“On it.” I reach for a glass as Jake rounds the corner. He greets the customers with a nod, but when his eyes land on me, he frowns. His eyes are locked on my neck, and I pull my hair out of its tie to cover the love bites Dare left me with.
He doesn’t comment, though, thankfully. I spend the rest of my shift on autopilot. I can’t seem to get Dare out of my mind. At first, I couldn’t believe that he thought it was a good idea to buy me expensive things, knowing everything he does about Eric. I can’t be bought, and I thought I made that clear. But when I saw what it was, I realized the difference. Dare bought those things for me because he knew I’d need them. Because he cared. Eric used to buy me material things—jewelry, electronics, fancy dresses. All frivolous shit that served his own selfish wants and needs.
Dare made Sutton agree not to tell me who it was from. She didn’t, but I knew right away it had to be him. Who else would it be? Once I saw the men’s clothing, I was done for. The fact that he considered Jess in this whole thing had me swallowing a lump in my throat and fighting back tears. Dare is selfless and kind and caring, but he’d rather slam his hand in a door than let anyone know.
“Ready to drink, bitch?” Sutton asks as we ditch our aprons and freshen up in front of the mirror in the break room.
“Actually, yes.” Jess is at wrestling again, and Henry’s house is practically vacant.
“You wanna go somewhere else or just drink here?”
“Here,” I say, wanting to stay close for reasons I don’t want to decipher. Plus, free drinks. Can’t beat free.
“I thought you might say that.” She rolls her eyes. “But that works because I want to get a tattoo afterward. If I work up enough liquid courage, that is.”
“What are you going to get?”
“I want the phases of the moon right here,” she says, gesturing to the inside of her upper arm. “Here, let me show you.” She pulls out her phone, scrolling before showing me the screen as we walk toward the barstools. It’s a vertical row of eight moons in various phases.
“I dig it. And I bet they’d take you as a walk-in. That probably wouldn’t take too long.”
“Then booze me up, baby!”
“Oh, this should be good.” Jake laughs, amused, once we take our seats at the barstools. He doesn’t ask what we want. Instead, he slides two lemon drops our way before handing me a beer and Sutton her Jack and Coke. I look down to see two missed calls from a private number, but I don’t want to think about Eric right now, so I turn my phone off and stuff it into my bag.
“Thank you, kind sir,” Sutton says and then raises her shot glass to mine. “To liquid courage,” she declares, and we clink our glasses together.
Liquid courage. I could use some of that. Because this thing with Dare…I think it’s starting to get real. And that scares me more than I want to admit. I’m about four beers in when the conversation turns to him. Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long.
“Guys who want casual don’t usually buy clothes for you and your little brother, do they?” I ask, maybe a little too loudly.
“Nope,” Sutton says, popping the word from her lips. “Especially when they’re already getting that ass for free.”
“That’s what I was afraid of.” I prop my chin in the palm of my hand. Somewhere in the recesses of my brain, I register that I essentially just admitted to sleeping with Dare. “I think I like him.”
“I think you’re an idiot if you’re just now realizing it.”
“You’re a real peach.” I laugh, taking another swig of beer. “Are you liquored up enough to get your tattoo yet?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Sutton downs the rest of her drink and slams it on the bar top. I hop off my stool, and I suddenly feel a little drunker than I thought I was. I feel happy and buzzed and excited at the thought of seeing Dare.
“Be careful,” Jake calls after us as we’re walking toward the door.
Sutton slings an arm around my shoulder and yells back, “Never,” causing Jake to roll his eyes.
“Have you guys ever hooked up?”
“Ew, Jake?”
“Yes! He’s kind of protective of you.”
Sutton shakes her head. A strand of her sleek black hair gets stuck to my lips with the movement, and I spit it out, making us both laugh.
“No, you dumbass. He’s protective of you,” she says right as we enter Bad Intentions. My face screws up in confusion. Jake barely knows me. Why would he feel protective of me?
“What up, girl?” Matty greets me, pulling me in for a hug.
“I brought you a present,” I say, gesturing to Sutton. “Got time for a walk-in?”