“Fine, fine. I will be good. I will behave,” he promises, laughing. “You two are no fun, by the way.”
Hendrix rolls her eyes and I do the same. But she’s still wearing a smile that reaches her eyes.
A cocktail waitress comes down and offers us three lemon drop shots. “The other box ordered them, and I thought you all might enjoy these too,” she says with a smile.
I don’t miss the way she’s grinning at Drew, but of course he doesn’t notice. He never does.
“Sure. Unless you’re too cool for shots,” Drew offers, looking over at both of us.
“No, but I thought you might be.”
Drew clutches his chest as he looks at me. “Wounded.”
I shake my head. “You two are going to be unbearable together.”
Hendrix quickly downs her shot before pointing out, “You invited me.”
“And I’m regretting it,” I tell her, swallowing the shot and letting the alcohol burn on the way down.
Drew elbows me before doing his own shot. “He’s not regretting it.”
Hendrix looks out at the crowd and the game, taking it all in. For the first time since we got here, she looks truly relaxed and a lot like herself. More so than she has in a long time.
Drew leans back, stretching his hands over the back of his neck. “You know,” he says casually, “I like her.”
“Hendrix?” I ask him, as if there could be anyone else he’s referring to.
“Yeah, she’s good for you,” he says quietly.
“Thanks,” I reply, stealing a glance in her direction. She’s not paying attention, or at least if she heard us, she’s not letting on that she did.
“Bring her around more often,” he says.
“Drew,” I warn him again.
“What? I’m being supportive.”
“We’re not—” but he cuts me off.
“Oh, I know you. You’re not labeling anything,” he says, patting me on the thigh. “I get it. You’re growing, just not too much.”
I nod and don’t bother to say anything else. I don’t miss his snicker when I take her hand and give it a quick kiss. But I couldn’t care less. We spend the rest of the night teasing one another, and her hand stays in mine the entire time. Which is my favorite part.
It feels good.
Easy.
I let myself enjoy because we both deserve a little good and easy.
Something that might actually last for a change.
Chapter Twenty-One
~HENDRIX~
The drive back to August’s is quiet, almost deliberately quiet. He’s driving along, holding onto my hand. My hand hasn’t left his since he picked it up during the eighth inning. Not that I have minded. I just sit there with his hand in mine as the city flies by.
“I’m driving you back my place because I assumed this is where your car is but is that where you’d like to stay tonight?” he asks me, looking over and giving me a lazy smile.
