I hand Hudson his beer, and he hands me a hundred.
“Keep it.”
Little buddy turns and asks me, “Who is this asshole, anyway?”
“You a sports fan?” I ask, setting two bottles on the bar.
“Jags for life,” he answers with a wink.
“Favorite player?”
“Cody Vanders.”
“Shot fired, and he misses.” Hudson laughs.
Little Buddy starts to turn back to him.
“Hey, let’s get you those shots.” I hold up one of the bottles. “Boss Hog. One fifty a shot.” I hold up another. “Tequilla, ten bucks a shot.”
“How much for a body shot?”
“If you have to ask, you can’t afford it,” AJ states.
The Jags have arrived, I think, glancing up into dark brown eyes that heat up my insides, only proving my theory more. I’m not even hating on it since we’ve cleared the air.
“We’ll take ten Boss Hogs.” Nour reaches over the guy’s head and hands me a card.
“What the hell, man? Can’t you see I’m working an angle?”
Nour leans in and says something to him that causes his eyes to grow comically wide then steps back. “Now order your shots and let her do her job.”
“Five Grey Goose, chilled,” he mumbles.
“Fifty bucks.” I smile as I scoop ice into a tumbler.
He pulls out a wad of cash in a money clip, peels a hundred off the top of it, hands it to me, and winks. “Keep the change.”
“You’re the best?—”
“Jay V.”
I pour his shot and push them over. “Here you go, Jay. Enjoy.”
“Who’s drinking the Boss Hog?” Fawna asks.
I nod toward Nour and hand her Jay’s and Hudson’s hundreds. “Five shots of Grey Goose and a draft; the rest goes in the tip jar.”
“Cool.” She walks to the register.
“Nour, as in Nour Uyar?” Jay V swings around. “Holy shit, man. I just got my life threatened by the Jags’ catcher?”
Nour glowers at him.
“Fuck, man, let me get a selfie.”
“What am I? Chopped liver?” Hudson asks, ducking into the frame while Nour continues to glare.
“Give me your phone, Jay. I’ll make sure to get you all in.” I laugh and hold out my hand for it.