I laughed. “Yes, I’m okay. it was a bit of a shock but I’m good now.”
“So what are you going to do? Did you call him already? Tell me you saved his number before you washed it off, although you can still see it if you didn’t and change your mind.”
I looked down, she was right. It was faint, but you could definitely make out the numbers.
“Yes, I saved his number. No, I haven’t called him but I will tomorrow. I needed to get my head together today.”
“Yeah that’s fair. Oooh, do you think you’ll go and watch him this season? Oooh, sit with the WAGs.”
I rolled my eyes. “Okay, Ash, let’s take it one date at a time. And considering we haven’t even made plans for the first one, let’s wait until that one’s done before we start planning for anything else.”
She nodded. “Yep, yep. Good plan, good plan.”
Over the top of her head I could see Jessie, Finn, Rose, and Mikey walking through the door. I waved at them until they saw me.
I lowered my voice. “Ash, I mean it, please don’t say anything.”
She zipped her lips. “I won’t, I promise.”
Mikey got to the table first, kissing the top of my head as he sat down next to me. “Hey, ladies, looking fine AF I see.”
“Hey, Mikey, how are you doing?” Ashley leaned across the table to kiss him as the others sat down. “Hey, guys.”
Finn picked up my empty glass, sniffing it. “What are you drinking?”
“Margaritas.”
“Yeah, I’m going to have a beer. Do you want the same again?” He spun his finger around the table before flagging down the server. “Four margaritas and a beer please, man.”
He returned a few minutes later with a tray full of cocktails, because we’d forgotten happy hour, and all dived in.
Mikey rubbed his hands together. “Okay, ladies, what’s the plan for tonight?”
“A few here and then head to the bar. We’re meeting the others at nine-ish,” replied Jessie.
He knocked back his drink. “Perfect. I am going to dance my ass off tonight.”
“Oh hey, did you guys hear some of the Rangers were in the studio today?” Finn reached for another beer.
I rolled my lips and watched Ashley’s eyes flare.
“Oh yeah, their wives are always in. They take Jace’s class,” she replied as she casually sipped her drink.
I smiled a silent thanks for not giving me up.
Several happy hours later and we were all in Bar None on the depths of the dance floor. Mikey, true to his word, was dancing his ass off to Britney while taking turns to spin Rose, Jessie, and Ashley round and round. Finn had gone to the bar with Jake.
“I’m going to find the boys and see where our drinks are,” I yelled to them, thumbing at the bar so they could understand me over the thumping bass.
I pushed through the crowd toward where I thought they were, but couldn’t see them anywhere and I wasn’t going to wait around trying to find them. I walked up the stairs to where I knew a quieter bar was, away from the dance floor. It waspractically empty up there, and I headed straight over to be served.
The barman tipped his head to me as I leaned across the bar.
“Tequila and seltzer water with fresh lime, please.”
I watched him free pour a lot of tequila over ice before he put it down on the counter in front of me.
“Let me get that.”
