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“Yup, perfect.” I bring my glass to my lips and tip it back, finishing it off with one gulp. “How are you at playing pool?”
Time to get this party started.
Eighteen
Chase
Idon’t know what happened in that bathroom, but something sure as hell did because Twyla came out in a fiery mood and now she’s on her fourth drink of the night. We played pool and darts for a while, and now we’re back at the table. Twyla’s hand is pressed to her cheek, elbow on the table as she leans in and stares at me with glassy eyes.
“Aren’t there some rules for you guys the night before a game?” she asks.
I shrug. “It’s fine. Worst that’ll happen is I’ll get a fine if they find out. Besides, I only had one beer.”
There’s no way I would get drunk the night before a game or be so out of it that I couldn’t look out for her. Twyla clearly needed to blow steam off tonight and I’m happy to be the one she does it with. Or maybe I demanded I be the one she did it with. Semantics.
“Isn’t it past your bedtime?” she says in a teasing voice.
“You let me worry about my bedtime.”
“Why do you call me sunshine?”
I can see we’re at the portion of the evening where she’s drunk enough to blurt out any thought that comes into her head.
I could lie, but I’m not even sure she’ll remember this tomorrow, so I decide to be honest. “Because you’re like the sun—you bring life to anything you give your attention to. People open up, want more of you, like flowers turning toward the sun for sunlight. Plus, you have this annoying habit of always looking at the positive side of things.”
She smiles at me, and her eyes look watery all of a sudden. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
My cheeks heat in embarrassment. God, I hope she doesn’t remember this in the morning.
She brings her glass to her lips and takes a big gulp. “I’m going to go to the bathroom.” When she stands, she’s a little unsteady for a minute but finds her balance.
“Maybe we should get going.”
Twyla scoffs. “The night is young, big guy.” She smacks me on the shoulder as she passes by.
I watch the three guys who are playing pool at one of the pool tables. They came in earlier and have been getting drunker and drunker as the night rolls on. So far they’ve seemed harmless, but they’re loud and boisterous and annoying as fuck.
Twyla hasn’t returned to the table after a few minutes and I’m about to get up and check that everything is okay when I hear one of the guys from the pool table say, “Hey, baby, why don’t you come play with us? I can show you how to hold a stick.” The innuendo in his voice is obvious and my blood runs cold as I slowly shift in my seat so I can see them.
Twyla is at the other pool table with a cue in her hand. “I’m going to play with my friend, thanks.”
“Aw come on. Let the three of us show you how much fun we could all have together.”
I push my chair out from the table to intervene, hoping that my presence alone will do the trick before this situation escalates. But when he reaches for her and pulls her into him by the waist, pressing his body to hers while she leans away, I see red. Adrenaline rushes into my system and every muscle in my body tightens, primed to do battle.
“Hey, man, the lady said she’s not interested. Take a hike.” I remove his hand from around Twyla and push him so he stumbles back a few steps.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, huh?” He steps forward and I shift to stand directly in front of Twyla.
“Teaching you some manners, asshole.” I look down my nose at him since he’s shorter than me, hoping he’ll do the smart thing and back the fuck up.
“Why don’t you mind your own business?” he says, taking another step forward.
This guy doesn’t know what’s good for him.
“Sheismy business.”
“Don’t see a ring on her finger. We were just chatting.” He pushes my shoulder, but I don’t move at all. That’s when his two friends come to stand on either side of him.
