Page 6 of The Wife
“You don’t dance,” she said, then giggled. It was a funny giggle. Like a drunk giggle, even though she was wearing the pink wrist band which announced her age.
“I don’t dance,” I told Ellie, and then I watched as Chrissy swayed a bit on her feet.
That wasn’t dance swaying. That was drunk swaying.
“Shit.”
“What?” Ellie asked.
“Chrissy, what are you drinking?”
“Diet Coke?” she said, holding up her red solo cup.
“Chrissy, another thing you should know about me. I’m not an idiot. What are you drinking?”
Ellie turned to her friend. “You’re drinking without me? That’s so not fair. It’s my birthday.”
Chrissy winced. Apparently she saw the selfishness of her actions. “Okay, so maybe this guy bought a shot of rum for me and put it in my drink. Okay… maybe there were like four shots.”
“Not cool.” I looked at my watch. “It’s after eleven. I don’t want to ruin your birthday or anything…”
“No. It’s fine. I’m getting kind of tired and my feet hurt in these boots.”
“Noooo,” Chrissy protested. “I think I’m in love.”
“Point him out, then go wait for me by the door.”
Ellie narrowed her eyes at me. “Jake, let it go. Chrissy was just being Chrissy. She probably asked for them.”
“A shot I let go. Maybe two. Not four, and knowing Chrissy, it was more like five. Which means some asshole is trying to get her drunk so he can take advantage of her. What do I always tell you?”
“Trust no one. Great motto by the way.”
“Trust no one. Never a guy and not with your drinks. It sucks that there are creeps out there in the world, but they exist and you have to watch for them. Now, hold on to her while I go deal. Chrissy, which one?”
Chrissy lifted her hand in the guy’s general direction. I saw who it was instantly, as he was staring at Chrissy. Not a good kind of stare either. He was waiting for the booze to do the trick.
It wasn’t until I was almost on him that he straightened up. When I got up close and could see the face under the cowboy hat, the motherfucker was easily over thirty.
“You like to feed underage girls drinks,” I said to him. It wasn’t a question.
The guy got his back up. “She asked for a drink, so I bought her one. Big deal.”
“Even though her wrist band clearly showed she was under legal age.”
“Whatever. Dude, I’ll move on if you’re upset.”
“What I am, is sickened by the thought a man almost, what… double her age… tried to get her drunk so he could do… What was the plan, anyway?”
“Dude, go fuck yourself. I was trying to have a little fun.”
I nodded like I was in agreement. “Yeah, I get it. No confidence. Or self-esteem. Or whatever it is you’re missing that makes you think a girl will only like you if she’s drunk. You’re a pathetic piece of shit and I’m sorry people refer to you as a man.”
“Fuck you, I can get any piece I want.”
I turned to the bartender. “I’ll take…” I turned and eyed up the guy. “Seven shots of Fireball.”
The bartender lined them up quickly in front of me and just poured through the glasses.
