Page 72 of Beautiful Life

I grin. “No.”

“Come on, I’m really good,” she squeaks. “We can be a team, Madonna and the President.”

“Sweetheart, maybe you should take a break,” I suggest.

She’s shocked at my suggestion and almost pouts. “But I think I’m gonna win.”

“Leigh, everyone wins at quarters.”

“No really. I’m pretty sure I’m gonna be the champion of all things quarters,” she says. “Hey, I wonder if they have that song? The song about the champions? Was that the eighties?” she keeps rattling off questions.

“It’s by Queen,” I hear Paige yell from the other side of the kitchen. “We Are The Champions.”

“I love that song!” Leigh exclaims. “Is it from the eighties?”

“I have no idea,” I say smiling down at her. I hold my hand out for her. “Come with me to find some food. I’m hungry.”

“Oh, all right.” She looks to Gabby. “Hold my spot. We’re gonna get some food.”

“Gotcha girlie,” Gabby promises as she tries and misses to bounce another quarter into a shot glass before having to take a big drink.

I pull Leigh up to stand and she’s almost eye to eye with me. I let my gaze travel down from her face to her chest where she’s wearing a tiny tank top leaving very little to the imagination. Then I let my eyes wander further to see a black netted skirt barely covering her ass because it almost stands straight out with lace tights that come down to her ankles, topped off with spiked heels. Her legs seem to go on further than forever in those shoes.

“Honey,” she calls.

I can tell by the look on her drunk face she knows what I’m thinking. And I’m thinking we’re going to leave soon. I want Madonna all to myself.

“Tony.”

I put my hand to her waist and pull her to me, kissing her faster than I want to. “Let’s get some food. Then we can go.”

But she complains, “We can’t leave yet, you just got here. What about Joe?”

I look over to my cousin standing with a group of his friends, laughing, and talking loudly. “Trust me, Joe won’t care.”

I take her hand and pull her to the food, hearing Jude and Gabby following us. I fill a plate with the dregs of the buffet as Leigh pokes around the food eating off the platters.

“Hungry, gem?”

“Mm-hmm.” She pops a chocolate covered cream puff in her mouth.

“Oh my. The room is spinning,” I hear Gabby slur.

“Shit. I knew it,” Jude mutters as he puts his arm around her, Gabby leaning into him with a screwed up look on her face.

“Oh no, are you okay?” Leigh asks loudly with her mouth full.

Gabby puts her hand up to her head, like that’s going to keep it from spinning and chokes, “I don’t think so. I was fine sitting there but once I stood the room started moving.”

“Come on, sugar,” Jude says, sounding exasperated with his new wife as he pushes her toward the front door.

I hear a giggle from my side and I see Leigh trying to hold back her laughter as she bites down on a big Frito chip full of bean dip.

“How long were you all playing quarters?” I ask.

“I dunno,” she says, pausing to swallow. “We played mini-pong before that. But I wasn’t nearly as good at that as I was quarters.”

“What’s mini-pong?” I ask as she stuffs another chip with dip in her mouth.

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