Page 166 of Happy Hour

“Hey Dana,” Emma smiled. “this is my friend Sway.”

I wanted to bare my tattooed ass to her and say,“Yep, that’s right. I’m Jameson’s!”

That’d be one hell of a first impression—wouldn’t it?

I reached for her hand instead. She didn’t seem like the stalker type. She was pretty, brown hair, blue eyes, slender form, and some enormous funbags.

Dana smiled politely at me. “Nice to meet you,” she motioned towards the blonde girl next to her. “This is my friend Sadie.”

“Do you live around here?” Emma asked, smiling widely towards me. I was receiving a lot of smiles.

“Yeah, I’ve always lived in Elma.” Dana’s smiled widened. “I actually went to high school with you guys.”

Emma and I both looked at each other. “Oh,” we both said after a few moments of awkward silence.

I don’t ever remember seeing her in school. Although, I hardly paid attention to anyone that wasn’t in the Riley family. It’s not like I actually knew who even went to school with us.

“So Dana...um...we were wondering if we could ask you a few questions,” Emma stepped closer to her trying to remain discrete. “Private things,”

“Oh sure,” Dana seemed eager to be talking to any member of Jameson’s family. “What do you need?” Her eyes lit up.

“How well do you know Darrin and Mariah?”

“Pretty well, Mariah is my cousin.”

Both Emma and I gasped.

“Seriously?” I blurted out.

“Yeah, I mean, we’re not close or anything,” Dana’s eyes narrowed at me. “But I know afewthings.” She hinted.

“And what would you want in return for these,few thingsof knowledge?”

Please don’t say a picture of his camshaft.

Dana was quiet for a minute her eyes glazed over. “A date...with Jameson,”

I laughed out-loud.

“Um...Dana...I don’t know if that’s something Jameson would agree to.” Emma replied, elbowing me in the side. “You didstealhis underwear.”

“I guess you don’t want to know that bad then,” she countered, clearly not amused by my sudden onset of the giggles.

Emma and I both exchanged a loaded glance in between my giggling. I nodded once. “Fine, but let me talk to him first.”

Dana gave Emma her cell phone number and then walked away.

“Emma, he’s never going to agree to this. That woman,” I pointed to Dana walking away. “Is fucking crazy,” I shook my head walking towards the office where Jameson was. “After the stabbing, I suggest you run, like fugitive-style. Only pack what you can carry in one arm.” I suggested.

“Make him agree, it’s our only option.” Emma ordered rolling her eyes and began to walk away.

I only made it up one-step before her hand grasped mine. “As much as he annoys the fuck out of me, I love him, and I refuse to let Darrin hurt him.” Emma told me. “Weneedanswers.”

I still felt nauseous andthiswasn’t helping. Not only was my stomach bothering me, Idid notwant to tell Jameson he had to go on a date with Dana because I was trying to find out answers. Answers hedid notwant me finding out. But if I didn’t, and something happened to Jameson, I would always wonder if I could have stopped it.

Everyone was hard at work preparing for a night of dirt track racing when I walked into the announcer’s booth.

Jameson was standing in the corner with Mark going over the schedule for the events tonight.

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