Page 17 of Seein’ Red

“Anything…” He winks, sending a tingle through me. I will behave, I will behave… “I hear we are celebrating something very special tonight?”

“We are,” I tell him. I smirk, gesturing to Kenzie. “This beauty is getting married!”

Kenzie titters, her cheeks turning pink.

“Then that calls for a round of Tricky Lickys,” Link declares.

“Are those alcoholic? If so, you can skip me. I’ll just take a Diet Coke.”

Link nods. “Anyone else want something in addition to your waters?”

We place our drink orders, KatieRae, Sylvie, and Kenzie opting for some of the cleverly named cocktails on the menu, while I stick with water. I’ll do the one shot to toast Kenzie, but that’s it. Between chugging that beer and being a little dehydrated from all the spa treatments, alcohol is the last thing I need.

Link walks away, my eyes following his path. Those jeans must be custom made for him, hugging some very strong looking thighs. This is most certainly a case of hating that he left but enjoying watching him go.

“He’s single,” KatieRae tosses out there.

“What?”

The whole group looks at me, as if it was obvious.

“He’s a former professional dancer. Was on tour with Britney for a while.”

Holy shit…

No wonder every inch of him looks like he was crafted out of clay. My mind takes off, starting to wonder if he looks just as good without those jeans. And just how his ass would compare to Nash’s.

No! I shake my head, clearing the thought. I am not going to sit here and compare them. I’m not going to think of Nash at all. He has no place here.

“I will totally forgive you if you ditch out on our party in favor of him,” Kenzie says. “In fact, I encourage it.”

“I am not ditching your bachelorette! We have an epic night planned.”

“I’m sure you do, but…a ride on that”—she points in the direction that Link walked off in—“would be even more epic. And I say that as a woman deeply in love and happy with the one dick she has for the rest of her life.”

Bronwyn sputters out a laugh, Sylvie’s eyes going wide at Kenzie’s declaration. It’s a bold one for our sweet librarian, but nothing she hasn’t ever said before.

KatieRae’s phone goes off, and she pops up out of her seat, excusing herself so she can talk to her husband, who is away on a road game. Her exit doesn’t seem to be enough to put off my friends from encouraging me to up my flirt game.

“He is very hot,” Sylvie says. “You’re not going to find that in Hickory Hills.”

Actually…

“Y’all, I am not fucking the waiter,” I hiss. “I’m sure he is flirty like that with all his tables.”

“Oh no, there was a vibe,” Bronwyn adds. “Besides, when was the last time you… I mean, I don’t think you’ve gone on a date since I moved here.”

“Sure I have.”

“With who?” Sylvie asks.

Good fucking question…

I swallow hard, mentally tap dancing, trying to figure out an answer. Because it’s not a lie. Okay, it’s not completely a lie. I haven’t been on a date date, but I’ve been seeing someone. Err, well…fucking someone. Hate fucking at that.

But isn’t that the best kind of fucking?

“Doesn't matter,” I retort. “And we’re not playing the whole ‘we’re so happy and in love so now we think everyone needs to be happy and in love’ game, got it?”