Page 9 of Tequila Tuesdays

Grinning at the memory, I turned to Laurel. “So that Friday evening we met at George’s Bar. You know that speakeasy-style bar and restaurant on Vista Chino Road in that rundown strip mall?”

Sariah sipped her drink. “I love that place. It’s wedged between a dispensary and a vape shop. And the signage and front windows give off the impression it’s a generic, seedy little dive bar.”

Laurel looked dubious. “It doesn’t sound that awesome, the way you guys describe it.”

Yun laughed. “Right? And it was the first time I’d been there. When I first saw it, I thought these two were having a good laugh at me. And then I walked in.”

Sariah nodded enthusiastically. “The inside of the restaurant is the antithesis of its outside. It has this magnificent floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall mahogany bar with a gleaming granite countertop.”

I smiled. “And there are hundreds of colorful backlit liquor bottles lining the shelves. The room has this intimate, relaxed feel to it. And George, the owner, usually works behind the bar creating these delicious, elaborate cocktails.”

Laurel grinned. “I adore a good cocktail.”

Yun waved her hand. “Anyway, we hatched our plan and just over two months later we quit the law firm, found this small but kickass office space, and hung out our sign.”

Our office was located on the north side of Palm Canyon Drive. The building had a red tile roof and a quaint courtyard with a fountain in the middle. There were flowering trees and a garden with rosemary bushes that let off an earthy, sweet fragrance.

Sariah smirked. “We heard through the grapevine the law firm took a big hit when a lot of our clients followed us over. I like to think it’s karma.”

We finally wrapped up our lunch, and Laurel invited us to Martini Monday at her house. Yun and Sariah both had husbands and a child at home, but I told Laurel I’d be there.

When Laurel left and I got ready to head home for the weekend, I looked around the office and realized I was flourishing professionally. But my life outside work was not. Yun and Sariah both had families and other friends, and I often spent weekends with just my dog, Gary.

My sister, Olivia, was busy with school and lived thousands of miles away. Ava and I were civil to each other, but not close, and I missed my dad and my deceased fiancé, Ryan, fiercely. They’d been my best friends and confidants, and I wished sometimes it didn’t feel like half my heart had been ripped out and buried with them when they died.

On Monday evening, I drove to Laurel’s house. Her lovely mid-century modern home was located in one of my favorite neighborhoods in Palm Springs.

Several of the houses were perfect examples of mid-century modern architecture, and some were just pure quirky Palm Springs.

I also loved all the colorful front doors. I’d passed a few houses in her neighborhood with bright turquoise blue doors, a couple of pink doors, and an orange one.

Her desert landscaping was mature and well-tended, and it contrasted nicely with the long bougainvillea hedge running the length of the yard. But my favorite aspect was the life-size skeletons scaling the palm trees in the front yard.

When I walked in, Sebastian and Laurel stood behind her bar with cocktail ingredients laid out in front of them. There were also a few strange-colored martinis lined up in front of them, and Laurel was dressed for Halloween.

I knew Sebastian and appreciated his quiet, slightly pissed-off demeanor. We were both introverted and seemed to understand we basically wanted to be left alone.

Laurel smiled, then promptly warned me Damien was coming.

“Who?” I asked innocently.

She gave me a look. “The guy whose nose you almost broke? The one with the dimple?”

I sighed. “I didn’t break his nose.”

“It’s interesting you remember he stuck tissue up his nose and kept playing, but you can’t remember his name,” Laurel said innocently.

I stared at her. “What can I say? I thought it was disturbingly hot.”

Laurel’s lip twitched and she looked over my shoulder. A throat cleared behind me. Goddamn it, I knew who I’d find when I turned around. Damien and Zeke both grinned at me.

“Disturbingly hot?” Damien asked, his gray eyes crinkling at the corners.

Zeke chuckled.

I turned to Laurel and crossed my arms. “You knew he was there.”

“Maybe?” She looked at Damien. “You owe me.”

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