Page 131 of Best Served Cold

Liam, Hannah’s brother, was recruited to be one of the bouncers tonight, and he waves us over to the back entrance.

I’ve only met him briefly, in passing, but he is, in a word, terrifying. Tall and thickly muscled with hair somewherebetween chestnut and red. But he’s undeniably a good person to have on our side.

“They’re waiting for you,” he says brusquely, nodding.

Hannah gives him a pissed-off look—suggesting things between them are far from great, despite the fact that he’s here to support us—and we walk into the rear of the building. The band that goes on prior to Garbage Fire is playing a song I recognize from one of my favorite childhood movies, but Liam leads us backstage, to where Rob and the band are waiting, along with Otis, Emil, and Dottie.

I walk into Rob’s arms, feeling that familiar warmth radiate through me as he bends down to kiss me.

“Happy birthday,” I say, pulling him a few steps away from the others. I reach into the pocket of my dress and pull out the new boutonniere I made, pinning it to his lapel.

He grins at me. “This one looks less rushed.”

“I didn’t have some jerk keeping me on a tight schedule.”

“Something was certainlytight.”

I run my fingers over his cheek. “Behave. I have a present for you at home.”

“Is it a rainbow of condoms?”

“We don’t need those anymore.”

“You made me something, didn’t you?”

“I did,” I say with a smile.

I made him a quilted Garbage Fire pillow that wasnoteasy given all the different parts of the logo. Also, just as an inside joke for the two of us, I framed a rainbow of condoms.

“You look like Cyndi Lauper, by the way,” he says.

I laugh, not sure he means it as a compliment, but he nestles his head into my neck, near my ear, and adds, “You know, I used to have fantasies about Cyndi Lauper.”

“Guys, we need you to focus,” Hannah says, gesturing toward Otis and Emil. “The young people are leaving us.”

“We’re going to go guard the exits with Liam,” Otis says with a gratified smile. He feels important and useful, something he needs.

Emil grins. “What he means is that we’re going to watch what exit Jonah goes for so we can tell Liam. Because we can’t do shit to keep him from leaving.”

Otis lifts a shoulder in a half-shrug. “It’s an important job.”

“Yep, it sure is,” Liam says, then surprises me by looking back and forth between Otis and Emil. “You ready, champs?”

They walk off together, and Hannah gives him the middle finger after he turns.

I shoot her a piercing look. “What’s wrong with you? He’s helping.”

“I’ll explain later,” she says with a sigh.

“You know, it’s not too late to douse your brother with pig’s blood, Rob,” Bixby says with a smirk. “Travis can source anything.”

He shrugs. “Sure can.”

“So they’re here?” Hannah asks.

“Oh, yes,” Dottie says. “But there will be no need for any unpleasantness. There should be nothing unpleasant about the truth.”

Hannah responds with one of her snort-laughs. “Is that why we recruited my brother to block Jonah from leaving?”

---