AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Nice to meet you all,” I mutter with a weak wiggle of my fingers in front of me.
Bryce doesn’t bother saying anything to the men before leading the way to what appears to be the only empty table in the joint. Cluing in to my confusion once we slip into the booth, she says, “This is our table.”
Poppy shrugs off her jacket. “I’m shocked Vic doesn’t have this table full every night regardless.”
“Don’t say her name. You’ll summon her from the pits of hell,” Bryce hisses.
I laugh lightly and unzip my jacket, still feeling flushed. My toes cramp in the boots I borrowed from Poppy, an ache already building in the sole of my foot. The boots might be my regular size, but my wide feet aren’t meant for them. My entire outfit has me feeling so unlike myself.
“What exactly happened between the two of you?” I ask Bryce.
Bryce blows out a long, harsh breath and taps her nails on the table. “I need at least three drinks before we crack open that can of worms.”
“Let me start us off, then,” I announce before slipping out of the booth. This is girls’ night, after all, and no man will ruin that for me. “What do you two drink?”
Please don’t say beer.
“Vodka and cranberry juice for me,” Poppy sings.
Bryce thinks for a beat before saying, “Same as her, but add a round of tequila shots.”
Poppy’s groan matches mine, but neither of us fights our friend on it. If she needs tequila, then we all need tequila.
With that, I spin on my heels and head for the bar. After ordering our drinks, I lean my forearms against the smooth wood bar top and check my phone. I reply to my sister asking what my plans for the night are and then hesitate to open the conversation with Bo for the millionth time since I sent that final text last night, and despite my agreement with only speaking that single time, I’ve contemplated sending another message.
It’s reckless to want to speak to a stranger, but it was easy to speak with him. Fun, even. We got along really well, and it turnsout that he even has a sense of humour similar to mine. It’s too bad we shouldn’t speak again.
I force myself to shove my phone into my back pocket and smile at the older woman behind the bar as she starts setting three glasses full of red liquid on a black tray. The tequila comes next, and I crinkle my nose in anticipation of the taste of it.
“Thirsty?”
I jolt, hair flying as I turn my head and find Brody standing there, arms crossed over his wide chest. Up close, he’s really damn tall. Like I have to tip my head back to meet his eyes tall. I’ve never felt shorter in my entire life than in this moment.Great.
The woodsy scent of his cologne drifts in the air between us, and I immediately hate how good it smells. I would prefer him to smell like skunk spray or something equally as disgusting.
“Yep. Parched,” I snip.
When I reach for the tray of drinks, he snags it out of my reach. My blood boils as I snap my gaze upward. The scowl I’m starting to believe he was born wearing has somehow deepened, as if I’ve already done something to offend him again.
“I’ll carry it for you,” he grunts.
“So you can dump the drinks over my head once I turn my back to you? Not a chance. I can carry them myself.”
“I’m tryin’ to be nice.”
“Well, you’re doing a terrible job. Leave me alone.”
He closes his eyes, inhaling deeply before opening them again. “You’ll be lucky not to trip in those boots.”
“I’d rather trip than be pushed by you. Seriously, go away.”
I don’t have the chance to be shocked at my rudeness before he’s sidestepping me and pulling the tray toward him, out of my reach. He doesn’t wait for me to fall into step beside him before walking toward my table.
“If this is your attempt at an apology for your utter asshole-ness earlier, you’re doing a terrible job!” I raise my voice just enough he’ll be able to make it out over the music and chatter.
He freezes, glancing at me over his shoulder. The exasperation in his expression threatens to sever my last nerve.
“It wasn’t an apology.”
