AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Karen laughed. “There’s a difference, and if you’re asking, you’ve forgotten what happy feelslike.”
“I think you’re mistaking happy for euphoric,” Ninasaid.
“Hey!” Karen protested. “I’m the editor here. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with a littleeuphoria.”
Nina begged to differ. Euphoria didn’t last. Euphoria was unstable. Contentedness, on the other hand, was sustainable. It was comfy, like a favoriteblanket.
“I know you’re trying to helpbut— ”
The bartender stopped in front of them, his eyes drawn to someone over Nina’sshoulder.
“I’d like to order some food,” a male voice said behind her. “Some wings or mozzarella sticks, something calorie dense for the ladyhere.”
Nina turned around to find Liam standing behind her, blue eyestwinkling.
“We don’t serve food,” the bartendersaid.
Liam gestured dramatically at Nina. “This is a woman who doesn’t believe in dinner! She’s living on one, maybe two meals a day at most! This is clearly anemergency.”
Nina dropped her forehead into her hand as onlookers began tostare.
“I don’t know what to tell you, pal. Can I get you a drink?” the bartenderasked.
Liam sighed. “I guess I’ll take abeer?”
“What kind?” A note of weariness had crept into the bartender’svoice.
“It’s beer,” Liam said. “Surpriseme.”
Nina twisted in her seat as the bartender went to get Liam’s beer. She caught a glimpse of Karen’s face, her lips pressed together as she tried not to laugh. “What on earth are youdoing?”
Liam’s face was deadpan. “Trying to save yourlife.”
“How do youfigure?”
“It’s been almost two weeks since you revealed your shocking feelings about dinner,” he said. “You must bestarving.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Ninasaid.
“Referencing dinner, you said, and I quote: I don’t think that’s a goodidea.”
Nina laughed in spite of herself. “You’re going all in on this schtick,huh?”
He grinned. “Itdepends.”
“Onwhat?”
“On whether it’sworking.”
The bartender set a bottle of Molson Ice on the bar near Liam, who looked at it like he thought it wasfunny.
“I’m going to run to the Ladies’ Room,” Karen said. “Save my seat will you,Liam?”
Nina glared at her. “You just got back from the Ladies’Room.”
“You’re going to bladder-shame me now?” Karen lifted her chin like she was offended but Nina knew better: she was beingrailroaded.
Karen started through the crowd and Liam slid into her seat with his beer in hand. He set it on the bar in front ofhim.
