One thing I knew was I hated the taste of tequila. “I’d rather just have a beer.” That way I’d know the percentage of alcohol I’d be consuming.
“My kind of girl,” Mack touted. Before he could get the attention of a server, a pretty woman appeared holding a tray with a pitcher of beer, a stack of plastic glasses, and what looked like test tubes of blue liquid in a small rack. “Sweetheart, you know me so well.”
The waitress blushed and set down the tray. “I get off at midnight.”
“Or maybe before,” Mack replied with a smirk.
“Dear Lord. Can you please just pour the beer?” Sophie barked at Mack, who chuckled.
“What’s the matter, Soph? Slim pickings lately?” he teased.
“With you two constantly around, it doesn’t help matters much.”
“You should be thanking us,” Collin said.
The exchange confused me a little. What I did understand was that the guys were able to flirt and do whatever but didn’t want the girls to do the same. I suppose it could be considered chivalrous, but if the tables were turned, they’d call it cockblocking.
Cami reached for the small tubes, plucking them out and handing one to each of us. Collin and Mack waved her off, leaving two extras. “This is a blue whale. It’s delicious. Trust me.” She raised the shot in the air. “To new friends and great times.”
We brought our glasses together, and I watched Cami pour it into her mouth, and I did the same. “Ooh, this is yummy. Tastes like pineapple. Maybe I should have one of those instead.”
Cami laughed and handed me another one. “Here, drink up.”
Since the first hadn’t been that strong, I took it, slammed it back, and shimmied in my seat, enjoying the tasty liquid sliding down my throat.
A deep voice coming through the speakers said, “I’m Tommy, and we’re the Unarmed Outlaws. Who’s ready to have fun?”
Some bargoers hooted and hollered while others rushed to the dance floor. Cami grabbed my hand. “Come on, let’s go.”
Knowing that dance was something I had zero issues with, I agreed. Sophie didn’t want to leave the table yet, so it was just me and Cami swinging our hips to the music. The band played the cover of a popular song before transitioning to a rock ballad. Then a couple of guys decided to join us. Cami winked, and I could feel my blood rush to my cheeks, and the alcohol do the same to my brain.
“I’ve never seen you here before.”
Original.“Are you going to ask if I come here often?”
“He laughed. No, I was being serious.”
“Oh, sorry.” I was such a dope sometimes. If Sally were here, she’d be shaking her head. “I just moved to Virginia a little bit ago for work.”
“Yeah, what do you do?”
“I kick balls.”
He laughed. “Remind me not to piss you off.”
“Noted.”
He took a step closer and added, “Wait, I think I heard about you. My friend’s cousin’s sister’s brother-in-law works for the Rockets. You’re that girl. The kicker.” The guy had dark hair. He was cute, tall, and probably not too much older than me. “I’m Scott.”
The fact that people knew who I was before Reese announced it officially unnerved me, but I rolled with it. “Hi. I’m Charlie.”
“So cool.”
He placed his hand on my hip, and just as I was about to shrug it off, Collin and Valencia came into view. Her hands were resting on his nape, and her fingers once again played with his hair. They moved to the music a bit slower than the beat called for. Whatever. I supposed it was something I needed to get used to. It wasn’t as though I had a claim on him—that thought alone made my heart race.
Rather than worry about it, I gave Scott my attention. We swayed to the rhythm; then it morphed into a line dance that I knew the steps to. “I’m out,” Scott said, chuckling.
“Stay. It’ll be fun. Just follow me.”