Unfortunately, it was to my least favorite of all.
“What’s with this dating life of yours?” she demanded, her curiosity barely contained.
I groaned. “You sound like May,” I complained.
“Well luckily for me, May is one smart lady.”
“I want to meet her,” Danny put in.
“Mabel is awesome,” I agreed resolutely. “She has a way more active dating life than I do, wears bright red lipstick, and never leaves the house without doing her hair. She’s funny, extremely well-read, and can quote every line ofThelma and Louise. Though she always makes me pause on the scene with Brad Pitt.” I rolled my eyes with a laugh. “She’s also incredibly strong and kind.”
“Mabel might be my hero,” Sam breathed.
“Told you.” I shrugged, finishing off the last of my drink. “Do you guys have time for another round?”
“Totally. Caden can give us a lift,” Danny replied.
“Oh, I can just grab an Uber.” I waved a hand.
“It’s no problem,” Danny assured me, and I sensed there was no talking her out of it.
After more rounds than I could keep track of, we were good and drunk by the time Danny’s husband arrived to collect us, and I was struck dumb at seeing Sam’s brother with him.
I could barely string together a sentence around him when I was sober. It would be a hopeless exercise now.
Dressed in a fitted black Henley that outlined his fit physique, the man struck me dumb every time I saw him. He had these brown eyes that always appeared sharp and assessing—until he looked at his nephew, and they would turn a warm chocolate brown.
“Where’s Livie?” Danny pouted, looking up at her husband.
Caden chuckled. “Baby, it’s almost midnight. She’s at Sam’s, asleep. Theo is with her and Hud. I figured, after I talked to you, that I’d need reinforcements,” he explained, cocking his head toward Travis.
Her eyes popped wide. “Holy shit, it’s that late?”
I couldn’t believe it either. I’d had more fun than I could recall in recent memory.
I grabbed my purse and followed the girls out of the booth, mortified when I wobbled. A second later a strong arm wrapped around me, steadying me. “Okay?” Travis’s deep rumble of a voice asked.
I blushed crimson at both his proximity and the fact that he was seeing me so drunk. “Fine, thanks,” I murmured.
I was vindicated slightly when Danny almost fell flat on her ass a second later. Caden shot a bemused grin our way as he wrapped an arm around his wife. “Do we have to carry you all out to the car?”
“Not me.” I shook my head stubbornly. “I could run a marathon right now.”
Caden laughed. “Aren’t you more into twisting yourself into a pretzel over running?”
“Em is a yoga master. She’s the best,” Sam slurred seriously. “Her best friend is eighty years old,” she added with a serious nod.
“Eighty, huh?” Travis asked as the guys began to guide us out of the bar.
“Mabel is awesome,” I reiterated, before looking over my shoulder at Sam. “And you’re the best,” I argued. “You’re both so pretty.” I sighed wistfully as Travis kept a hand on my lower back.
“All right, drunkards. Let’s continue the love fest in the car,” Caden ordered, nodding toward an SUV parked at the curb.
We managed to make it, though not completely without incident.
“Is the sidewalk lopsided?” I asked, tilting my head to try to make it straight again.
“I think it is!” Sam gasped, nearly falling over before Travis caught her arm.
