“Thanks… I guess.” I smile at the waitress, slightly embarrassed. “I would love to tip you, but I don’t have any cash on me.”
It’s true. We spent most of our leftover money on the room for the weekend. We’re buying our drinks using Jodie’s emergency credit card. If we don’t get selected for the cheer team, we’ll have to find a job fast, or we’ll be back to sleeping in my car and we’ll go hungry once Jodie’s card is maxed out.
I banish the stressful thoughts about the immediate future when the waitress reassures me. “Don’t worry, he gave me a very generous tip. Enjoy your drink.”
As the waitress walks away, my eyes land on the second margarita in front of me.
“What’s wrong?” Jodie asks.
I exhale a shuddering breath, fingering the stem of the glass. “I don’t know. You watched the bartender make the cocktail I’ve been drinking, but this one… we don’t know that guy.”
Jodie squeezes my shoulder in a comforting gesture. “Maybe I can track down the waitress and ask her if she’s been the only one handling that drink after it was made.”
Before I can tell her that I shouldn’t probably drink too much anyway, Talia chimes in. “Are you worried about that drink being roofied?”
“Yeah,” Jodie answers on my behalf. “There have been a few incidents lately at our school, and we’re just being careful.”
I’m grateful to my best friend for not elaborating more about the events that drove us away from South Carolina. Jodie wouldn’t say anything about the blood and Tim’s head, but we’ve just met these people and I don’t want to be the girl who got roofied to them.
“The good news is that I’m ninety-nine percent sure that your drink wasn’t drugged.” Talia offers. “And the reason why I’m so sure is that I know the guy who bought you that drink. The bad news is that I know the guy who bought you that drink.” She concludes with a chuckle.
Jodie and I look at each other, slightly confused.
“What about him?” I ask.
“That’s Tucker. He’s my older brother.”
Always protective of me, Jodie asks the question on the tip of my tongue. “Why is that bad news? Is he an asshole?”
“No, nothing like that. I mean, he can be a bit of an idiot sometimes. But he’s a good guy. It’s just that seeing my brother flirt is a little weird, you know? Especially when I then have tolisten to my sisters talking about the details of their hookups.” She says, making a tucking sound at the end.
“So what you’re saying is that your brother is a player.” Jodie concludes.
Talia rubs her chin pensively. “Yes and no. If you had asked me six months to a year ago, I would have said yes. But to be fair, I haven’t seen him with anyone in a while.”
“Well, it was very nice of him to buy me a drink, but I’m trying to pace myself. You wanted a margarita, right, Jo-Jo?” I push the cocktail toward my best friend.
“I bought that drink for you. If you give it to someone else, I don’t know if I can take the rejection.”
I was so intent on getting the dirt about the hot stranger who bought me this drink that I didn’t notice him coming to our table.
His voice is deep and has a bit of a gravelly, almost gritty quality at the end of his inflection. It gives everything he says a sexy vibe.
But the thing that makes my breath hitch in my throat is the intensity of the blue of his eyes when our gazes meet.
Tucker’s face is gorgeous in an almost boyish way, but with just the right amount of ruggedness to make him look manly. High cheekbones, a perfectly proportioned nose, and a defined jaw are classically attractive features, but the sapphire blue of his eyes and his soft, heart-shaped lips are real show stealers.
I find myself captive of his blue gaze, and my pulse quickens when his lips curl in a smile that reaches his eyes.
“I’m not trying to be rude, I promise.” I sound a little breathless even to my own ear. “But I’m not used to drinking that much.”
The amount of relief I feel when Tucker's smile widens is almost ridiculous.
“I don’t blame you. I’m actually not drinking tonight, so I get it. But I still want to buy you a drink. Would you like a soda or juice? I think they even have mocktails in here.”
Before I can accept or decline his offer, Tucker continues.
“Come with me to the bar and you can see the bartender open or pour whatever you choose. I heard what you were saying about roofies before.” He adds to explain the last part of his invitation. “I promise I’m not a creep. Right, Tal?”
