Page 42 of Holidating
“Oh yeah, he does,” Carly snickers. Then she steps around me and makes herself scarce.
“Well, in a manner speaking,” I say with a Mr. Smooth chuckle. “You got a minute?”
“For you, of course. But—and this is so embarrassing—I have to ask you a small favor. Another platter of wings kind of favor.”
“No problem. Hit me up.” I lean against the paneled wall and give her a smile. And then I let my gaze drift to Abbi’s pretty mouth. I’d like to own it with mine.
But maybe I’m slipping, because it doesn’t erase the crease of worry in Abbi’s forehead. “Price is outside. My idiot step-stepbrother.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “Remember him?”
“Unfortunately.” This is not where I’d hoped to take the conversation. Behind me, the New Year’s revelers begin counting down.
“He seems to have landed a job as a bouncer here. I should never have said that it’s an easy job, or that the pay rate was so great.” She lets out a heavy breath. “And now he’s the guy who’s supposed to walk me home? He just told me he was looking forward to it.”
“Oh, shit,” I breathe.
“Yeah.” She crosses her arms. “If you’re still here when I get off shift, could you, uh, reprise your award-winning role as my boyfriend? Just this once, as a little reminder.”
“Of course,” I say immediately. “Anytime, Abbi. Seriously. We’re super good at this now, right? It’s like rolling off a log.”
She gives me a smile that’s both sad and grateful. “I can’t believe I have to deal with himhere. The only reason I work here at all was to get away from him.”
“I know. Shit. That’s terrible.”
“FIVE…FOUR…THREE…TWO…ONE…HAPPY NEW YEAR!” screams the entire bar.
Abbi gives her head a shake. “I’m sorry. There’s probably somewhere else you’d rather be right now.”
Not true. “Hey, Happy New Year. Fuck that guy.”
“Fuck him,” she says with conviction. “Fuck him sideways.”
It’s so cute that I can’t help but laugh. And then I grab her into a quick, comforting hug.
It’s not the New Year’s moment that I’d hoped for. But it’s pretty good nonetheless.
CHAPTER 15
SOMETHING CAME UP
WESTON
The boys all look at me expectantly when I get back to the table. “Well?” Tate demands. “How’d it go?”
“Something came up,” I say.
“Was it your dick?” Hudson asks with a snicker, and I throw a napkin at him. “Stop, asshole. Abbi needs me to walk her home after her shift. There’s a guy who’s been bothering her.”
“Ah,” Tate says. “Could it be a ruse, maybe? Like—walk me home and take off my clothes?”
Sadly, I shake my head. “I’ve met this troublemaker already. Unfortunately, he’s real.”
“Bummer,” Vonne says.
“But it’s probably for the best,” Tate points out. “We won’t lose our table at the Biscuit.”
“You have such little faith in me,” I grumble. “I wasn’t going to break Abbi’s heart.”
“That’s what you always say, though,” Cooper points out. “It’s all sunshine until it’s not.”
