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I hear a familiar voice from the microphone and look up.
“Oh my God,” Caroline says, leaning over her drink and laughing. “Is that who I think it is?”
I look at the stage and see Marten, my ex boyfriend who decided to come harass me at work. He’s holding a microphone, and he must’ve started his night at a few other bars, because the sleepy look in his eyes and slur in his voice tells me he’s already several drinks deep.
“I think he’s looking at you,” Andi says. “He’s trying to woo you, Mia. Maybe this will be romantic?”
“No,” I say. “He’s not that desperate.”
But then he lifts his free hand and points at me, swaying his hips as he sings some sappy love song.
“Oh, God,” I say, shielding my eyes and lowering my head. “He’s that desperate.”
“Nobody ever sings me sappy love songs,” Paisley says.
“Count your blessings,” I say.
“He has a pretty good voice,” Caroline adds, as if that matters. “Not sure about that little pelvic thrust he keeps doing though. See how small those thrusts are? I feel like it’s kind of his muscle memory telling us that he has a small penis. Or else wouldn’t those thrusts be deeper? Care to confirm or deny my theory, Mia?”
I cover my face. “No comment. But what is he doing?” I ask. “He was mad when we broke up, but he never gave off creepy ex vibes.”
“Well,” Andi says, tilting her head in his direction. “People clearly change. He’s creeping so hard right now I can smell it.”
We all laugh, but the slightest bit of panic thumps in my chest. How far is he going to take this? Surely, he’s not going to simply sing his song and walk off. I also see a group of his old buddies from highschool gathered around the stage. They’re all clutching drinks and glancing our way again and again, laughing and smiling as they try to judge my reaction.
“Maybe we could leave before he finishes,” I say.
“I just got my drink!” Paisley says, nearly knocking it over as she reaches for it.
“Annd maybe it would be a good thing if you don’t finish that one,” Andi suggests, putting her hand on top of the drink.
Paisley squints at Andi’s hand. “I could drink right through your fingers if I had a straw.”
“Do you have a straw?” Andi asks.
Paisley deflates. “No.”
I shake my head, laughing. Paisley seems like she’s about twice as drunk as I feel, but I guess she’s also more petite than me. Caroline is short, but she has also always seemed to hold her alcohol like a champ. That, or she’s just really good at pretending to have her shit together, even when the world is spinning.
“Yeah,” I say, standing. “Can we just go? Please?”
Andi gives me a serious look, but nods. “Sure. Yeah. Let’s go, guys. I can drive you all home so nobody has to face the cold. I parked across the street.”
I think about Marten and his friends trying to walk after us if I went home on foot and nod my head. “Sounds perfect.”
We all head for the exit and I make sure I don’t look over my shoulder toward Marten and his friends. But before we reach the door, his singing stops abruptly and I’m almost positive he’s about to chase after us.
Shit.
19
NOLAN
Igrip the steering wheel, clenching my teeth.
This is pathetic. It’s beyond pathetic, actually.
I told myself I was only driving home the long way because I wanted to clear my head. It definitely wasn’t so I could slowly cruise the main strip in town and possibly catch sight of Mia on her way to the bar. It wasn’t so I could see how she was dressed and take a guess about what she was hoping to happen tonight–what she might want to signal to the guys who she’d spend all night flirting with.
