Page 28 of Driving Force

“What the actual fuck, man!” Matt says when she’s gone from the garage. “You know Tinley is going to freak the fuck out, right? This is the one thing she was worried about, and you just confirmed it for her.”

Shit. I run my hand through my hair. “I promise I did nothing. Matt, Serena came in here and basically climbed me like a tree when I got out of the car.”

“Well, you better hope to god that no one got pictures of that display, or you are gonna be up shit creek with Tin. I’ve seen the girl be feisty with you once. If she saw you kissing another woman, I can only imagine you’ll in a questionable position. She might just castrate you in front of the whole team,” Matt points out.

“Let’s get out of here before anything else goes the way I don’t need this weekend.”

“Tinley! Get your ass out here right now!” Grace calls from the living room.

“I’m coming, I’m coming, okay.” This weekend may be one of my last with my girls, and evidently, I have been a bad friend since I started dating Ryan, and they are making me spend the whole weekend with them. I’m only able to check my phone once an hour while we are out, per Mia.

Stepping into the kitchen, I find Mia making drinks, and Grace has her head in her phone. Lilly is laughing at something Mia said. Grabbing Grace’s phone as I pass, I say, “If I can’t stay attached to my phone, then neither can you miss.”

I slide over to pick up a shot Mia has ready for us. “Okay ladies, here’s tonight and forgetting about anything else.” The ladies all cheer. “So, what’s our first adventure for the night?”

“We wanted to have dinner and then maybe head over to the dueling piano bar,” Lilly says.

“That sounds perfect. I love that place. You know we always get to sing as loud as we want and no one cares when this one flashes the whole bar.” I point toward Mia.

“Hey, that was pre-boyfriend. I think you ladies are on your own for flashing to get drinks tonight.” Mia grins.

And with that, we all laugh as we head out the door toward the Uber and out for the fun night ahead.

“Don't stop believing. Hold on to that feeling,” we sing a little louder each time the course comes around again. When we got to the bar a little over an hour ago, we were a little tipsy, and now, well, let’s just say I’m glad we have the Uber app already loaded to take us home, or we would be screwed.

“Tinley, do you know how much I love you?” Grace slurs to me.

“I love you, too,” I tell her, laughing as we sway.

Lilly cut us all off about three shots ago, and I’m glad because throwing up in public is not my jam. “James is going to come get us. He doesn’t want us in an Uber with y’all this way,” Lilly says.

“Aw,” the three of us yell. “James is the best. Lilly, you better not let that one go. He’s a keeper. You know, I think I have a keeper too. Did you know we said I love you this week? Yep, sure did!”

“YAY! Tin! Wait one second, that deserves a song.”

Grace runs up to the piano guys and nearly faceplants it on the stage before standing up and placing her request. “Looks like we have a special request from the lovely Grace. Funny, that’s your name, considering how you just came up here,” the piano guy jokes. Then he plays one of my favorite country songs right now by Cole Swindell, “She had me at Heads Carolina.” From the first time I heard it, it took me back to my love of Jo Dee Masina and made me smile. Singing as loud as I can, I laugh with my girls and know that this is what it’s all about. I’m filled with love—for my driver, my girls, and hopefully, if things work out, I’ll have the job I always wanted.

“Okay, Grace.” I lean over the table so she can see I’m trying to get her to pay attention. “Why have you been so moody lately? Is it a guy? School? Or something completely different.”

“Tinley, you’re in love, right?” she says, slurring her words.

“You know I am.”

“Why are guys such horn dogs? I met a guy, and we are so alike but so different. His body is a work of art, but when he opens his mouth, I want to stuff my underwear in it to get him quiet. Now I want the space, and he seems to have dropped feelings into the simple hookup.”

“Wow, Grace, that’s a lot. Who is this pain in your ass?”

“Nope, I’m not that drunk, Tin. That is going to have to wait,” she says.

* * *

The next morning is rough. Groaning, I roll over to find I’m not alone in my bed. A grunt comes from the body beside me, and I find Grace stretched out. Laying back down, I put my foot on the floor to get the room to stop spinning once again. Damn, what all did we drink last night? My mouth feels like one big cotton ball, and my hair is stuck to my face. Don’t get me wrong, we have tied one on before, but I couldn’t tell you the last time I felt this hungover. Note to self: do not do that again. You are too old for this shit.

Slowly getting up to make my way to the bathroom, I glimpse at my reflection and groan again. Never again. After taking a longer-than-normal shower, I head to the kitchen to make something that will soak up all the alcohol still in my system when I notice my phone on the bar with a missed message.

My Driver:

Hi kitten, hope you had fun with the girls last night.

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