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Myeyes take a minute to adjust to the dark bar.Theroom might be dark, but the walls are lined with old neon signs, giving everything a supernatural glow.Assoon as my eyes adjust,I’mscanning forSelena.Halfthe peopleIgraduated high school with are here.Iguess there still really isn’t anything else to do around here on aSaturdaynight.
Iclock her in a millisecond.She’ssitting on the far wall on a low leather sofa with a couple ofLily’sfriends from high school.She’sfine.She’ssmiling and sipping some sort of girly cocktail.Thekind that has a pink plastic cowboy hat in it.
Onlyshe’s not wearing the leggings and t-shirt she was when she walked past me on the front porch earlier.She’schanged into a light-wash denim dress that has puffy little sleeves down to her elbows and that ties up between her damn tits.It’skind of hard to tell when she’s sitting, but from the amount of creamy white thighIcan see, it’s short.Toodamn short.Itdoesn’t look too tight, except where it ties up at the front.Andit leaves more than half of her tits hanging out over the knot.Idon’t thinkI’dbe surprised ifIsaw a flash of pretty pink nipple.Thewoman is going to fucking kill me.
“Lily,”Isay, pressing my hand down on her shoulder whenIspot her on the stairs, heading from the bar area down to the dance floor and seating area.Thelayout is smart.You’vegot to go past the bar every time you walk in or out of theGoldrushor go to the bathroom, so you know everyone is grabbing another drink.Lily’sall dressed up, too, wearing tight jean shorts, cowboy boots, and a sparkly little tank top.
Whetherit’s over my girlfriend or my best friend, why doIhave the feeling thatI’mgoing to be getting into a fight tonight?NightsinL.A. never end up with me in a damn bar fight.
“Youdon’t need to post thirst traps forGunnaranymore.He’sright over there.”
“What?”Lilyturns, frowning.Thenshe beams when she sees it’s me. “Bestie!”
Shethrows her arms around me. “Imiss you.Whydo you live so far away when everyone you love is right here?”
Iwrap my arms around the girl that’s been my best friend—my sister—ever sinceIcan remember.Probablysince birth because our moms were best friends, andLilywas born a couple of months after me.
“YouknowIneed to be inL.A. for work.ButIshould come home more often.That’son me.Ineed to do better.”
Lilyleans back and rolls her middle finger against her thumb to flick me right on the nipple.Hard. “Ouch.Shit,Lily!”
“Yeahyou do, asshole!”Sheglances around, and like always, her eyes land onGunnar. “Whatthe hell are you all doing here?It’sladies’ night!”
“Ladies’ night is officially over.Theguys are here now.Andyou knowInever would have let you andSelenago to the bar without us, if either of you’d told me this is where you were going.”
“Whydo you think we didn’t tell you?Selenawanted some space.”Lilythrows her hand over her mouth. “Oops,Iwasn’t supposed to say that.”
“You’remy best friend.So, you definitely should have told me that.Butyou still shouldn’t have come to the bar all by yourselves.”
“We’regrown women.Wecan go to a bar by ourselves!Whatdo you thinkIdo all the time when you’re not here?”
“Ifigured you’d have the good sense to bringGunnaror one of my idiot brothers.”
“Iam a strong, independent woman,JacksonWaters.Idon’trequire a chaperone.Nowmake yourself useful and go get us another round.”
“You’rea monster.”
“Butyou love me.”
“Iknow,Ido.ButI’mnot sure how it happened.Ithink you must have just grown on me like some sort of invasive moss or something.”
“Mossare a super-species.Sothank you for that compliment.”Lilydrums on my arms, like she’s kicking off a drum solo atMadisonSquareGarden. “Drinks!Drinks!Drinks!”
“Shit.Fine.Whatare you drinking?”
“Justget us shots.Tequila, please.Thegood stuff.”
“Becausetequila after eleven o’clock is a good idea. “
“Liketequila’s a good ideabeforeeleven o’clock?Butthat’s what we’re drinking!”
“Fine.Behaveyourself whileI’mgone.”
“Nopromises!”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”I’mnot sureI’drecognize aLilyon her best behavior.
Tossingmy arm overJameson’sshoulders,Irope him into coming to the bar with me.Iorder a dozen tequila shots and a half a dozen waters for the ladies.Limewedges, shakers of salt.Thewhole damn thing.Pickingup the tray of shots and fixings,Inod for my brother to pick up the waters.ThenIturn to deliver the drinks, as requested.One-by-one,IcatchLily,Gunnar, and my other brothers’ eyes and nod towards the sofa area whereSelena’ssitting withLily’sfriends.
