Page 19 of Mixing Drinks For Tipsy Weasels

Rupert chuckles. "Yes, you are if you drink any more." He reaches for the box of cupcakes I brought with me and pulls one out, putting it down in front of me. "Eat, it'll soak up the alcohol."

"Are you sure? You were already worried about me getting a sugar high from the cake."

"Eat the cupcake, Erica," he says firmly.

"Okay." I swipe my finger through the frosting and put it in my mouth, only realising after I do it how intently he's watching.

Despite the rational part of my brain knowing I shouldn't, I repeat the motion, enjoying the way he's watching me. I'm about to do it again when the bartender brings my water over and sets it down in front of me.

"I'm so sorry," he says. "We're working on what happened."

I shrug. "No problem."

He doesn't look convinced, and maybe I wouldn't be either if my head wasn't quite so fuzzy.

"Drink up, then we're going to go for a walk," Rupert says.

"A walk to get chips?" I ask, feeling like my whole face has lit up.

"We can go to Chicken Hut if you want," he says.

I pull a face. "Not Chicken Hut. Desserts After Dark, their chips are so much better."

"There's no way that's possibly true."

"Take me there and I'll prove it to you."

"Okay, but I'm going to need you to shift first," he says.

"You mean here?" Without waiting for him to respond, I pull forth my weasel side and end up sitting on the bench beside him. I tweak my nose as I look at him, only realising that I'm not able to speak to him in this form now that I'm in it.

But my head feels a bit better already.

"Erica!" There's panic in Rupert's voice. "Shift back."

I do as he suggests, retaking my human form. "I shouldn't have done that."

"It's done now," he responds. "How do you feel?"

"Better," I admit. "So at least there's that."

"We should still go and get you those chips," he says. "I don't know enough about how shifting gets rid of excessive alcohol."

"Me neither, but right now, I'm glad that it does."

"I'm not surprised." He gestures for us to leave and I get up from my chair, grabbing my bag and saying my goodbyes to those around me.

I'm not sure whether or not it's truly a good idea for me to be leaving with Rupert, but a walk and some chips are definitely likely to help with the lingering effects of any of the alcohol in my body that the shift hasn't taken care of.

If one thing is certain, this hasn't convinced me to drink more.

Chapter 10

Erica

Desserts After Darkisn't as busy as I expect it to be, though I suppose we're here at a weird time. It isn't dinner time any more, and it's also too early for anyone to be coming here because they've had too much to drink.

Except me, anyway.

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