating shit she’s heard people talking about without knowing the full story.”
Abby almost asked what the full story was, but it wasn’t her business. She didn’t like to gossip, and Dani didn’t seem to be in the mood to explain anyway.
Angela spread her hands on the table. “Know what we need? Shots. There’s a bottle of Fireball behind the bar. I’m gonna get it.”
The Knight
