“We need to keep the momentum going,” I said, my brain already shifting into planning mode. “Sunday’s watch party worked. Wednesday’s worked. We should do both every week. Lock them in as regular events.”
“When do the Lightning play again?”
I grabbed my phone and pulled up the team’s website. “Holy shit, they play almost every day of the week. Do hockey players ever sleep?”
“I don’t think sleeping is what the guys in here think about when they watch hockey.”
“Right,” I said through a chuckle. “Do we makea big deal out of every game? Or just home games? Or big rivalries? We don’t want to wear it out, ya know?”
“Hm, good point. Why don’t we promote away games hard but still show home games for those who don’t have tickets?”
I grabbed a cocktail napkin and scribbled a note.
“What were the other ideas we came up with? Theme nights? We talked about drag bingo—”
“Maya found a queen who’s interested. Lady Voltage, pronounced ‘volt-ahj.’”
“How fancy.”
“She’s local, does a bunch of shows in Ybor. Maya said she’d be willing to do bingo the first Saturday of every month.”
“That could work.” I was mentally calculating. “We’d need supplies. Bingo cards, prizes—”
“Already on it. Maya’s handling the details.”
“Of course she is.” I took another sip. “What about Friday nights? We need something consistent. Karaoke? Trivia?”
“Trivia could be good. Make it competitive, give prizes to the winning team. Maybe do a leaderboard with a grand prize every quarter or at year-end?”
“I like that. Like a league.” I grabbed another napkin and continued making notes. “Every Friday. We’d need someone to host—”
“Jacks would be great at that. Kid’s got personality for days.”
“Jacks is barely keeping up as a barback. If we’re adding more events, we’re going to need—”
My phone chimed. I glanced at it reflexively, expecting Rod or maybe Priya asking when I’d be home.
Chase: Is it weird that I’m thinking about yourtostones?
I felt my face do something stupid, something that involved smiling like an idiot.
“Who’s that?” Mark asked, leaning over to look.
“No one.” I pulled the phone closer. “Just—a customer.”
“A customer with a law degree, perhaps? One who makes you smile like—”
“I’m not smiling—”
“You’re showing more teeth than a great white.”
Rather than engage further—because I knew I was on thin ice and Mark would love nothing more than to shove me through—I ignored my bestie and typedon my phone.
Me: Thinking aboutmytostones? Should I be flattered or prepping my sexual harassment case?
Chase: OMG. Did you just make a sexy joke about my growling stomach?
Me: I don’t think that was the body part making those noises.
