Page 92 of Movers and Shakers

“Be careful,” she warned. “This is . . . dangerous.”

“Everything will be fine.” But I wasn’t sure who I was trying to convince.

I walked out of the new place. I was in a completely different part of town, but I’d persuaded Juno to let me buy a car—a sensible Toyota—so I would have some freedom. When Juno didn’t follow me, I let out a breath of relief.

The line for Movers and Shakers was long, and as I approached the bouncer, I wondered if Rose would somehow be removed from entry. Lila would have deserved that after whathappened today. I knew that Barry didn’t know everything was blending together.

“Congrats,” the man said. “You’re on the permanent entry list.”

“How do I get on that?” the woman behind me asked.

“You know the owner,” the bouncer replied. “Right?”

I nodded, a blush rising to my cheeks. Rose didn’t know the owner all that well, but I must have made some impression on him if he’d gone through the trouble of adding me.

When I entered, I let out a breath of air.

Barry was tending the bar next to the famous dancing bartender. I walked up, getting in line for myself. I didn’t even need to talk to him; I could see him and then leave.

As I got to the front, my favorite drink was set down in front of me.

My jaw dropped and when I looked up, Barry was focused on me. His lips pursed and I wondered again if somehow the anger he must have had for Lila carried over to Rose too. But then the dancing guy turned to him and said something in his ear, and he left the bar, coming toward me.

“Hi!” I said loudly.

“Is this going to be a regular thing?” he asked loudly back.

“You added me to the permanent entry list, so I guess so.”

“I keep taking up all your time talking about my life. It’s the least I can do. What are you here for?”

“I was in town for work. I figured I’d check on you.”

He blinked. “You have impeccable timing.”

Only because I did this to you.

“Wanna catch up?”

He thought about it for a moment before turning to the other bartender. The man gave him a thumbs-up and Barry gestured to the back.

We climbed the stairs to the rooftop and I couldn’t resist the smile that spread onto my face.Thiswas where I wanted to be.

“How are you?”

“Not the greatest,” he admitted. “But on the bright side, I . . . I think my siblings and I might be getting along for once.”

“Really?” Relief hit me. At least he hadn’t been alone. “That’s good.”

“Yeah, and I’ll probably go see my dad soon.”

“Still want me to join?”

He looked at me, expression unreadable. “I could use the moral support. I’d ask my brother and sister to go, but I imagine it wouldn’t be fun with them since they’re still related to the asshole that raised us.”

We hadn’t talked about the real thing, the reason why I’d come here. Maybe I should have left it, but my mouth opened anyway.

“Did anything else happen?”

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