First

I turn, plastering a fake smile on my face.

Oh, but it is.

‘Robin!’ I say with the same level of fake enthusiasm. ‘What are you doing here?’

She tilts her head back and laughs. I hate her laugh. It’s the throaty purr of a woman who has had far too many dicks in her mouth.

Yikes, that was a bit catty. I eye my wine glass. Probably should start to cut back.

‘Just enjoying a last night out before graduation.’

Tom comes to my side, placing his hand primly around my waist. ‘Like us,’ he says.

Robin gives him a quick once-over. Tom’s a good-looking guy, clean cut and very small town America. Kind of like a politician’s son during election year. She gives me a smarmy smile. ‘Isn’t it fun to celebrate?’

My cheeks are starting to hurt from keeping this stupid smile in place. ‘Nothing better.’

Tom’s trying hard to be polite. ‘Would you like to join us?’ He gestures toward our group. ‘I can get you a glass of wine if you’d like?’

Robin chuckles. ‘I had something stronger in mind.’

My smile becomes strained. Tom is an idiot. He doesn’t notice any of the tension between her and me. ‘Something stronger?’

‘I was thinking tequila.’

Bleaugh. Tequila. The piss of the angry worm gods. ‘I love tequila. Don’t you, Tom?’

His brow is lightly furrowed, but he nods. ‘It’s been a while since I had any of quality.’

‘The selection here is fantastic,’ Robin assures him.

‘Tequila shots it is,’ Tom says happily.

‘Shots?’ Robin tilts her head and sticks out her huge boobs. ‘Oh, really? I had no idea you were so brave.’ Her eyes alight on me and her smile is all teeth. ‘Or so experienced.’

If Satan had a theme song, it’d be playing right now.

Oh, screw this.

I smile sweetly back at her and draw on every impress your drink date article I’ve ever read. ‘The only good shot is a body shot.’

Her eyebrow raises a little. Have I won?

‘Why not,’ she agrees, oozing fake appreciation for my suggestion. ‘We only get one time to celebrate something like this.’

No! She was supposed to cave!

‘See you over at our booth in a minute,’ she says as she sashays away.

Tom looks like he saw a nudie mag centrefold for the first time—equal parts goofy amazement and recognition of biological imperatives. He eagerly leans down and kisses my cheek. ‘I’ll go get everyone.’

He abandons me to go gather our group. My hands are only shaking a little bit as I pull out my phone and desperately type body shots with small boobs.

Google, don’t fail me now.

***

My phone buzzes a little after ten. I glance at it. Felipe texted me. Hopefully he doesn’t want me to cover his evening shift tomorrow; I’m already going in for Tommy in the morning.