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“Why are we meeting here?” Mia asked with a peppy smile as she set her tote bag on the bar. “Isn’t it a little early for cocktails?”
Not that she’d say no to one. Maybe a bloody mary, or a mimosa. That couldn’t be that bad to have before work, could it? Sometimes, the start of the day called for a refreshing drink—with alcohol. In the past few months, she had been feeling that sentiment a lot. Not that she’d ever lose control. Oh, no. Alcohol could make people do crazy things, and she never wanted to get to that level of crazy. She’d witnessed it firsthand way too many times. So, while she enjoyed alcohol, it was usually only two to three drinks max.
Maybe four if she was feeling extra sorry for herself.
Gabby, her best friend in the entire world, matched her bright smile. “No, we’re not having cocktails. We both have to work.” She half-pouted. “Shit. I wish, though.”
“Quarter,” she said with a sassy smirk as she pointed to the jar on the back counter. Not that either of them would be able to reach it to add to the swear jar. Brick never minded adding the money to the jar. Sometimes, when he was busy at the other end of the bar, they liked to try their hand at making the shot themselves. It wasn’t easy making a quarter into a small mason jar from almost seven feet away. The times they had tried, they didn’t make it very often. But it made them laugh and have fun attempting to.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll add two bucks before we leave,” Gabby said, rolling her eyes, digging the money out of her purse as she did.
Okay, so they weren’t going to have some fun shooting quarters into the jar. Bummer. Mia didn’t mind taking her time here…having that drink.
“So, why are we here, if not to enjoy a drink…that totally wouldn’t hurt to have? A mimosa wouldn’t kill us. Light on the Prosecco, heavy on the orange juice.”
Gabby narrowed her eyes, attempting to use her wily detective skills to figure out why Mia was trying to press the drinks. Well, why the hell not, is what she wanted to say.
“Fine. I’ll have a mimosa. Virgin style.” Gabby leaned across the bar and shouted to Brick, the best bartender in the world—Mia would never dispute that with anyone— “Add two virgin mimosas to our order.”
Brick laughed but winked in acknowledgment.
Mia huffed teasingly. Sort of. “Virgin mimosa? I don’t even think that’s a thing. You could’ve just said a glass of orange juice.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Gabby chuckled, then her features relaxed into concern. “Everything okay? You seem a bit…squirrelly today.”
Mia ruffled a hand through her curly hair as she briefly looked away. She hated to lie to her best friend, but she didn’t want to be completely honest either. Sometimes, it was hard to talk to Gabby. Most of the time, they shared everything as besties do. But sometimes, somethings…needed to be left unsaid. Ever since Gabby found the love of her life and everything was going so well for her, it was hard to tell her things. Meanwhile, Mia’s life continued on its current path. Same job. Same single status. Same feeling of sadness that she could never quite seem to dispel.
“Who’s being squirrelly here? You or me? Ordering a virgin mimosa.” Mia rolled her eyes this time. “It’s going to be a busy day. A few new cast members are joining the production, and one I’ve worked with before who is a pain in my ass. She never listens to what I say. I create the designs. She wears them. End of story.”
“Quarter,” Gabby said with a bit of snark that made Mia wrinkle her nose at her and stick out her tongue.
Here was her chance to throw that quarter. They could have a throwing contest.
Or not.
What was she thinking?
Delaying the inevitable never worked. That same weary feeling would still be there. Still weigh her down.
“Not sure why everyone else always has to follow the swear jar rule.You’rethe one who’s trying to stop the swearing. Not us. And it’s not like these swear jars help you anyway. You still have a potty mouth like a sailor.”
“Because you’re my bestie, and that’s what you do for your best friend. Need I remind you what I did for you a few months ago that was completely outrageous.”
Mia shrugged as her lips curved upward. “Only if you’re going to add thank you to that reminder. You did meet the love of your life.”
Gabby’s smile brightened as her eyes lit up with happiness—a look that hadn’t dulled since she met Dane. “I did, didn’t I? Dane is someone I never expected, and I love him more than I can say.”
Before Gabby could go into questions or inquiries into her love life, Mia spoke. “So, virgin mimosas and…what else did you order, and why?”
Gabby’s eyes narrowed again, briefly, like she was debating whether to put on her interrogator face before she smoothed out her features. “Brick’s breakfast burritos. Ever since Dane found out he makes the best breakfast burritos, I find it hard not to swing by and get one. But I wanted to talk to you about Dane. Since I know you have a busy schedule, I have a busy schedule, then I’m at home with him all night, I don’t want him to overhear. I swear, it feels like I haven’t seen you in a while.”
Mia wouldn’t exactly disagree. In the past month, she had stopped dropping by Gabby’s place as often. She felt like she was intruding. Of course, she knew if she uttered a single word hinting at that, Gabby would disagree and use a few choice swear words to get her point across as well.
Not that it was her only reason for distancing herself.
Of course, not something she wanted to think about right now.
