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"Where's Lee tonight?" he asked.
Malia waved her hand absently. "Oh, he's around here somewhere, I'm sure. Can't go too far from him, you know. We're still in that honeymoon phase of our relationship. I'm sure you understand." She winked, and Lucy sipped her drink, glancing down with a flush.
"Hm, we sure do, don't we, sunshine?" Mason's voice had darkened. She glanced at him through her eyelashes as she sipped her drink. He arched a brow, and she felt her heart race.
Malia's laugh rolled over them. "Oh my God, you two are so in love, I don't know whether to slug you or clap in admiration. You know, there's a little coat closet downstairs. They don't like people fucking in the bathrooms, but they haven't found out about the little coat closet yet."
She wiggled her brows, and Lucy felt heat spread from her face to her chest.
Mason just grinned at Lucy. "You don't say? Well, there's an adventure for you, Luce. You did say you wanted to try new things while here, didn't you?"
Lucy glared at him. "Mason!"
He chuckled and took a sip of his drink. His eyebrows quirked, then he pulled out his phone and frowned at it. He looked at her with narrowed eyes. "I need to take this. Will you be ok for a few minutes?"
Lucy nodded, touched that he thought of her. Then he leaned over and kissed her cheek before putting his drink down, hopping up, and going down the stairs.
"Man, he is one fine cowboy. He seems like he knows what he's doing in the bedroom, if he has you blushing like that all day. He's clearly in love with you."
She opened her mouth to deny it but caught herself from arguing that he wasn't. She'd almost forgotten that they were pretending to be married.
Instead, she sipped her drink and then laughed awkwardly. "That's good, since I'm in love with him too."
Lucy's heart beat hard and fast. Was she lying or was it the truth? Her mind was fuzzy from the drinks already, not too bad, just nice and slow and relaxed. She didn't want to analyze her response, didn't want to question it or find the hidden meaning in everything.
A waiter came over and whispered in Malia's ear, then she sent him away. They chatted about the music and the parade, which should start any minute now.
"Oh, there it is. The band stopped playing. Can you hear the drums of the parade now?" Malia asked as she stood up and went to the railing a few steps away. Lucy drained her drink and joined her.
Malia pointed out different parade floats and explained some of the cultural references. The waiter returned with two new drinks, so Lucy sipped as they talked and watched the parade.
She wished Mason was here too and pulled her phone out of her pocket. She typed but her fingers were clumsy. She frowned and fixed the spelling mistakes, working slowly and methodically as her vision blurred.
Where are you? You're missing the parade.
She checked that it was on vibrate and slipped it back in her pocket. She sipped her drink and stared at the swirling lights and dancing people below, laughing at the antics and oohing over different costumes and floats.
When the parade disappeared down the street, the band began playing again. Malia turned and leaned her elbows against the railing with a smile.
"The parade will continue for maybe half an hour or an hour? Then the fireworks will go off. This place is almost the beginning of the parade route."
Lucy nodded and sipped her drink, still looking at the street below. It was fascinating to people watch. She could learn a lot from it but being removed from the action also made her feel somewhat safe.
Malia threw her drink back and chugged it. Then she said, "Come on. Finish that up, and let's go dance while we wait for lover boy and the fireworks."
Lucy turned and looked around the bar for Mason. He'd been gone too long, but she didn't want to just sit around moping that he'd left her. He hadn't left her alone, after all. She was here with Malia now.
She nodded and went back to her seat. "Sure, let me finish this and text him right quick. But—um—I don't think I can dance and hold all my bags."
Malia laughed and lifted her hand. The waiter from earlier arrived almost immediately, and she said, "Take Lucy's things and hold them behind the bar. Keep them safe, will you?"
The man nodded and swooped her bags and purse in one hand. Lucy barely registered it as the cocktails were hitting her system. She frowned and texted Mason.
Are you alright? Where are you?
She slipped her phone back into the pocket of her dress and chugged her drink before setting it on the side table.
Malia grinned and stood. "That's the spirit. Come on, Lucy, let's show them how to have fun, instead of all that grinding shit."
