I risk another glance in his direction, but he’s not looking at me this time. His attention is tuned to Mullet Man who appears to be telling him a story while wildly gesticulating with his hands. There are, however, a new pair of eyes pointed my direction. The beautiful blonde beside Xavier shoots daggers at me with her stare from across the room and if looks could kill, I’d already be in a body bag.
Not wanting any trouble, I quickly look away and do my best to immerse myself in conversation with my cousin. Before I know it we are laughing and making plans for how much fun we are going to have this summer. Quinn goes on and on about how great her job at the bar is and how she promises I’m going to love it—especially the tips.
“Your boss does know I don’t have a drop of experience as a server?” I ask as I start on my third drink of the night.
Quinn waves me off. “Hotness outweighs what a résumé says any day, Anna. Trust me on that.”
“I’m just really nervous. It’s my first job. Father is going to kill me when he finds out I’m choosing to serve drinks in a bar rather than using the degree he shelled out so much money for.”
“We all have to start somewhere. Plus, it’s not like there’s hospitality management positions just lying around for recent college grads. Besides, most of us have to start from the ground up,” she assures me.
“What are we talking about ladies?” My attention snaps to a tall, dark-haired man standing in front of our table with a couple of drinks. “I’m Brad, and this is my friend, Jared. Mind if we join you?”
My eyes flit to blond guy, Jared. He’s wearing a hopeful smile that makes his brown eyes twinkle. Both guys are pretty cute. Nowhere near as attractive as Xavier, but cute nonetheless.
I glance over at Quinn, and she shrugs, pulls out a flirty grin, and turns her attention back to the two guys in front of me. “I’m Quinn, and this is my cousin, Anna.”
Brad takes that as an invitation and takes a seat next to Quinn, sliding one of the beers he brought with him in her direction. “What brings you girls out tonight?”
Quinn explains we’re just out having a drink to unwind, and I take a second to glance over in Xavier’s direction as Jared slides a chair from the table beside us directly in front of me. Despite the obstacle I can still clearly see Xavier glaring at Jared’s back, watching every move he makes.
“I’m Jared.” I smile at him politely as he extends a hand toward me.
“Nice to meet you,” I say after shaking his hand.
I know getting to know new people is high on Quinn’s list of fun activities for us this summer, but I still can’t help feeling awkward. My flirting skills need some work.
“So, umm, are you from around here?”
I can’t tell if Jared’s actually interested in me, or if he’s just taking one for the team so his buddy can talk to Quinn. I shake my head and finish off my drink, feeling my toes start to tingle. I giggle as I wonder if this is what it feels like to have a buzz. “Nope. I’m actually from Portland.”
“Wow. Are you just visiting or what?”
“I’m a transplant—moved here today, actually. Quinn is my new roomie.”
I flick my tongue around in my mouth, amazed by how foreign it feels in my mouth as I speak, and giggle again. I lift the glass to my lips, but grow disappointed when I remember that it’s empty.
“I really like these things. They taste so fruity. You can’t even taste the alcohol.”
Jared grins and taps my empty glass. “Let me get you another drink.”
I rest my chin in my hand and smile, thinking of how nice Jared seems. “That would be great.”
When he gets up, I glance around, noticing there are a lot more people in here than an hour or so ago when we first arrived. Just then a voice pipes up over the low music that was playing, and a DJ announces that he’s taking over before an up-tempo song blasts through the speakers.
“Oh!” Quinn squeals in my ear. “I love this song! Let’s dance, Anna.”
She nudges me out of the booth before turning around and shouting at Brad to watch our seats. Typically I’m not a “dance in public” kind of girl, but with the way the liquor has me loosened up, and the heavy thump of bass pounding through me, all I feel like doing is letting go.
She stops at the edge of the floor. “Let’s give them a little show, cuz.”
I laugh as she grabs my hands and starts rocking her hips to the music, forcing me to follow her lead. “Where’d you learn to dance like this?”
“I should ask you the same question, girl. You’ve got some moves.”
I grin. “My undergrad degree is in dance. I’ve always been fascinated. There was a girl in one of my classes who taught me a few freestyle moves and introduced me to the beauty of top forty pop.”
“Oh, if Uncle Simon ever found out, you would’ve been toast.” She laughs and tosses her dark hair around. “Whip your hair around. It drives guys crazy!”
I mimic her actions just as I feel a hand slip up on my hip and see Brad push up behind Quinn.
“You look great out here. Very sexy!” Jared says in my ear as he hands me a drink.
“Thanks!” I shout so he can hear me over the music as I lift the drink to my lips.
My arm stops in mid-air, and I stare down at the fingers wrapped around my wrist. My vision follows the thick fingers, to the wrist, up the tattooed arm, broad chest, finally resting on a light-blue pooled iris. Xavier’s jaw flexes as he stares over my head at Jared, who has completely stilled behind me. “Don’t ever take a drink from a random guy. That’s lesson one in this cruel reality, beautiful. Not all guys are nice.”