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“That’s a lot of drinks,” I murmured.
“Got to pass the time somehow while we wait for our flight.” Danny helped the woman fill our table with drinks as she collected their empty bucket of wings.
“You still going?” the lady asked, looking at my half uneaten plate of nachos.
I nodded. “I’m going to need it if I drink all this.” There were twelve shots on the table. Four each. I’d pass out after one.
“Icywhy you did that,” Danny piped up. “You’re ready to drink big.”
The waitress giggled, glancing over at him with battering eyelashes. She was flirting with him hard, bending over slightly so he could see down her shirt.
When Danny didn’t seem to notice, she headed back to the bar with a disappointed look on her face.
Max passed us each one shot glass. “This one is called the Christmas Cookie Shot. It’s creamy and sweet, so a good one to start with.”
I lifted it to my nose and my eyes lit up. “It does smell like a cookie.”
Danny lifted his glass. “Here’s to trying to get Belle on Santa’s naughty list this year. We’ll gladly take the position of your elves,” he said in a sultry voice.
A thrill shivered down my spine and lower at the way he said that like they were under my command.
That little angel on my shoulder reminded me I was here with strangers, getting potentially drunk, and I should politely leave.
“That sounds perfect. Are you up for the challenge, beautiful?” Max asked. Both guys looked at me expectedly. Yeah, nothing like peer pressure. Except... what was I going to lose by having a bit of fun for once in my life?
The devil on my other shoulder insisted I’d been working hard all year...for years in fact, and that I deserved this.
A sharp beep came from my pocket, and I flinched, fumbling to pull the phone out of the pocket of my jeans.
It was my stepmother, Gloria, and I groaned. “Give me a sec, I have to take this.”
Quick on my feet, I answered as I walked toward the entrance where it was quieter. “Hi, Gloria. Is something wrong?” She rarely called me.
“Belle, just wanted to make sure you don't miss your flight. Saw on the news a terrible storm has hit Chicago. And I know you have trouble staying on time, so I wanted to check on you.”
I gritted my teeth at her passive aggressiveness. “All flights have been grounded. Don’t worry, I’ll make it home by Christmas.” I now wished I’d turned down the invite.
“Good, good. I’ve ordered expensive catering and invited a few friends. So please don’t let down your father.”
Rolling my eyes, I bit my tongue instead of lashing out at her. “Okay, well I better go,” I said. “Speak to you soon.” I hung up and grasped the phone tight until my knuckles turned white.
I hated the way she spoke to me, how she always expected me to fail, and who did she think she was anyway? I turned to the sports bar and eyed my two tablemates who were chatting with a group of three women, who were flicking their hair and giggling. Where did they come from?
It shouldn’t have bothered me, but a fire had ignited in my chest at seeing them throw themselves at the guys, one of them reaching over and touching Danny’s arm.
I headed back to the table, Max noticing me first and offering me a smile.
The girls didn’t even move out of my way, so I shuffled around them to climb back into my seat.
A red-haired beauty eyed me and almost glared that I dared return. What was her problem?
She handed over a piece of paper to Danny and winked. “Call me,” was all she said before her and her friends sauntered away.
“You’re Mr. Popular,” I said.
“Tis the season to be jelly,” he teased, but when he saw I wasn’t laughing, he just reached over and ran a finger down my hand. It left a shiver of excitement in its wake, and then he scrunched up the note from the red-head and tossed it onto my plate that had somehow emptied while I was on the phone.
Max watched intently, and a strangeness crept between us. I had the urge to ask him what he was thinking. But that wasn’t what this was. So instead, I said, “So, are we doing this or are you guys all talk? Let’s have some fun and do our best to get me on Santa’s naughty list.”
