Joseph took a seat next to Katherine and handed her the glass of wine. She had a smirk on her face, and he suspected she was amused by his and Cynthia’s exchange. He gave her a wink and grabbed his beer.
“Look what I got,” Nate blurted, totally oblivious to the irony of the conversation around him. He pulled out a plastic bag of pot and tossed it on the table. “I got the good shit, my friend.”
Nate was a brilliant law student but a stoner for sure. On occasion, Joseph would take a hit, but Nate woke up and went to bed with a joint in his mouth. He looked over at Katherine, and he couldn’t begin to imagine her getting stoned.
“You partake?” Joseph asked her.
Katherine shrugged. “Every blue moon, but I’m game. Roll it up.”
“Already done,” Nate crowed, waving a joint around.
“Should we go outside?” Cynthia suggested.
“Nah,” Nate said, dismissing the suggestion. “I smoke in here all the time. With all the smoke in here, they’ll never know who’s burning grass.”
He put the joint to his lips and lit it. After a few puffs, he inhaled deep and passed it to Katherine. Cynthia seemed offended by the slight and rolled her eyes. Katherine took a couple of hits and handed it to Joseph. He followed suit and gave it to Cynthia.
“Well, thank you,” she scoffed.
The joint went around twice until there was nothing left. Joseph looked over to check on Katherine. She was sipping her wine and appeared to be perfectly fine. But when Abba’s “Dancing Queen” blared through the speakers, she grabbed Joseph’s hand.
“Come on!” she shouted, pulling him out of his seat and toward the dance floor.
Katherine was successful in getting him to his feet, but there was no way she was getting him back on the dance floor.
He yanked her close to his body and whispered in her ear, “I came, I danced, I’m done. I’m not going back out there, doll.”
“Take Cynthia with you,” Nate suggested, pulling Cynthia out of her seat before Katherine could protest.
Joseph could tell by their expressions that neither one of them wanted to dance with each other. Nevertheless, they made their way to the dance floor.
“So, you’re the man that got the woman,” Nate remarked.
Joseph looked over at his friend. “What does that mean?”
“Man, you gotta know Katherine is the ultimate prize. She’s super smart, drop-dead gorgeous, and she comes from a good family.”
Good family?If he only knew.
“She’s not a prize.” Joseph found himself irritated. “She’s an intelligent woman who’s more than what she looks like. For a fact, she’s more than her overprivileged, tainted family.”
“Okay, bro. I hear you. I don’t know her like that, but I’m sure you’re right. I’m just happy your cranky ass has a woman in your life.”
Joseph frowned. “Cranky?”
“Yeah, dude, cranky,” Nate doubled down. “All you do is work and go to school. Have a little fun.”
“I was having fun until you showed up.”
Nate shrugged. “Yeah, but I brought the good grass.”
Joseph laughed. “That you did.”
Nate sat back in his seat and turned serious. “Hey, Joe. I’m really sorry about Jack. I know that was your guy.”
Joseph sighed. “Thanks,” he said, turning his attention to Katherine. She was dancing, but not with the same vigor as before. She, clearly, wasn’t having as good a time as before. Maybe Cynthia’s presence was bringing her down.
“We’re gonna get outta here,” Joseph said to Nate.
