“Okay,” I agreed, wobbling back to the stool with Jack’s help.
He switched over to Sean, dragging his arm over his shoulders while Derrick took the other side. Sean was bigger than both of them, but they looked steady as they took their first step together.
“Wait. Hailey,” Sean said, looking at me. His eyes were locked on my face, as if I might disappear.
“It’s okay,” I told him, reaching out and patting his wide chest. “Thanks for drinking with me. You can call me tomorrow to complain about your hangover.”
He smiled again, and the three of them headed toward the back of the bar.
“Drink your water!” Jack called out over his shoulder.
I grumbled under my breath but turned toward the bar and did as he asked, gulping it down as fast as I could. I held on to the bar as I made my way behind it so I could wash the glass, careful not to drop it.
“You ready, Hailey?” Jack asked as he returned from the back. He paused, watching me finish drying the glass and set it near the sink. “I would have gotten that.”
“Now you don’t have to.” The shrug made me dizzy. “I think I’m still really drunk, Jack. Drunk Jack.” I giggled at the similar ending ‘k’ sounds.
Jack moved toward me. “I know you are. Time to go home and sleep it off.”
“Okay.” I reached for him when he got close, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my face under his chin, pleased when his hands gripped my waist. “You smell good.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Thanks.” He shuffled us toward the bar’s pass-through.
“I probably don’t. I threw up earlier, you know?”
“I know.” He pulled back, and my arms strained to stay around his neck. “How about I carry you to the truck? You okay with that?”
“You have a truck?” I tried to picture it, but I couldn’t. Jack didn’t seem like a truck guy.
“It helps when hauling things for the bar. Can I pick you up, Hailey?”
“Sure,” I agreed. I clung tighter as he supported my back and legs in a princess carry. Neil had never carried me like that.
The world spun when he moved, and I closed my eyes, focusing on my breathing. I was not going to throw up on Jack. That would be awful.
“Here we go,” Jack said. The truck was already running at the back door, the passenger door open, as if waiting for me. He put me inside, fastening my seat belt for me. While he walked around to the driver’s side, my hands slid along the soft gray cloth seat, liking the texture of it.
“I like your seats,” I told him as he got in. “Never expected you to drive a red truck.”
“Makes the country music more likely, doesn’t it?” Jack asked, making me giggle.
The radio played in the background, too softly to make out the words, but it was something mellow, soothing. The AC blew into my face, taking away the heat from my cheeks.
The truck didn’t move. I looked over at Jack. He was turned, looking at me, his eyes so warm and soft.
“You’re not driving me?” I asked, not wanting to go home anyway.
“Daydreaming a little about keeping you here.” He reached for his phone. “What’s your address?”
“Oh, right.” I rattled it off, watching him plug it into his app for directions. “It’s not far. I can tell you where to turn.”
He set his phone in a display stand hooked to the dash. Then he reached for me, his knuckles grazing my cheek. “I’ve got it. Close your eyes and rest.”
“Okay,” I agreed, watching his musician’s hands grip the gearshift and the wheel before my eyelids slipped closed. It was a bad idea. Dozing made me dizzy and confused when I blinked back open to find Jack hovering in the passenger doorway.
“We’re here.” I was pretty sure I’d heard him say that before.
“Okay. I’m getting out.” We both waited, but my body didn’t move. “Sorry. Tired.”
