Page 22 of Alex

“Thank you, Elise, and I’m sorry to bother you on your night off while you are with friends.”

He seems relieved, and that makes me believe I’m making the right choice to leave Kate and Alex to go back to the office to help.

I end the call and toss my phone into my purse. Looking up, I try to find the right words to explain the situation, but Alex is already moving.

He takes his empty beer bottle along with my glass and places them on the bar top.

When he tries to grab Kate’s glass, she protests. “Aww, come on, just one more shot. You haven’t had a shot with us yet.”

Alex’s expression turns serious as he stares at her. “Don’t you think you’ve had enough?”

Kate shakes her head animatedly and says, “No. I planned to have a few more, actually.”

Alex narrows his eyes at her. “Are you serious? You’ve had like four shots already since I’ve been here.”

I chime in, hoping to keep the peace between the two. “Alex, that might be true, but they were half shots. The bartender mixes half a shot with half soda for us so we don’t get too wasted.”

He lets out a huff of breath. “Fine, one more. I’ll go pay the tab and then I’ll drive you home.”

He pushes his way through the crowd and heads to the other end of the bar to pay our tab.

Kate snags Michael before he can head down to Alex. “Hey, Michael, can we have another shot? This time, make them full ones.”

Michael nods and fills two shot glasses to the brim with our favorite whiskey.

Kate picks the shots up and tries to hand one to me, but I shake my head. “No, thanks. I’m all good. I have to go back to the office, and I don’t need to be tipsy or smell like whiskey in case Mr. Strickland does show up.”

He might be the type of business owner to get the alarms to his phone and is already on his way to check things out.

I won’t know until I get there. Thankfully, I don’t have to walk there since Alex is determined to be a part of this situation.

Kate holds both shot glasses in her hands, clinks them together as if she’s giving herself a toast, and then proceeds to down one right after the other.

“Whew! That burned, but I’m going to feel amazing.” She laughs and places the empty glasses on the bar top.

My gaze goes to the end of the bar where Alex is making his way back to us. His gaze locks onto mine.

The alcohol lowers my inhibitions, and I give him a wink.

It’s an innocent wink in my head, but I watch his eyes darken and his steps get faster. My heart pounds in my chest as his dark gaze gets closer and closer.

When he is just a few steps away, Kate throws herself at my side and wraps her arms around my arms. “Thank you for coming out with me.”

I give Alex a sympathetic look. “I think we should get her home.”

Kate chuckles. “I need to get ready in case Michael wants to hang out after his shift.”

Alex lets out a low growl as he ushers the two of us outside to his car. It shouldn’t be a surprise that he drives a very expensive sports car.

This car screams luxury and wealth from the upgraded electronics and ambient lighting to the soft leather seats that nestle around my curves. I settle deeper into the passenger seat as Kate gets in the backseat.

Alex rolls the front windows down and opens the sunroof so we can enjoy the pleasant breeze.

I shake my head. “Kate, I think you should wait until tomorrow to see Michael. You need to get home and sleep this off.”

“You’re a party pooper. Like him.”

She jabs her finger into Alex’s shoulder, but Alex doesn’t flinch. He glances at me with a look that’s begging me to handle my best friend.

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