Page 99 of Ready to Cash Out

“Nice!” Brick nodded his approval. “That takes some balls. I could never get up in front of people and dance like that.”

“Really?” Trev snorted. “With your body?”

Brick laughed. “Hey, dancing takes a very unique set of skills. Just something about getting up in front of all those people. Not for me.”

“That kinda thing gets easier with practice,” Jimmy said kindly. “I mean, I have horrible anxiety, but I can still get up in court.”

“Do you imagine everybody naked?” Trev teased.

“What? No!” Jimmy looked mortified by the thought.

Everyone laughed, and Rowena taunted, “Come on! Like you’ve never thought about Roddy naked when you’re up there on stage singing!”

“Shut up!” Jimmy turned a vivid shade of pink and tried to melt into the chair.

“You sing?” Trev asked, genuinely curious.

Jimmy peeked through his fingers. “Yeah. Uh, sometimes. I used to sing at Rowena’s club, but uh, I just do that for special occasions or whatever. Birthdays. Anniversaries. Stuff like that.”

“See, you could totally do it!” Trev winked. “If you can sing in front of a crowd, you can absolutely dance. I could show you some moves. Really knock Roddy’s socks off.”

Rowena giggled through a sip of her drink, mashing buttons on the remote to get the movie on. “That would be so fetch.”

“Like, so fetch,” Brick echoed in a snobby voice.

“Huh?” Trev was lost.

“Just trust us.” Rowena giggled.

“What?” Brick arched his brow. “Wait, have you not seen this?”

Trev wrinkled his nose. “No.”

Jimmy gawked. “How have you not seen this movie?”

Mickey scoffed. “Even I’ve seen it.”

“Maybe if you all stop talking about it and we actually put it on, I’ll understand what all the damn fuss is about!” Trev clicked his tongue. “Jesus, let’s go.”

Rowena cackled as she hit play. “This is the best day ever.”

After a few more drinks, Trev was inclined to agree.

He was actually having fun. He hadn’t spent this much time with anyone even close to his age before unless it was at work or for sex. In either situation, he only did the bare minimum of socializing and encounters were as brief as possible. Whatever worries he’d had earlier about feeling inadequate or being treated with condescension vanished.

It was nice.

Listening to everyone quoting lines from the movie together was a riot. Trev was an instant fan of the story, though he would have made sure Regina ended up in front of a bus a lot sooner and it would definitely be because he pushed her.

Roger had even come over to sit down with them and join in on the fun.

Mickey did not.

Must not be a fan.

When the movie was over, Jerry swept in with trays of mini burgers and fries. It was exactly what Trev needed to soak up the booze. He couldn’t remember when he’d last just hung out with anyone for fun other than his kooky neighbor, Juicy.

God, he was going to miss him.

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