“Oh, I’m telling her.Maybe she’ll feel guilty and come out with us next time.”
“Good point.Next time is tomorrow, right?”
“Is this place open on a Sunday night?”
“Of course.Uncle Jay is married to his place.He couldn’t leave her for a night if he tried.”I thought for a moment.“I think he did try back when I was in high school.A tropical getaway.It was all booked and everything.Hot chick with a bikini to go with it.He chickened out.”
He hadn’t chickened out.He’d canceled because that’d been when Dad filed for divorce.Uncle Jay had been livid on Mom’s behalf, but he’d stayed because of me so I wouldn’t be stuck with them while they were sorting out their lives.That’d been the first time I’d come to Lunar Pulse and learned how to take inventory.
“Your scent changed to sad.What are you thinking?”Miranda asked.
“Nothing useful.Just remembering why I love Uncle Jay and why you should come back tomorrow.We need more social posts to promote this place.”
She looked around and nodded thoughtfully.“It’s a great place.I think pictures of me and some attractive men would work for promotion.”
“Together?”I asked, a little surprised.I wasn’t opposed necessarily, but I wasn’t sure my uncle wanted his club branded as a?—
“I don’t know where your thoughts were veering, but I meant separately.Pictures of attractive people having fun are advertising 101.I promise to dress special tomorrow and call a few guys I know.They’ll model in exchange for a free drink, no problem.”
“Perfect!”
While the rest of the bar emptied—Mr.Angel had left somewhere between sober and tipsy—Miranda and I strategized until Uncle Jay joined us.
“Are you all right to drive home?”he asked me.
“She’s not,” Miranda said.“If you’re willing to follow me with her car, I’ll drop you off back here.”
Uncle Jay agreed, and I just wanted to hug the pair of them.“I love you guys.”
Miranda sighed.“Good thing the music is off, or the next phase of her drunken happiness would be grinding on some poor unsuspecting?—”
“You!”I said with a grin.
“Exactly.Let’s go, Sloppy Sophie.”
I wrinkled my nose at her.“Not that one.Wrenly gets Princess.I want a better one.”
“Wrenly hates Princess,” Miranda said, tugging me to my feet.Gently, of course.Her “not gentle” could rip my arm off.
“What about glitterbug or shoewhore?”
Uncle Jay started laughing as he followed us out of the employee exit.
“Not sure shoewhore’s a good pet name, Sophie-Girl,” he said from behind us.
“It’s actually pretty fitting,” Miranda said, stuffing me into her sleek red sports car.“She’d sell herself for the right pair of heels.”
I laughed because she wasn’t wrong and buckled myself in as she walked around the car.It was nice having a friend who understood my boundaries.I didn’t really have many boundaries in general—just with men.Specifically with men who might want to use me.I was absolutely fine with using them, though.
My thoughts drifted to Mr.Angel, and Miranda shot me a look as she started her car.
“Are you really horny for shoes?”
I was still giggling by the time she pulled up in front of my house.
“Will you be able to put yourself to bed, shoewhore?”
Another fit of giggles escaped me.“Yep.I’ll be fine.Thanks for the ride.”
