“Whoa!” Shepley cried. “You’re not allowed to hospitalize yourself on your birthday, Abby!”
“She can do it,” America said, staring at Brazil.
“Forty bucks a shot?” Brazil said, looking unsure.
“Are you scared?” I asked.
“Hell no! I’ll give you twenty a shot, and when you make it to fifteen, I’ll double your total.”
“That’s how Kansans do birthdays,” I said, popping back another shot.
An hour and three shots later, I was in the living room dancing with Travis. The song was a rock ballad, and Travis mouthed the words to me as we danced. He dipped me at the end of the first chorus, and I let my arms fall behind me. He popped me back up, and I sighed.
“You can’t do that when I start getting into the double-digit shots,” I giggled.
“Did I tell you how incredible you look tonight?”
I shook my head and hugged him, laying my head on his shoulder. He tightened his grip, and buried his face in my neck, making me forget about decisions or bracelets or my separate personalities; I was exactly where I wanted to be.
When the music changed to a faster beat, the door opened.
“Parker!” I said, running over to hug him. “You made it!”
“Sorry I’m late, Abs,” he said, pressing his lips against mine. “Happy birthday.”
“Thanks,” I said, seeing Travis stare at us from the corner of my eye.
Parker lifted my wrist. “You wore it.”
“I said I would. Wanna dance?”
He shook his head. “Uh … I don’t dance.”
“Oh. Well, you wanna witness my sixth shot of Patrón?” I smiled, holding up my five twenties. “I make double if I get to fifteen.”
“That’s a bit dangerous, isn’t it?”
I leaned into his ear. “I am totally hustling them. I’ve played this game with my dad since I was sixteen.”
“Oh,” he said, frowning with disapproval. “You drank tequila with your dad?”
I shrugged. “It was his way of bonding.”
Parker seemed unimpressed as his eyes left mine, scanning the crowd. “I can’t stay long. I’m leaving early for a hunting trip with my father.”
“It’s a good thing my party was tonight, or you wouldn’t have made it tomorrow,” I said, surprised to hear of his plans.
He smiled and took my hand. “I would have made it back in time.”
I pulled him to the counter, picked up another shot glass and killed it, slamming it on the counter upside down like I had the previous five. Brazil handed me another twenty, and I danced into the living room. Travis grabbed me, and we danced with America and Shepley.
Shepley slapped me on the butt. “One!”
America added a second swat on my backside, and then the entire party joined in, sans Parker.
At number nineteen, Travis rubbed his hands together. “My turn!”
I rubbed my sore posterior. “Be easy! My ass hurts!”