Well, he catches on fast. “No,” I reply vehemently, giggling. “Maybe. A little.”
“Where are you? I can take you home.”
I lean on the wall next to the entrance.
“You don’t want to know where we are.” I giggle again, imagining the frown he must have right now.
“Now I want to know more.”
“Well, remember my joke about the strip club last time?”
Sebastian lets out a sound between a growl and a snicker. “My sister brought you to a strip club?”
“No, her friend Caroline did.”
“Oh, that explains it. So how drunk is everyone?”
“I’d say we’re seeing double butts, and that’s butt overload because there are enough butts as it is.”
Sebastian laughs into the phone. “I only got the word butt. Let’s leave it at that, I don’t want more details.”
“Where are you?”
“Home. I left the after-party about half an hour ago.”
“Were there no naked butts around there?” My voice is playful, but despite the drunken state, my heart grows heavy.
“Should I come pick you up?”
“Yeah. The girls need a lift too.” I realize he hasn’t answered my question. I give him our address and go back inside to tell the girls they have to prepare to leave.
***
“This is fancy. We’re having a private driver,” Caroline giggles while Sebastian helps the four of us in the car. Or tries to, because we’re not making this easy on him. He holds his sisters by the waists, and they are each kissing one of his cheeks, muttering something about best brother in the world.
“More like babysitter,” Sebastian says.
“I want shotgun,” I announce, elbowing him.
He indulges me and helps the three girls climb in the back.
“This was fun,” Caroline says as Sebastian hits the gas pedal. “Ava, we should go out again.”
Pippa answers before I even get to open my mouth. “She can’t. She’s going on a short holiday with my dear brother, and then returns to New York, or wherever her job sends her next. ”
“Oh, but aren’t you doing her, Sebastian?” In the rearview mirror, I see her frowning, looking from Sebastian to me.
“Really smooth, Caroline,” Alice remarks.
“I’m drunk. I can get away with this.” She shoos Alice away good-naturedly. “Don’t break her heart, like your brother did with mine.”
“Thanks for the advice.” Sebastian’s tone is clipped, but he places his hand over mine, and I melt in my seat.
We drop the girls one by one: Caroline, Pippa, and Alice.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Sebastian