“Dinner,” I reply tightly. “Where are you?”
From across the table, Marissa meets my gaze and raises her eyebrows.
My brother, I mouth to her silently. She nods and I feel a twinge of guilt for neglecting to mention that she’s with me.
Toby hiccups in my ear. “We’re down at Monkeyshines. They had Power Hour tonight!”
Shelby’s voice comes over the line. “Yes, but most importantly, we are up next for karaoke! And Jesse, I know what you’re going to say, but you need to trust me on this. I have untapped vocal talents, and this is my moment to shine. You need to get down here to watch, because when we take the stage, it’s going to be a life-changing experience for everyone in the audience.”
I rub a thumb over my temple. Normally, I find their shenanigans entertaining, even if I pretend to be annoyed. But tonight, I wanted more uninterrupted time with Marissa. Doesn’t seem like that’s in the cards, though.
“Yes, I’m sure it will be an unforgettable performance. Listen, I’m wrapping up here, but stay where you are. I’ll pick you up in twenty.”
Marissa is eyeing me with amusement when I disconnect the call.
“Sorry to do this, but we should get going. After I drop you off, I need to go rescue my brother and sister-in-law. They’re about tomake absolute fools of themselves at karaoke night.”Not to mention ruin the vibe.
She lets out a low snort. “Yeah, there’s a zero percent chance I’m not coming with you.”
I shake my head. “I promise you aren’t missing a thing. Just a couple of sloppy thirty-somethings who regress to teenagers the minute they’re childless.”
The waitress returns with the check. Marissa makes a move for her purse, but I wave her off. “I got this. I told you I wanted to take you out for the evening.”
“And you did. I had a lovely time. But now you’ve piqued my interest. So, I’m volunteering as second-in-command for this extraction mission.”
“I appreciate the offer, but don’t you need to get back?”
She waves me off. “Please. Rocky can watch his own kids for once in his life.”
Unfortunately, it’s exactly the right thing to say to me. Because as much as I know I’ll regret bringing her along, I’m more eager to help her stick it to her ex. And she’s right: She deserves a night off.
“What’s your tolerance for the scent of fried food and stale beer?”
She shoots me a dazzling grin, and my chest goes tight. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a beautiful woman before in my life, and suddenly it’s difficult to breathe.
“I have a very high tolerance for smells of all varieties. I have two kids, remember?”
I give her a half smile imbued with a playful warning. She asked for it.
“Well then, let’s go.”
13JESSE
The neon lights of the Monkeyshines logo reflect off my windshield as we pull into the bar’s gravel parking lot. Toby and Shelby are already sitting on a wooden bench out front, arms slung around each other, heads bent together. When they spot my truck, Shelby leaps up with a squeal. She scampers over, pressing her elbows into my open window.
“You’re late!” she scolds me. Her warm breath fills the interior of the truck, coating it with the smell of tequila. “And it’s your loss. Toby and I were a goddamn sensation.”
“You give Beyoncé and Jay-Z a run for their money,” I deadpan. “Now get in the car.”
But I forget to tell her the front seat is occupied, and before I can stop her, she skips around to the passenger-side door, flinging it open. Her eyes turn to saucers when they meet Marissa’s.
“Holy shit,” she breathes. She takes a beat to recover, then flicks her gaze to me. A satisfied smirk forms in the corner of her mouth. “Damn, Jesse, this was faster than I expected.”
How is it possible for my sister-in-law to be as big of a pain in the ass as a real sister? Her comment turns the back of my neck hot as I look everywhere in the car but at Marissa. I jerk a thumb toward the back seat.
“You and Tweedledumb are going to have to share the jump seat. Think you can manage for the ten-minute drive?”
She giggles. “I’ll never say no to mounting your brother.” I pretend to vomit, and it makes her laugh even harder before she slams the passenger door shut and heads to the back of the truck.
