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“I know the rules.” He waved her off.
She didn’t have many, but staying inside from dusk till sunrise was one of them. She didn’t want to come home one day and see her brother on the news mistaken for a criminal. One visit from the police, however innocent it seemed, was more than enough.
“I was going to have Mark come over in a couple hours to study. When are you leaving?” TJ asked.
Belle smiled, grateful he had at least one friend in this small town. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and checked her messages.
Katy: Shipwreck at 8:30.
“At eight-fifteen. I’m gonna go shower and get ready. Let me know when the pizza is here.”
“Will do.”
“I love you.”
He rolled his eyes. “You too, sis.”
As corny as he might have thought her constant reminders were, she wanted him growing up knowing there was always one person in this world he could count on—her and her fierce love.
***
Belle checked her reflection in the car mirror as she applied a heavy layer of her favorite fire-engine red lip stain. Her curls were loose around her face, stopping just before her shoulders. She’d squeezed into a pair of white skinny jeans and picked a black off-the-shoulder top. It was nice to dress up in something besides scrubs for once.
Taking a deep breath, she got out of her car in the already full parking lot. Alternative music grew louder each time the front door to the club opened. The stars glittered above in the humid summer night. She walked towards the neon signs and stopped in front of the hulking man with scars on his face and tattoos peeking out from the collar of his shirt.
“ID, please,” he said, his deep voice gruff but kind.
She pulled it out of her pocket, and after a quick inspection, he handed it back to her and opened the door.
The place was like something out of a movie. Fish tanks were built into the wall with lights reflecting off the water, bathing the place in a warm blue glow. The timber bar was surrounded by a group of men laughing, most likely on the hunt for someone to keep their bed warm.
“Belle! Over here.” A shout from the side had her turning to find Katy surrounded by four other ladies she recognized from the few times she’d worked first shift.
As Belle approached the table, Katy patted the seat next to her. “You look hot, girl. Who knew that body was hiding under those scrubs?”
Belle’s cheeks grew warm. She shifted uncomfortably. “Right back at ya, girl. What are we drinking?”
“Shots!” a blond woman yelled loudly enough that Belle assumed she’d already had a few.
“Tina picked the last round. Tawny picked Fireball before that.” Katy motioned in a circle, naming the ladies. “Sue picked boring old beer.”
“Hey!” Sue whined.
“Now it’s Amy’s turn.”
“Okay, I’ll be back, bitches.” Amy stood, wobbling a bit. She grabbed the table to steady herself before walking to the bar.
Sue was sitting on the other side of Belle and turned abruptly. “I love your hair. I wish I could get mine to do something creative like that. Is this your real mane?” Sue reached out her hand and Belle’s shot out to stop her.
“Don’t. Touch. My. Hair . . . please,” Belle added with a forced smile.
“Oh, I—uh. I’m sorry. I was just curious,” Sue said, draining the few drops left in her empty glass.
Katy laughed. “What about you, Sue? Are those your real boobs?”
Sue looked down and then back up at Katy, her cheeks scarlet. “Of course they are.”
The other ladies laughed, breaking the tension.
