She snorts. “Quiet. As usual. Though I did catch a couple of kids making out in the study room yesterday. That was interesting.” She takes a sip of the wine she has in front of her.
“For real. That room needs an open-door policy. Or a glass window.” I snort a little, then polish off the remainder of my margarita and ask for another.
To everyone’s credit, they allow me to sit in silence for a few minutes while conversation continues to flow around me and I work on my second drink of the night. With the alcohol starting to take effect, I actually enjoy the pleasant lightness buzzing through my head. Unfortunately for me, that means my lips begin to loosen. Sharing what’s wrong had seemed like a bad idea when I’d first sat down, and I’d planned on just sitting here and fretting about it in silence, but now? All bets are off. I slap the bar with my open palm. “So, you know what happened first today?” I lick salt off my lower lip and take another sip of my margarita.
Piper stifles a giggle. “Well, I think I do because I’m pretty sure I was there for the conversation you are referring to, but go ahead and tell them.”
“Had, what happened?” Madison rubs my back again.
Ugh. “Sawyer found our smutty book club book in my bag.”
Shawn lets out a bark of laughter, but quickly stops when he sees my face, smothering his amusement behind his hand.
Madison cringes. “It’s some book, I’ll admit that. What was he doing in your bag in the first place?”
“I asked him to get me my wallet. For the cookies.” I pout a little. “I didn’t realize the book was right underneath my wallet.”
“Cookies?” Madison’s brow creases. “Oh. Right. The Girl Scouts. I got hit up yesterday.”
“Yep. The Thin Mints. They get me every time.” Uh-oh. I can’t feel my lips. I poke at them absentmindedly.
My gaze lands on Shawn. I can just tell he has something to say. “Go ahead, Shawn. Impart your bartender's wisdom on me.”
He sucks both lips into his mouth as he pours a beer for another customer. “I guess maybe you should choose a nonfiction book next time and keep yourself out of trouble.”
“But I like my smut,” I growl.
Piper just shakes her head while Madison laughs. “That you do. And there’s nothing wrong with it. Except when someone finds it in your bag at school, I guess. Maybe you should get an e-book reader, or something.”
My eyes widen in tipsy shock. “That’s what Sawyer said. How did you know?”
Madison covers my hand with her own, squeezing gently. “I don’t know, girl. What else happened? So far this doesn’t sound too terrible.”
Piper winks at me. “Just a tiny bit cringey since you had that sexy sucker at school.”
I roll my eyes at her, not sure if this next bit is going to make them cringe harder, especially since we’d all agreed it was a good idea for me to slow things down with Sawyer. “So, we went for coffee after school to talk.”
“Uh-oh.” Piper winces. “What happened?”
“We admitted that we’d noticed each other here that one night. Finally. And that was kind of like the catalyst for what happened next.” I suck in some air and let it out in a rush with my words. “I kissed him again. I know. I know.” I hold up my hand. “I said I was going to hit pause with him, and he and I both agreed to it. But after you left the workroom, Piper, things seemed like normal between us again. And it felt good.” Crap. My brain feels like it’s full of cotton. My lips also feel numb, which is probably why I’m blabbing away instead of keeping my mouth shut. Oof. Margaritas are not my friend. I squint at Shawn and jab a finger in his direction. “Just what is in these margaritas anyway, mister?”
“Just the normal stuff. Promise.” He turns his head, and I’m not so drunk that I can’t tell he’s snickering.
Exasperated, I sputter, “I kissed him again, you guys. Did you hear me say that?”
I catch an exchange of somewhat concerned glances among the three of them, then a subsequent shrug from Shawn. “We thought maybe you didn’t want our commentary.”
“Well, I do. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.” I throw my hands up in a wild manner. “He has the most amazing lips,” I mumble, resting my elbows on the bar and propping my chin up with my hands. “Everything was going fine until he took off when he got a text from Willow and left me there at the coffee shop.”
“Who is Willow?” Madison questions.
“That girl who was with him that very first night. I was just going to ask him what the deal was with her, and then, poof. He got a text from her and had to go.”
Shawn pushes a glass of water my way.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.”
I take a sip of the ice-cold water just in time to see Madison’s eyes widen as she looks over my shoulder.
“What?” I swivel on my stool, look toward the door and am in disbelief at what I’m seeing. Speaking of those pillow-soft lips … It’s Sawyer. With a few other people, including Willow.
Piper taps on the bar. “Shawn, I’m going to need another rum and Coke for this.”
I moan softly, “Oh. I’m so damn embarrassed.” My mind torments me with visions of Sawyer and Willow and what I’ll see if I turn around again.
Madison goes back to rubbing my back. “It’ll be fine. Do you want to go home? I’ll take you.”
Shawn gets Madison’s attention. “So, that’s the guy, right, Madi?” At her nod, his gaze drifts to me. “If that’s him, and that’s the girl you think is his girlfriend, I have some good news for you.”
I shudder out an unsteady breath. I’m trying to hold it together, but I’m so damn confused and sad it’s not funny. “What are you
