Page 18 of Chasing Sunrise

And he was left wondering why.

“Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the Bible says love your enemy.” ~ Frank Sinatra

Chapter Four

Amanda hadn’t had thismuch fun in a long time. Between talking, dancing, and playing pool, the night had flown by. All the extensive time she’d spent in bars had never been so enjoyable.

After she and Kasey played each other in pool, they’d paired together as a team and beat their competitors. The crowd got bigger throughout the night. People in the bar were obviously calling friends and telling them Dre, Kasey, and Harper were seen here tonight, and a lot of them decided to come see for themselves.

Dre and Kasey obliged everyone who wanted an autograph or picture with them. Some asked Dre about different games. Others spoke to Kasey about the extreme challenges he performed on his show. A few asked him why Harper left. Each time, he responded with, “You’ll have to wait until Star Breeze airs tomorrow to find out.”

At one point, he turned to Amanda and said, “Harper wanted publicity. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.”

After she sat with her worker friends for half an hour, Mike announced, “The bar will be closing in fifteen minutes.”

She stood and grasped her purse off the back of her chair. “Does anyone need a ride?”

Her coworkers waved her off with, “Uber’s coming.” “I haven’t touched a drop the last hour.” “I got a ride.”

Amanda glanced around. Kasey was surrounded by people. He shook their hands as they spoke. Everyone walked away with a smile on their face. She noticed the same thing happening with Dre.

Once the crowd thinned, Kasey approached her. “Thanks again for the food. You saved me from looking like a lush and being on the floor right now.”

“You’re welcome. You’re not driving, are you?”

He shook his head. “I’ll call an Uber to take me to my parents’ house.”

“I’ll be glad to drop you off. It would actually help me out. Your mom is hosting book club, so if I drop you off, I’ll know where I’m going tomorrow.”

~

The lights flickeredon in the bar. Kasey squinted and waited for his eyes to adjust to the brightness. He got his first good look at Amanda. “I like you with black hair. Accentuates your blue eyes.”

As if self-conscious, she crossed her arms. “Are you one of those guys who when you get drunk women start to look better and better?”

“Isn’t everyone like that when they drink?”

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