Page 4 of The Hookup

She didn’t seem to know either, given how long she had run her fingers over the sticky menu. “What do you want to drink?” I asked her.

“I was debating whether I want to try something new, which I will undoubtedly dislike, or go with something I know won’t make me vomit, which is light beer. But what I’m really searching for is something that will allow me to become drunk before the liver metabolizes about ninety percent of the alcohol into water and carbon dioxide. I can have one drink per hour and maintain a buzz unless I sweat a lot, which I might, because there isn’t adequate air-conditioning in here for the number of patrons. So I think light beer is out.”

I blinked.

Bella gave a nervous laugh. “Sophie’s kidding. God, she’s so funny when she’s drunk!” But then she shot her sister a very obvious warning glare.

Yep. Sophie was a fucking genius. Maybe slightly weird, but clearly no dumb brunette.

“What?” she asked Bella. “What’s wrong? And I’m not kidding. I really can’t decide what to drink. I want a buzz. That is my goal.”

Bella sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. I had to guess I wasn’t the first guy she had thrown in front of Sophie.

“Try a Washington Apple,” I told her. “It’s light and refreshing, yet has Canadian whiskey in it, which will most definitely get you drunk.” Aside from the way she had put it, her goal was no different than that of a lot of people who came into the bar.

Me included.

Get drunk. Forget about whatever it was that pressed on her shoulders like two meaty iron fists, weighing her down. Blue eyes in a round, perfect baby face popped into my head. Fuck. I downed my whiskey and slid it over to John. “My glass is empty, asshole.” Then I eyed Sophie. “Do you want a Washington Apple?”

“Are you buying it for me?” she asked.

Her question was so unexpected and brazen, I laughed. She didn’t look flirtatious at all, just curious.

“Sophie, oh, my God, you can’t ask that!” Bella’s cheeks went pink. “She didn’t mean that,” she said to me.

“What?” Sophie asked. “What’s wrong with asking? I didn’t want to say yes to the drink and then have it be awkward because the bartender assumes that Cain is paying and then he doesn’t want to. I was trying to prevent awkwardness.”

Funny enough, she clearly meant it. And she had a fair point. She looked annoyed that her sister had called her out. Her eyes were blinking rapidly and her chest was rising and falling, forcing her breasts to push against the tight fabric of her black dress.

“But you’re not supposed to ask someone to pay for something,” Bella insisted. “It’s rude.”

Tell that to every other girl here on a Friday night. What a load of bullshit.

“I wasn’t asking him to pay for it. I was asking if he was offering to pay for it.”

“Oh, my God,” Bella murmured again. “Come on, Soph, let’s just go.” She turned to me. “Sorry.”

Sophie’s lips twisted and I could tell she was fighting the urge to protest further. Their dynamic was fucked up. Bella was talking down to Sophie, that patronizing older sibling shit. It reminded me of what a dickhead my own brother was and how much I hated his ability to make me look like a sour asshole because I was honest and he was a fucking liar.

“No, you don’t need to leave.” I reached out and touched Sophie’s wrist when she started to pull away from the bar and follow her sister. “I asked you if you wanted a drink, so yes, I was offering to pay for it.”

For a second she studied me, her owlish dark eyes widening. I could see that she was thinking, assessing, deciding. She glanced down at my fingers on her flesh. I let go.

“Okay, then, yes, I will take a Washington Apple, thank you.”

I felt relief, which was an odd thing to feel. Mostly I felt nothing other than anger, boredom, arousal. The emotions that indicated that I might actually give a shit clawed their way to the forefront very rarely. Yet, I felt…compassion for Sophie. I didn’t want her to walk away and let her sister win. “You’re welcome. Do you want a shot or a regular drink?”

“Oh. There are options? Well…” Her head tilted.

I knew instantly a debate was coming.

“If I drink the shot it will hit my system all at once, which is a plus. But without something to sip, I’ll get thirsty and then I’ll want some water, which will counter the effect of the alcohol.”

And there it was. I just waited. She would reason it out.

“I’ll take the drink,” she concluded.

Bella looked like she wanted to die a thousand deaths. “I’m going to the restroom.” She set her wine down and pointed her finger at Sophie. “Don’t go anywhere or talk to anyone else without me.” She sashayed off, tossing her hair back, clearly irritated.

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