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“I pay attention.”
“You’re back so soon?” Brianna asked, and sat on the available stool next to me.
Rylan grimaced. “Hey, Bri. Yeah, Dad was trying to make me stay for the whole weekend but it was just so he could show me around. His new girl was like a fucking second skin. We hadn’t had the chance to talk one on one. She’d been bitching about her feet hurting when we’d visited his alma mater. I hadn’t wanted her with us, but I’d told her that if she’s gonna walk around with us she couldn’t wear six-inch heels. But did the silly girl listen? Nope. She’d been trying to look cute. ”
“He’s still dating girls our age?”
It looked like Rylan ground his teeth. “I’d suck it up and be happy for him if I knew it was something real. Maybe age is just a number. But Dad’s, what? Sixty-six now. His mid-life crisis should’ve passed by now. The admissions counselors thought his girl and I were a couple.”
“Yikes,” Brianna said.
“And how’d your dad react to that?” I asked.
“He pulled her to his side and squeezed her ass. Real embarrassing. And offensive.”
“You do have some tacky girls with you most of the time,” Brianna said drolly.
“Bri, this girl was in another class of tacky. My dad’s new girl doesn’t compare to the girls Joel and I hang with.”
Brianna put her thumb up sarcastically and Millie came down the other side of the counter.
“Oh, shit!” Rylan said, jerking his shoulders back. “You finally did it.” He made a gesture for her to move around and she complied. “Millie, that’s hot.”
Her face broke out into a smile. “I went to Lasting Impressions Tattoo Studio in Little Havana. The guy who designed this tattoo was gonna do it for me, but he was booked. It looks like I’ll never meet him and thank him for designing it. When I saw it, I knew this was the one I wanted.”
“And the way, the end of the dragon’s trail is in a swirl at the nape of your neck is perfection.”
“Mom didn’t think so.”
Rylan chuckled. “Most moms wouldn’t. Other girls couldn’t pull off the tat like you do. ”
“It doesn’t overwhelm you,” I agreed.
A deep flush stained her face. “Thank you, guys. You compliment me as much as Jared does. Now, I’ll refill your drinks. What can I do you for, Rylan?”
Rylan heaved in a sigh. “A Long Island ice tea.”
“And, uh, can I get a regular piña colada?”
Mille tittered at Brianna and started on our drinks at the middle of the bar.
Joel and some girls strolled towards us. I recognized Maude and Amberlynn from earlier in the week. Amberlynn was in a silverfish latex dress that she clearly couldn’t breathe in, and Maude’s legs looked like they never ended in her stilettos and short, sparkling gold dress. Maude kissed Brianna and I on the sides of our faces and Amberlynn ignored us.
“Why’d she fuck up herself with that tattoo?” one girl with badly done eyelashes said, and the rest of the group looked at Millie. “She used to be pretty.”
Joel’s smile faded. “No one asked you for your opinion. Everyone in my family kills it.” He popped up his collar. “People would be staying the same shit about you underneath that cake of makeup on your face.” He brought his hand around Maude’s waist and walked towards the middle of the bar, where Millie was making drinks and talking with other patrons.
Amberlynn pivoted. “Eleni! Milagros is his cousin,” she barked. “You’re lucky he didn’t tell you to leave.”
“Yup,” Rylan concurred.
“How was I supposed to know? You can’t tell me she doesn’t look like a—”
Rylan stood up as he cut Eleni off and took twenty dollars out of his pocket. “The guards up front will get you a cab.
The girl blinked repeatedly. “B-but—”
“Nothing,” Amberlynn interrupted, and the other bartender put our drinks on the counter. “I’ll wait for a cab with you.” Eleni followed Amberlynn up front.
