to hear her throat raw with my name.
There’s
only one way to find out.
CASSIE
CH. 9
I set down martinis in front of three women at a reserved booth.
“Thanks,” one of them says. She’s pretty, one of
those girls who looks polished even in just a ponytail and jeans,
which she wears with a white t-shirt and black leather motorcycle
jacket.
“Do you want to start a tab?”
“You can put it on Jackson’s,” she says. “I’m
his sister. I figure he owes me a few drinks.” Owes me .
It makes me think of what Ryder said earlier this week, about whether
Jamie would do for me what I’m doing for him—or more
specifically, that he thinks Jamie wouldn’t do it.
But here’s Jackson’s sister assuming her brother will
cover her debts. Granted, a few drinks isn’t nearly the same as
ten-thousand dollars. Still, maybe that’s what family is
for—accounting for us when we can’t account for
ourselves. Reciprocity: In return for being your sister, you pay
for my night out. Though it’s true that I can’t
recall Jamie ever picking up a check.
Jackson’s sister takes a sip. “I would never say this to
Cash,” she says to the girl next to her, a brunette in a black
mini skirt, “but the boy can make a dirty martini.”
“Why wouldn’t you say it to him?” Cash appears at
the table, his V-neck t-shirt showing off his toned body, a bottle of
Stella Artois in hand. He sits next to Jackson’s sister.
“Because there’s more dirty where that came from.”
She
pops the olive in her mouth. “Don’t you have a bar to
tend?”
“I’m on break.”
I look at Jackson’s sister. “Lucky you,” I say.
She laughs. “The new girl’s a fast learner.” She
puts out her hand. “I’m Shelby.”
“Cassie,” I say, extending mine.
“Nice to meet you. This is Avery,” she says, pointing to
the brunette, “and Ruby.” She gestures to the third girl,
a beautiful redhead next to Avery.
“Hi,” I say.
“When did you start?” Shelby says.
“Cassie’s filling in,” Cash says. “Nerdy
bookkeeper by day, hot waitress by night.”
“Like a superhero,” Shelby says.
“If you need a sexy sidekick,” Cash says, “let me
know.”
“Why? Do you know someone?” I say.
Shelby laughs again, and reaches across Cash to take my hand in hers,
not to shake it this time, but just hold onto it, like she’s
welcoming me. “Cassie, I have a feeling we’re going to be
friends.” The warmth of Shelby, Avery, and Ruby’s smiles
makes my chest swell a little, like my heart has filled up with
something wonderful. It’s been a while since I had
girlfriends—really, even since before I left the U.S. Sebastian
and I met here in Atlanta, and I fell for him fast and hard. I guess,
looking back, it was infatuation, though I thought at the time it was
love, but he quickly became my focus, and between him and work, I
kind of let my girlfriends go.
Never again. In one night I may have made more friends here than I
did in two years in England. And I’ve learned the hard way how
important they can be.
“Cassie,” Ryder says as he approaches, and the sound of
my name in his mouth launches little tingles of excitement throughout
my body. “Did you quit while I wasn’t looking?”
I cock my head and smile, touching my tongue to my top lip. “Oh,
Ryder, you know that’s not possible,” I say. “You’re
always looking at me.”
He
juts his chin forward, examining me, but before he can respond,
Shelby says, “Give her a break, Ryde. We’re just getting
to know each other.”
“Well,
Cassie needs to get to know some other tables’ orders so we
make a little money tonight,” he says. “Jackson can’t
pick up everyone’s bill, you know.”
Shelby fishes into her clutch. “Here you go, Cassie,” she
says, handing me a hundred dollar bill. “I’ll pay for
this round. And keep the change.”
I do the math. Even with
tax, their bill isn’t even forty dollars. “Shelby, that’s
too
There’s
only one way to find out.
CASSIE
CH. 9
I set down martinis in front of three women at a reserved booth.
“Thanks,” one of them says. She’s pretty, one of
those girls who looks polished even in just a ponytail and jeans,
which she wears with a white t-shirt and black leather motorcycle
jacket.
“Do you want to start a tab?”
“You can put it on Jackson’s,” she says. “I’m
his sister. I figure he owes me a few drinks.” Owes me .
It makes me think of what Ryder said earlier this week, about whether
Jamie would do for me what I’m doing for him—or more
specifically, that he thinks Jamie wouldn’t do it.
But here’s Jackson’s sister assuming her brother will
cover her debts. Granted, a few drinks isn’t nearly the same as
ten-thousand dollars. Still, maybe that’s what family is
for—accounting for us when we can’t account for
ourselves. Reciprocity: In return for being your sister, you pay
for my night out. Though it’s true that I can’t
recall Jamie ever picking up a check.
Jackson’s sister takes a sip. “I would never say this to
Cash,” she says to the girl next to her, a brunette in a black
mini skirt, “but the boy can make a dirty martini.”
“Why wouldn’t you say it to him?” Cash appears at
the table, his V-neck t-shirt showing off his toned body, a bottle of
Stella Artois in hand. He sits next to Jackson’s sister.
“Because there’s more dirty where that came from.”
She
pops the olive in her mouth. “Don’t you have a bar to
tend?”
“I’m on break.”
I look at Jackson’s sister. “Lucky you,” I say.
She laughs. “The new girl’s a fast learner.” She
puts out her hand. “I’m Shelby.”
“Cassie,” I say, extending mine.
“Nice to meet you. This is Avery,” she says, pointing to
the brunette, “and Ruby.” She gestures to the third girl,
a beautiful redhead next to Avery.
“Hi,” I say.
“When did you start?” Shelby says.
“Cassie’s filling in,” Cash says. “Nerdy
bookkeeper by day, hot waitress by night.”
“Like a superhero,” Shelby says.
“If you need a sexy sidekick,” Cash says, “let me
know.”
“Why? Do you know someone?” I say.
Shelby laughs again, and reaches across Cash to take my hand in hers,
not to shake it this time, but just hold onto it, like she’s
welcoming me. “Cassie, I have a feeling we’re going to be
friends.” The warmth of Shelby, Avery, and Ruby’s smiles
makes my chest swell a little, like my heart has filled up with
something wonderful. It’s been a while since I had
girlfriends—really, even since before I left the U.S. Sebastian
and I met here in Atlanta, and I fell for him fast and hard. I guess,
looking back, it was infatuation, though I thought at the time it was
love, but he quickly became my focus, and between him and work, I
kind of let my girlfriends go.
Never again. In one night I may have made more friends here than I
did in two years in England. And I’ve learned the hard way how
important they can be.
“Cassie,” Ryder says as he approaches, and the sound of
my name in his mouth launches little tingles of excitement throughout
my body. “Did you quit while I wasn’t looking?”
I cock my head and smile, touching my tongue to my top lip. “Oh,
Ryder, you know that’s not possible,” I say. “You’re
always looking at me.”
He
juts his chin forward, examining me, but before he can respond,
Shelby says, “Give her a break, Ryde. We’re just getting
to know each other.”
“Well,
Cassie needs to get to know some other tables’ orders so we
make a little money tonight,” he says. “Jackson can’t
pick up everyone’s bill, you know.”
Shelby fishes into her clutch. “Here you go, Cassie,” she
says, handing me a hundred dollar bill. “I’ll pay for
this round. And keep the change.”
I do the math. Even with
tax, their bill isn’t even forty dollars. “Shelby, that’s
too
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