Mayor Grady grinned knowingly and said, “Sure thing.”
Hank trained his eyes back on Arissa, she was still watching him, but there was a dreamy look in her eyes, as she chewed on her lower lip. His focus turned to that lip; his cock twitched again before he lifted heated eyes to hers and winked. He started her way, stopping briefly to say thank you to friends as they congratulated him. It seemed even as the distance between them grew closer, the farther they were held apart.
Arissa was grateful for the stool because with the way Hank was looking at her she was feeling woozy, or that could be the countless redheaded sluts she’d consumed. She didn’t know the people who kept stopping Hank from his destination, which was her, but she wanted to smack them. All of them. It was while she contemplated the man currently detaining Hank that a loud crack of thunder shook Moe’s. Hya threw the rest of her drink back, slamming the glass down and stood. Without her cane to keep her balanced, Arissa was pretty sure she’d have fallen over.
“Bertha’s top is down. We need to move this party.” Hya glanced around at the others. “Jo, you up to driving?”
Bertha, Arissa had learned, was the name of Hya’s car. She had experienced Hya driving from afar but experiencing firsthand Hya behind the wheel when they drove to Moe’s earlier, if Arissa hadn’t consumed alcohol before getting in the car with her, she wouldn’t have gotten into Bertha with her. The woman really was a menace.
Jo grinned at Hya. “You bet your ass.”
Maybe they’d actually make it to Hya’s with Jo driving.
“Then what the hell are we waiting for? Let’s move this shit to my house,” Hya said, starting for the door but looking back and adding, “Got a pitcher of margaritas in the fridge and barbecue from last night, the stick to your ribs kind.”
Millie was up and halfway to the door. “You had me at margaritas.”
Jo dropped some bills on the counter, Arissa tried to leave money, but Jo slapped her hand. “My treat. You can treat next time.”
Arissa knew her grin looked dopey, but she really liked these ladies. “Deal. Thank you.” Her attention turned to Hank, but Jo grabbed her hand and started dragging her out of Moe’s.
“Hya doesn’t let anyone drive her car and they don’t make them like that anymore. Move your ass before she changes her mind.”
Arissa didn’t want to leave Hank; she wanted to be his slut. He was making his way over to her so she could be. She tried to protest, tried to pull back, but Jo was on a mission. “What about…”
“Come on, Arissa. Being the law, I’m going to put the pedal to the metal and no one is going to stop me.”
Arissa was dragged from the Moe’s. She didn’t even get to wave goodbye to Hank; his mom was blocking her view.
Hank watched as all the women started rising one by one. Another crack of thunder sounded and he saw his mom heading his way. Hank took a deep sigh when he watched Arissa leave with the ladies just as his mom bombarded him.
“Honey, we’re going to head out, don’t want to get caught up in this storm.”
“Okay, Ma,” Hank said, and gave his mom a kiss on the cheek.
His dad gripped his shoulder. “Good game, boy, be safe out there,” his father said as a bolt of lightning lit up the front windows of Moe’s.
“Will do,” Hank said and watched as his parents walked out the door. He stared at the etched wooden door hoping that it would swing back open and Arissa would walk through. It didn’t happen.
On the sidewalk outside of Moe’s, the rain was threatening, lightning flashing across the sky. The first drop was felt when Jo shouted, “Get in.”
The five of them piled into the car. The door had no sooner closed and Jo was peeling from the curb. She wasn’t kidding about the pedal to the metal. Arissa was gripping the door handle; her knuckles were almost white with how fast Jo was driving. She wasn’t any better a driver than Hya. At least Jo had a reason; she was racing the storm, but the lightning was more frequent and the thunder chasing right behind it.
They came to a gate, one that opened when Jo pulled into the drive. It was a long tree lined drive, and with the lightning it was very easy to see the house that rested at the end of it. It was an old Victorian, Wedgewood blue with white and pink gingerbread trim. It was rundown, but the bones were beautiful and so not the house Arissa imagined Hya lived in. There were gardens that were overgrown, but the rockers on the wrap around porch were very inviting.
Jo pulled the car around back and into the detached garage and not a second too soon because the skies opened up.
“We’re going to have to make a run for it,” Hya said, but she was already moving to the back door.
They entered through the kitchen. The outside was rundown, but the inside was amazing. The old farmhouse sink, the stone fireplace right in the kitchen. Pine countertops and old glass paned cabinets. The walnut floors were old, but the wear and patina only added to their charm. The walls were a mossy green, the light fixtures original to the house. “This place is a showpiece,” Arissa said.
It was the first time Hya smiled at her. “A woman who knows her shit.” Arissa glanced her way and they shared a moment before Hya added, “Barbecue is in the fridge. Tastes just as good cold. You know where the plates and glasses are, Millie.”
“I’ll put some music on,” Maureen said, kicking off her heels and heading out of the kitchen.
Jo pulled out
