Page 9 of Cherry's Jubilee

I finally turn, and he’s in the middle of the tent with a mic. He looks my way, and our eyes lock briefly before I look away.

Chapter 5

Daniel

“You and Amira should dance,” Karen Turner says. She shoves the girl at me again, but I take a giant step back.

“I’m not much of a dancer,” I say right before I give them my back and return to the only place I want to be. The bar. And it’s not for the cheap whiskey they’re serving. It’s because of her, and despite how she dismissed me when she found out who I am, I’m not giving up.

There’s no one at the bar now. Everyone is dancing or talking. If not for Cherry, I would have left before dinner, but I endured dinner and Karen’s inane chatter for a chance to talk to her again. She’s standing behind the bar when I approach. She sees me, but instead of smiling, she looks at her watch and sighs. When I finally reach the bar, she crosses her arms and narrows her eyes at me. I take a seat and look into her face.

“So, about that dinner,” I begin. “You said you eat a couple of times per week. Since I saw you eat dinner, does this mean I’ll have to wait until Tuesday or Wednesday before I pick you up for our date?”

She creases her brows, and says, “What are you drinking, Mr. Jubilee?” She sounds polite and detached. I prefer the young woman who unloaded on me about the annoying and problematic hosts.

“When did my dad get here?” I ask. I make a show of pretending to look around for him. She doesn’t say anything, but she pours meanother whiskey. I’ve had enough to drink, so I don’t pick it up. “I was thinking—”

“No,” she says. “Dinner’s off. Besides, now that I know who you are, I’d only be after you for your money.”

I grin at that, relieved that the girl I met a few hours ago is still here. “Well, now you know I can afford bacon on that burger.”

“Bacon?” she snorts. “How cheap are you? I want the whole damn pig.”

“I’ll get you the cow too.”

“I know you’ve probably been warned all your life about gold diggers.”

“I have, but the thing is, any gold digger worth her salt wouldn’t announce it. Not to her mark, at least.” When she doesn’t contradict me, I say, “Wednesday?”

“I can’t on Wednesday. I’ll be too busy being fabulous.”

“Oh, I see. You don’t want to wait that long. Tomorrow then.”

“Nope. Tomorrow, I slay.”

“You can slay with me.”

She sighs and reaches for something underneath the bar. It’s a pitcher of water. She fills a glass and places it in front of me.

“I don’t go out with tainted men,” she says, shaking her head. “It’s too bad because I was this close to accepting.” She puts her thumb and index finger close together. “Then your little deception was revealed,Lee. And it only got worse from there.”

“Lee is short for Jubilee. That’s not a lie,” I say.

“Has anyone ever called you Lee in your life?” she challenges.

“You just did.” She huffs at that. “And how could it have possibly gotten worse?”

“Don’t play coy,” she says. “You know what you did.” She gestures at me then looks away as if she’s disgusted.

“I promise you that I do not. In fact, I know I didn’t do anything.”

“Really? Amira shoved her giant titties in your face, and you liked it.”

“Whoa,” I say, putting both hands up. “Her mother shoved her, and I didnotlike it.”

“You looked,” she says.

“They’re hard to miss. A blind man couldn’t miss those. They can probably be seen from outer space. And for your information, I prefer tits that fit in the palm of my hand.”

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