I glance over at Piper while I’m waiting. She points to her mouth and lifts it up in a smile. What the hell is she trying to tell me?
She points at me before pointing back to her face. Oh, she wants me to smile. Okay, got it. I give her a thumbs up before turning back to the customer still looking over the wine selections.
“Is there a certain type you generally like? Sweet? Or dry?” Honestly, at this point I’m trying to get her to buy her bottles and go. There are still way too many people waiting in line.
“I’m partial to sweet wines.” She runs her finger down the list of sweet wines. “Do you have a favorite?”
A part of me wishes this customer would have stayed in Piper’s line. “I like most of them. But if you like sweet, sangria is always a good choice. We also have one with cranberry that’s similar to that. My sister’s favorite is sangria, though.” I nod my head in her direction so she can put a face with the recommendation.
“That settles it.” The woman looks up and grins. “I’ll take two bottles of sangria, and a bottle of the cranberry one you were talking about.”
“Absolutely, let me grab those bottles for you.” I grab two bottles from the grate I brought in moments ago, and pull our cranberry off the shelf.
The bags are on the shelf under the kiosks and I pull the medium sized one out. I gently place the bottles inside and take the woman’s payment.
“Thank you, I hope these are as good as you say they are.” She pulls the bag off the counter and turns toward the exit.
Of course they are, I wouldn’t have suggested them otherwise. That would be rude to say out loud. “Happy New Year.”
It’s the one thing I can say right now that won’t be horrible. And, I can say it with a straight face.
Piper and I work in silence, only talking to the customers, until the line is finally at a manageable length.
“Are you going to the party at Ashes tonight?” Piper asks as she rings up another person and hands them their bag of wine.
“I don’t know yet.” I shrug and move to toward the now empty crate. “Parties like that aren’t really my thing.”
“Come on,” Piper sighs. “Come out and live a little. It’s not like you’ve taken my advice to make more time for yourself. Tonight is the perfect chance to do it.” She turns toward me now that we have an empty room. “That should be your New Year’s resolution. Stop working so damn much and learn how to have a good time.”
“I’m perfectly capable of having a good time at home.”
“Drinking while playing video games by yourself is not a good time.”
Well, that’s a bit judgmental. I happen to have a blast hanging out at home. “I don’t even have anyone to go with.”
“Neither does Parker, but he’s still going.”
As if that is a sound argument to use with me. Parker will do pretty much anything. He craves being around people. It boosts his ego higher than normal.
Piper takes a step toward me, giving me puppy dog eyes. It’s how she got her way when we were kids, and I’ll be damned if it works now.
“Please, Peter. What if I said it was my New Year’s wish to have my big brothers with me to celebrate?”
“Does that extend to Phillip and Pierce?” I’m curious what her answer is.
“Um, sure. I mean if they want to go. I think Phillip is going already. If Pierce goes, he’ll only bring down the mood.”
I let my baby sister squirm for a moment. It’s not like I’ll have to pay to get in. Paula and Tristan got all of us passes. It’s one of the perks of dating someone who works with Crooked Halo I guess.
“Fine, I’ll go.” I hold my hands up as she jumps to hug me. “But I’m not dressing up. You’ll be lucky if I stay until midnight.”
She releases me and scoffs. “You have to.”
My only answer is a shrug as I pick up the crate and leave the main house. Of course, I’ll stay until midnight, but I’ll let her worry over it for the rest of the night.
There are too many people in this bar. This is the one reason I didn’t want to come out tonight. Yes, I know most of the people here on some level. I’m sure we’ve crossed paths at some point, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I want to spend my night off with them.
Crooked Halo is on stage playing songs I haven’t heard before. It must be the music they were working on a few months ago. It’s peeled back and nothing like they’ve released before. So far, this is the only upside to my evening. We get to hear the new music before the masses. It’s special.
