Chapter 41

Connie

I sat on one of the plastic-covered seats at the back of the club, sipping my cider. I smiled as Ash pushed her way to the front of the bar.

The other three women that were with Ash seemed to be deep into a conversation among themselves.

I didn’t mind being excluded. They looked and sounded to be buzzed already, and I didn’t know what they were speaking about.

After a few moments, Ash came back with a tray held up above her head.

As she placed it on the table, I saw a bunch of tiny shot glasses lined up next to each other, a saltshaker, and a bowl full of limes.

~Oh boy!~

Ash sat down next to me and gave me a wink. “Time to forget all your worries,” she said, and handed me the first shot.

The other women paused their conversation and joined us. We each took a slice of lime, poured some salt on our hands, and picked up the shot.

The smell of it was already making my stomach turn.

Ash held up the drink. “To amazing friends,” she said, and we performed the ritual that would begin a night of bad decisions and end with a killer hangover.

Ash had no mercy, making me take one shot after another. After the fourth one, I waved my hands at her. “No more!” I shouted over the music as I waited for my gut to settle.

She laughed and leaned in closer to me, and said, “I am so glad you’re here.”

I smiled at her. “Me too. I needed this.”

She eyed the other women at the table, then gestured with her head for me to follow her. I shuffled off my seat and gave the women a smile as Ash told them we were going to pee.

In the bathrooms, we found an empty stall and we both squeezed in. Ash shut the door and when she turned to me, I saw her eyes had lost the spark of fun and joy.

“What’s up?” I asked as my head spun from the tequila.

“You know, Con, you are the only real friend I have,” she said.

“What about those other three—what are their names?”

She shook her head. “They are only friends on the weekend. I can get them into bars for free and organize free booze. They’re not like you.”

I sat down on the toilet and crossed my legs. “But you have loads of friends, Ash.”

“I have lots of acquaintances. They are just people I know. It’s different with you. The moment you came in asking for a job, I knew there was something different about you.

“You don’t want anything from me. You are just my friend, and I love you so much for that.”

I stood up and gave her a hug. “I think you may be the first best friend I have ever had,” I said, and we looked at each other with watery eyes.

In that moment we both burst out laughing. “I think the tequila is working!” Ash said and pulled me out of the stall.

We made our way back to the main part of the club, and as the song changed, Ash squealed and said, “Please come dance with me!”

I nodded and we weaved our way around the tables to the dance floor.

We danced and spun around and laughed as the music played. I thought back to the dancing I did on Billy and Bob’s ship and, just like that, the buzz was gone.

I stopped dancing as Raylon filled my mind again.

“What is it?” Ash asked when she saw me standing still in the middle of the dance floor.

I met her eyes. “I need more tequila!” I said and grabbed her hand. I pulled her to the bar, and we pushed our way to the front.

When the bar lady asked us for our order, I said, “Six tequila shots, please.”

I knew drinking that much would be a bad idea, but I just wanted to forget. For one night, I wanted Raylon to let me be.

Ash raised her brows at me. “You sure? That’s a lot of shots.”

I smiled at her. “I’ll call in sick tomorrow. My boss is pretty cool like that.”

She laughed at that, and as the shots lined up on the bar, I didn’t bother with the salt or the lime.

After the last shot went down, and I managed to keep it all in, I felt a hot, sweaty hand on my shoulder.

A voice accompanied by disgusting beer breath said, “Hey sexy. You look like you’re having fun.”

I turned to find a short round guy, with no hair and yellow teeth, smiling at me.

“Go away!” I said and grabbed Ash, pulling her away from the horde at the bar and back to the dance floor. As I let the buzz take over my mind again, I felt a hand on my ass.

I spun around to see the guy from the bar behind me, trying to dirty dance with me. I backed away, and when Ash saw why I had moved, she pulled me to the front door.

We went outside and I took in a long breath of fresh air.

“Come on, baby,” the bald guy called as he came out of the bar. “Don’t be like that.”

“Leave me alone!” I shouted to him and turned my back to him.

“I’m really fun when you get to know me,” he said, coming closer to me.

“Hey asshole,” Ash said in that fiery tone I loved. “Take the hint and fuck off.”

“I wasn’t talking to you, Ash. I just want to get to know your friend here.”

I turned to glare at him. “Look, I’m not interested, okay? I have a boyfriend,” I said, thinking of Raylon.

~He will always be mine, no matter what happens in my life.~

The bald man, still thinking he had a chance, came over and placed his hand on my arm. “What’s your name, baby?”

As his greasy paw moved over my skin, I saw another hand come down, grab the bald guy’s arm, and twist it, all in one smooth motion, making the baldy fall to his knees.

“She told you to leave her alone. You should listen. You have no idea what she’s capable of.”