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“Even though you’re a little drunk, I’ll accept the compliment.”
“Um, my boyfriend is going to be here like in fifteen minutes. I don’t think he’ll appreciate you hanging around me like that,” I heard from behind me. Having completely forgotten that Rachel was there, it actually startled me, and I jumped at the sound of her voice.
When I turned to her, she was glaring at the inebriated fellow dressed in a light blue button up shirt and khaki pants.
“This is my buddy Ray,” Owen introduced.
Ray gave us a wink and then with a wobbly salute he walked back to the bar.
“Is Tom really coming?” I asked Rachel.
“Yeah, he wants to talk to me. I told him I was here. Is that okay?” she asked with doubt already evident in her eyes.
“Sure, fine by me.” Now that Owen was here, and seeing what sort of mood she’d been in anyway, I was relieved to know I wouldn’t have to feel guilty about spending time with him. And honestly, that was all I wanted to do.
Though Owen continued drinking, I refrained from the stuff myself because I was driving. Still, it didn’t stop me from having a good time and letting loose.
Owen introduced me to his group, all employees of Crawford Co. They were a “rowdy” bunch just as the hostess had said, most of them drunk, but fun nonetheless. They teased each other mercilessly, including Owen, to the point where I felt like I needed to come to his defense. When he saw my face - even then he could read me so well - he gently rubbed my back and whispered in my ear, “You’re cute when you get mad. It’s even cuter to know that it’s on my behalf.”
That sort of made me more upset, but then I chuckled at the ridiculousness of it.
A DJ showed up sometime after ten and started playing all the hits from the 80s and 90s. All of the Crawford Co. men jumped at the opportunity to make fools of themselves, including my “date.”
I remained at the table with Rachel and Tom, who were canoodled and saying sweet nothings to each other. It was a little nauseating to see actually, and it crossed my mind a few times to suggest they find a room and get the makeup sex over and done with.
Let Me Clear My Throat by DJ Kool came on, and the group roared. Owen shimmied his way to me and I allowed him to drag me onto the makeshift dancefloor. We danced with abandon, not caring what anyone thought about our abilities. Though I was in general a good dancer, having spent many a night at Latin dance clubs, this kind of music was certainly out of my league. Owen, however, seemed to be in his element, holding one leg by the knee and doing a sort of running man as he coughed to clear his throat along with the song.
Laughing, I wiggled my hips, but didn’t attempt to imitate him, there was just no way.
I became so lost in Owen that when I felt a light tap on my shoulder and turned to find Rachel and her boyfriend I was completely surprised to see her.
“We’re leaving,” she told me. “Do you want to walk out with us?” Rachel looked to Owen, and I could tell she was wondering if I’d be going home with him. If he was safe.
“You’re leaving so early? We just got here!” I told her.
“It’s one in the morning.”
“It’s one!” I exclaimed looking at my watch.
“Besides,” she continued, “Tom has to work tomorrow and we want to get some sleep.” She had a twinkle in her eye when she said the word sleep that let me know they’d made up, and the last thing they’d be getting tonight was shut eye. That made me feel better for having abandoned her. Well, that and the fact that on two occasions she’d left me to fend for myself, once having to catch a cab home when she’d hooked up with someone.
“Okay, I guess I should be going, too.” Though I didn’t really want to, I would rather have stayed here with Owen. But I didn’t live all that close and I didn’t want to walk out there alone. “Let me go say bye.”
Owen waited for me at the bar, watching my interaction. I don’t think he was able to hear what was going on, but must have guessed from the somber expression on my face that I was leaving.
“You have to go?” he asked.
“Yeah, my friend is leaving. I should, too.”
“My group is leaving soon. Half of them are from Chicago and a few from Virginia, so they’re all staying at the Grande Luz. They’re headed back to the hotel to have a few more drinks. Would you like to come with me?”
Before I could answer, his buddy Ray, who I learned was soon to be moving to North Carolina from the Chicago office, wrapped his beefy arm around my neck. “Come with us! Mah… mah frien’ here, he likes the… he likes you.” His speech was so impeded I had to go over the words in my mind a few times before I understood what he’d said.
I laughed and he laughed with me, which made me like him. He so reminded me of Chris Farley that I struggled to call him Ray. “Ray, I don’t think I can. But thank you for the invitation.” Then I turned to Owen. “So you’re going with them?”
“Yeah, they’re my ride. I left my truck at their hotel. Don’t worry, Ray’s not driving either. We got Mr. DD over there ready to go,” he said throwing a thumb over his shoulder to Henry, I believe was his name, who’d only had one beer. Supposedly.
I chewed my lip, wondering if I should voice my idea out loud. “I could always give you a ride to your house? Unless you really want to stay at the hotel. In my opinion you’ve probably had too much to drink to drive tonight.”
