“My Uber’s only a block away, so I’ve got to get going. We’ll catch up later.”
Blake nodded as Wade threw some bills on the table and headed for the door. After finishing up his own drink, he pulled some money from his wallet, tossed it on the tray of the passing waitress, and got up to leave. Perhaps a trip to the men’s room was needed first. It wasn’t because it would take him past Carli’s group. That would be pathetic.
On his way back, he managed to linger behind her. Her light scent blew his way, and he called her name. No response. Despite how close he was, it was loud in the bar. Might as well give up all semblance of pride. Tapping her on the shoulder, he smiled when she turned.
“Blake, what are you doing here?”
“I was here with a friend, but he got called away suddenly.”
Carli moved closer, and her eyes narrowed. “Your friend is here?” Her gaze roamed the room.
Had she misunderstood? Maybe the background noise was too much for her CIs.
Shaking his head, he clarified, “No, my friend left.” He pointed to the door. “I was about to leave when I saw you here. I thought I’d say hi and ask how your Thanksgiving was.”
“It was good. How about yours?”
As he replied that it was fine, she touched his shoulders and turned him, her gaze focused intently on his mouth.
“Are you having a hard time hearing me?”
Her grin twisted her mouth as she laughed and lifted her hair around her ears. Nothing there.
“I took them out.”
“Why? Are they not working?” CIs were super expensive, and he hated to think of her having to go without them.
“My friends all use ASL. I don’t need them. Besides, the music in here is always loud, and it’s hard to separate the background noise from the speech and the music. It’s like having twenty radio stations all on at the same time and trying to hear what one of the DJs is saying.”
“That would be difficult. Can you understand what I’m saying?” Or was he standing here babbling while she just nodded to humor him?
“I’m getting some, but that’s why I turned you. The light isn’t great where you were standing. It’s why we typically hang out in this part of the bar.”
“Carli, who is this?”
A pretty brunette with long, soft waves moved up behind them. One of her Deaf friends, most likely. Her voice was modulated, but she still had that quality that he’d noticed in Carli at first, only her words weren’t quite as clear.
Carli signed something he didn’t understand as she rolled her eyes at the young woman. “Blake, this is my sister, Deanna.” She continued signing, and he caught the one for doctor. The letter D taking a pulse.
Deanna stuck her hand out, and Blake shook it. “Nice to meet you,” he attempted in ASL once he released her hand. This was part of what Carli taught him a week ago, before he was a jerk and irritated her.
“Nice to meet you, too.” She shifted and signed to Carli without voicing it. Carli’s reaction was a smirk. What had Deanna said?
“Do you want to join us?” Her speech was good. Not as good as Carli’s, but he understood her well enough.
“I don’t know much sign language.”
“That’s okay, Dr. Wentworth. I’m a ninja at lipreading and can interpret for the others. Or if you can’t understand me, myhearingsister can let you know what we said.”
He caught the inflection Deanna put on the wordhearing, but also the flinch from Carli. Obviously, there was some tension over her implants.
“Call me Blake. I’ll stay for a few minutes.”
Over the next half hour, Deanna dragged him around and introduced him to the dozen or so people with them. They all shook his hand and said hi, but it was obvious he didn’t quite belong there.
“Doesn’t feel good when you’re the one who’s different, huh?” Carli’s breath touched his cheek.
Shrugging, he said, “I’m fine. Makes me realize I need those lessons even more. Next time I hang out with your friends, I want to be able to talk to them.”
