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“I’m going straight for the blow job.”
I nodded slowly as my teeth cracked with the strain of keeping a straight face. “Skipping the pleasantries. Nice.”
Tiana tucked her phone away and shifted on her feet, obviously discomforted by the fact nothing she said pushed me off balance. “What about you? Are you playing the game?”
I let my lips tip up on one side and shrugged lazily. “I haven’t decided yet.”
The queue started to move again, and I turned to face the bar, putting my back to Tiana and standing shoulder to shoulder with Liberty, who looked as though she wished she’d never come to the Bay. I nudged my shoulder against hers. “Don’t let one awful person ruin your night,” I said in a low voice.
Liberty nodded, but she still seemed uncomfortable.
We reached the front of the line, but Will was busy at the other end of the bar. When Steph saw it was me waiting to be served, she shot me a wink and moved up to the next customers, leaving space for Will to move towards us. He grinned when he saw me, but before he could open his mouth, I stuck out my hand.
“I’m Abbie,” I announced. He cocked an eyebrow but took my hand, shaking it with amusement. “And this is my friend, Liberty.”
I elbowed her to indicate she should shake his hand, too, and she did, but she gave me a bewildered look first as if she couldn’t believe my audacity, and it greatly improved my mood.
“Nice to meet you, Abbie. And you, Liberty. What can I get you?”
“A pitcher of your famous bottomless margaritas, please,” I said. “And four glasses.”
“Coming right up.”
As soon as Will’s back was turned, Liberty threw me a look that screamedoh my Godand I gave her a conspiratorial nudge. When Will came back with the drinks, he set them on the bar, and I tapped my card on the payment terminal.
“So, Will. I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind doing me a little favour?”
“Uh.” He knew me too well, which meant he could tell I was up to something, and the hesitation in his expression was too cute. “Depends what it is, I suppose.”
“It’s Liberty’s birthday today. Any chance she can get a happy birthday kiss?”
“Like…” Will shot me a loaded look. “On the cheek?”
I smirked at how adorable he was and because he’d unwittingly suggested the perfect kiss for tonight’s purposes. “On the cheek would be perfect.”
“Sure.” He turned to Liberty and flashed a dimple, then leaned over the bar towards her. “Happy birthday, Liberty.”
She tilted her body in his direction, and her eyes were wide as he dropped a chaste peck on her cheek. Around us, a few girls squealed. Others groaned. There were murmurs and hissed whispers. Beside me, Liberty’s cheeks were pink, and she was trying hard not to smile. I turned my head to look back at Tiana, who had her arms crossed and was throwing daggers at my back.
I picked up my drink order, not bothering to hide my smile. “It was good to meet you, Liberty. If you’re going to the poker tournament this weekend, make sure you ask for me, okay?”
Dreamily, she lifted her hand to the cheek Will had kissed. “I’ll be there.”
“And Will,” I added with a wink, “I’ll be in my booth. Send over something yummy when you have a minute, will you?”
He grinned at me, not the flashy thing he saved for the flirting he did over the bar. A real smile that made his cobalt eyes shine and his dimple dance in a way I’d come to realise it only moved for me.
I wound my way through the crowd, an oversized jug of margarita mix in one hand, the stems of the other glasses expertly arranged between my fingers in the other. I passed Josh, Logan, and Isaac on my way across the room. I lifted the jug in a silent “cheers” as they huddled around a small high top near the band, damp schooners of beer in their hands, and they raised their drinks in reply.
When I reached the booth Will kept reserved for the crew, Jess, Emily, and Birdie were seated on the smooth leather seats, each with a glass of wine in front of them.
“Put that swill aside,” I demanded, dropping the heavy pitcher onto the tabletop as Jess relieved me of the glasses. “The margaritas have arrived.”
“Finally,” Birdie mumbled, pouring for herself and taking a gulp as she topped up the other glasses. “I’ve been dreaming about these for days.”
“I noticed the boys on the other side of the room,” I commented, pretending to be annoyed as I slid into the booth beside Jess. “I thought this was supposed to be a girls’ night?”
“They all had the night off,” Birdie replied, nowhere near contrite enough for my liking. “What were we supposed to do with them?”
