“Thank you,” he started to say, then realized she was biting back a smile.
She waved away his gratitude. “Thank me by taking Ace home.”
Rory blinked. She pointed down the table, and she wasdefinitelytrying not to smile. Rory followed her finger to see Arthur, sitting across from Sasha and Pavel and gesturing more enthusiastically than normal.
As the band’s last notes and audience applause faded, Rory could just make out Arthur’s words. “Iloveyour new hair, Sasha, it’sreally lovely, you know, it just reallysuitsyou,” Arthur was saying, with absolute sincerity. “And Pavel, look atyou, you’re dressed up too! The stylish Ivanov siblings, out on the town.”
Pavel blinked.
“Oh boy,” said Rory, but he was starting to smile too.
Jade was shaking her head fondly. “We left Niagara Falls at four o’clock this morning and didn’t stop for dinner. He’s barely slept, I bet he hasn’t eaten, and he’s the only one drinking at a table of completely sober paranormals. He’s going to be so embarrassed. Please go get him, Rory.”
She didn’t have to tell Rory twice. He got to his feet, feeling the long day’s ache all over again as he made his way toward the others.
“Arthur.” Sasha rested her chin in her hand. “What are you drinking tonight?” She pointed at the empty cocktail glass in Arthur’s hand.
“Oh, you’ll love this,” Arthur said conspiratorially. “I asked for something special and they brought me aRussian.” He paused. “Four Russians. But don’t worry.” He waved the glass meaningfully. “It wasn’t very strong.”
Sasha and Pavel exchanged a glance, eyebrows up. Pavel leaned forward toward Arthur. “You know vodka has very little taste, yes?”
Arthur furrowed his brow. “Well, that’s true, but you can’t find vodka in America.”
Sasha covered her smile with her hand. “Unless your Russian friends help the speakeasy find a supplier.”
“Oh.” Arthur’s brow was still furrowed as he looked at his empty cocktail glass. “Oh no,” he said seriously. “Vodka and absinthe—what if I’m drunk?” His blue eyes went comically wide. “What if I’mdrunkonRory’s birthday?”
“Why would he mind?” Pavel said curiously.
Arthur opened his mouth, then closed it, and Rory’s heart did a twist, watching even his drunk mind remember to bury the truth. “I don’t,” he interrupted quickly, before Arthur had to come up with an explanation. “C’mon, Ace, let’s get you a cab.”
“I have my car,” Arthur protested. He stood up, and then promptly lurched, catching himself on the back of the chair. “Whoops.” He leaned heavily on it, the chair looking dubiously able to support him. “Actually, Rory, maybe you should drive.”
“Or maybe neither of us should, seeing as you’re half seas over and I don’t know how.” Rory eyed Arthur for a moment. They had to be careful, but Arthur was teetering, and Rory wouldn’t be the first man to help a zozzled friend make it out. He ducked under Arthur’s arm and his knees nearly buckled; geez, Arthur was solid.
With effort, he took a step, pulling Arthur toward the back door. “Let’s go, soldier.”
“Mmm.” Arthur, bless him, was obviously trying not to put all his considerable weight on Rory. Trying, but failing. “I like it when you call me that.”
Rory bit back his squawk. He glanced up best he could, but luckily no one seemed to be giving them a second look.
“Not as much asbello, though,” Arthur went on. “Or any of your other fiendishly lovely Italian. Sorry, I get a bit talky after several drinks. Am I terribly heavy?”
“Nah,” Rory lied. It wasn’t like hemindedbeing squashed by Arthur’s muscles. “And I could listen to you all night.” He wanted to drink that voice in, he was so happy to hear it again.
He managed to get the back door open and Arthur into the back hall. “My, how the tables have turned,” Arthur muttered to himself. “Served a dose of my own medicine. Hoisted on my own petard.”
That was cute, whatever it meant. He couldn’t wait to get Arthur somewhere he could kiss him. “What’re you mumbling about?” Rory said as he looked up, squinting at Arthur in the dark back hall.
“I accidentally got you drunk here once and had to carry you out. And now I’m in the same boat,” Arthur said ruefully. “And several other analogous idioms.”
“Yeah, you are.” There was no one else in the hall, so Rory chanced it, tilting his face up. He couldn’t quite reach Arthur’s face with his lips, so he bumped his nose against his scratchy jaw. “But you got me back to your place safe. And I got you now, Ace, I’ll get us back.”
They turned the corner at the end of the hall, and a bouncer got the alley door for Rory. As he levered Arthur through it, he saw three cars parked in front of Arthur’s in the narrow space. Jade was standing next to one of them with her brother, Benson, and her sister, Stella.
“How am I supposed to get out?” Stella was saying, gesturing to the middle car, which was trapped against the alley wall by the double-parked car in front.
“Grover’s looking for the driver,” Benson promised. “Now please tell Jade we’re not hiring her girl as a bouncer.”
