Page 21 of One More Shot
@greatdaneconstruction
No.
Surely not.
I tap the profile. It’s empty save for one terribly photographed post of a garage extension almost three years ago. The lighting is off and the focus isn’t actually on the extension itself, but rather a nearby bush, which makes the whole photo look slightly blurry. But it’s not the terrible photography that’s got my heart choking in my throat right now.
Great Dane Construction Services.
Dane.
A memory from our almost night together jumps into the forefront of my mind. Us slow wining on the dance floor, sharing random pieces of information about each other. Nothing too deep, but enough to forge some kind of connection between us before we headed back to my place. I remember vaguely Dane telling me that he runs a construction business with a friend.
I swipe back to the message.
@greatdaneconstruction
hey, eliott. it’s dane. from the other night.
and also two years ago lol.
hope you don’t mind me messaging you out of the blue like this, but i’d really like to talk things over and clear the air if we can. i know bailey’s got her heart set on you for the wedding and i don’t want to be the reason that doesn’t happen.
anyway. let me know.
‘Why do you look like you’ve just found out there’s an asteroid heading for Earth?’
I jump as Leanne slides onto the stool next to me, herbrows raised in question. Before she can say anything else, I drop my phone back into my purse and give my sister a once-over. This is supposed to be a casual dinner and drinks, a way for us to catch up in person because we haven’t seen each other face to face since her semester started. I take one look at the strappy heels wrapped around her ankles, her short dress, and her full face of stunning make-up and know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I’m only her first stop tonight.
Given how thoroughly my day was monopolised by Nan, I should feel a sense of relief in knowing that Leanne plans to cut our night together short in favour of… a boy, I’m assuming? But it irks me anyway.She’sthe one who badgered me endlessly about tonight. The one who spent the better part of a month begging me to find some time in my calendar so we could catch up.
‘I miss you, Elz,’ she’d pouted on the phone one night. ‘Feels like we never get to see each other anymore.’
And so I’d pored through my calendar, looking for a significant chunk of free time where we could do some real sisterly bonding, like we used to before life got so busy and started pulling us in different directions. So yes, it’s more than a little annoying that she’s already got one foot out the door.
‘Earth to Elz.’ Leanne prods me sharply in the chest. ‘What’s got you looking like that?’
‘It’s nothing,’ I say, shaking my head free of any irritation. Just because the night might end sooner than I would’ve liked, it doesn’t mean we can’t have a good time now. ‘You look nice. What’s the occasion?’
She grins and flips her hair over her shoulders. ‘Can’t a girl dress up to see her big sister?’
I raise a brow in answer and Leanne immediately starts giggling.
‘Fine. I’m heading to a party after this, but that’s not important. We’re havingustime right now. What’s new? Tell me everything. Ooh. Do you want to do shots?’
I open my mouth to decline, but Leanne’s already waving the bartender down and, before I know it, two small glasses filled with a brown substance and topped with whipped cream are being placed in front of us.
‘Two blow jobs,’ the bartender says as he pushes them towards us. He gives me a wink and I, for the first time tonight, give him a once-over. Tall, clean-shaven, nice voice. At one point in my life, I probably would’ve spent the rest of the evening flirting with him, cautiously testing the waters to see if this had any potential. But I’m not in the mood for that right now.
I haven’t been in a very long time.
‘Ooh, he’s into you,’ Leanne says, a little too loudly. The bartender glances over his shoulder, grins shyly and then looks away. ‘Want me to wingman for you?’
I don’t want to go home with anyone tonight, but even if I did, his reaction to Leanne’s comment leaves me feeling a little flat. As much as I hate it, I can’t help but think about how Dane would’ve reacted to it. For some reason, I doubt that all I would’ve got would’ve been a shy smile before he started pretending to be busy washing glasses. Dane would’ve been over here immediately, turning that confident grin on me as well-practised lines spilled from his lips.
God.
When didDanebecome my standard?
