“Larry told me to grab the little cocktail wieners,” my youngest brother states as he sets his plate on the bar and slides onto a stool. “They’re almost gone.”
“They’re pretty good,” I confirm, placing a piece of weird cheese with red things in it on a cracker and taking a bite. It’s surprisingly sweet and tastes delicious, even though I have no idea what it is. “Where’s Q?”
He takes a drink of his beer and starts building a cracker with cheese and salami. “His dad fell and broke his leg earlier today. He’s at the hospital with his stepmom. I guess they’re going to do surgery tonight to set it.”
“Damn, that’s too bad.”
“Yeah. Let’s just hope Q and his stepmom don’t get into an argument in the waiting room,” Camden mumbles, taking another bite of food.
There’s no love lost there. Quinn’s parents had a terrible relationship when he was growing up, and it really affected his childhood. His dad has been married a few times over the years, and his latest wife, Staci, is around Quinn’s age. Staci has two kids already but doesn’t actually have custody of them. Long dramatic story, and I know Q tries to stay as far away from the drama as he possibly can.
“Maybe you should go sit with him,” I suggest.
Camden snorts. “Yeah, no thank you. Last time I was with Q and we ran into them, I’m pretty sure Staci was trying to get me to come back to their apartment for a threesome and drugs.”
My eyes widen in shock, even though I’m not sure why. Nothing surrounding Jim and Staci surprise me anymore. “Okay, then probably a good thing to stay away.”
“Yeah,” he mutters, shaking his head. “You work today?”
We spend the next ten minutes or so chatting about work before Charli comes over to say hello. “What are you two doing here?”
“Came to keep an eye on you,” I tell her.
She snorts. “How much trouble could I get into during paint night?”
I can’t help but chuckle. “Are you kidding? Aren’t you the one who called Whitney a walking VD?”
She smiles sweetly and bats her eyelashes. “If it walks like a venereal disease and talks like one, it must be a venereal disease.”
Camden laughs. “I don’t think that’s how the saying goes.”
Our sister shrugs her shoulders. “Anyway…”
I listen to Charli tell Camden all about the latest gossip, so-and-so is sleeping with so-and-so behind so-and-so’s back, but my attention is drawn to Lizzie as she makes her way to the walk-in fridge, most likely to stock coolers. Getting up, I head toward the door and step inside just as she’s about to lift two cases of beer. “I’ll get those,” I tell her, slipping in beside her and retrieving the cases. They’re not heavy, really. I know she’s perfectly capable of carrying them to the bar and restocking the coolers, but I want to help.
She puts her hands on her hips. “I can get it.”
“I know you can, Lizard, but that’s why you keep me around. I’m more than just a pretty face. I’m the muscle too.” With a wink, I push out of the fridge and head behind the bar. I don’t even wait for her to join me, just open the first case and start stocking the beer.
She returns a minute later with a couple of twelve packs of another popular variety and fills the empty spot in the cooler. “Thank you,” she says as I tear down the boxes and reach for the ones she’s emptied and placed on the floor.
“You’re welcome. I’ll run these to the back,” I tell her, earning an eye roll.
“You’re just like your twin.”
I feign disbelief. “I’m nothing like that ogre.”
She rolls her eyes playfully once more but laughs. “Obviously,” she mutters.
“I’m way better looking,” I insist, throwing her a wink before walking to the back of the bar to where she keeps broken down boxes.
Returning to the main bar area, I approach where my seat is and overhear Charli and Lizzie talking. “I’m sad she had to cancel. I hope everything is okay,” Lizzie says.
“Me too. I was looking forward to getting to know her better. Allison says she’s doing great at work,” Charli adds, her words really catching my attention.
“Who are we talking about?” I ask, popping a cracker into my mouth.
“Oaklee. You remember her, right?” my sister asks, smiling from ear to ear.
