Page 23 of My Best Bet

“Yeah, you need it,” JP snickered.

Kap took a small sip and swallowed. His eyes watered, but he held it down.

I held a fist in front of my mouth to keep from laughing. JP had to excuse himself because he couldn’t keep it in.

“Good boy,” Lucy said, patting his head. “You’ll be all better soon.”

As soon as she was out of earshot, he whispered, “If I wasn’t gonna barf before, I’m definitely gonna now.”

“You’re fine,” I said with a laugh.

“I better be. And you better be too,” he said with serious eyes. “Make sure you get your head back for our game tomorrow, bud,” he said before picking himself off the floor. “Last one ‘til the season opener.”

I hung my head. He was right.

This couldn’t have happened at a worse time.

5.Mer -OurCity

Entering the swanky, upscale bar, I spotted Piper quickly. She was leaning over a drink, chatting with the bartender, dressed in what I’d call a femme fatale look, with her blonde hair slicked back in a low pony and wearing a long, tight maroon dress. Leave it to Piper to wear a dress even when it was basically negative two degrees outside.

“You l-look amazing-g,” I told her, teeth chattering and my body still shaking from the freezing wind outside.

“Thank you, I’m sure you look great under that huge ass coat,” she said with a laugh. “You know it’s only October, right? It’s about to get a lot colder around here.”

“I don't think I can take it off,” I told her seriously. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be warm again. Michigan does not have wind like this.”

She laughed again. “Welcome to the Windy City. You’ll get used to it. Here.” She slid a drink in front of me.

“What’s this?” I asked, eyeing the bartender, who was giving me a look of sympathy.

“That, my dearest and oldest friend,” she stuck her angular nose in the air, “is a long island iced tea.”

“Piper,” I bit out a laugh, “I haven’t had one of these in years.”

She gave me a wicked grin. “And that is why it’s needed now. No talking until we’re at least one deep. Let’s go.”

“I don’t know if this is a good idea,” I said warily, but I took a sip of the fruity drink anyway. I could practically see my mom shaking my head at me right now for going along with another one of Piper’s ill-advised plans.

“It is a great idea. I already gave Mr. Bartender here that disturbing hundred dollar bill,” she shuddered, “and we’re drinking ‘til it’s gone. Then we’re going dancing. Cheers.” She clinked my glass.

“Dancing?” My eyebrows popped up in surprise. I was dressed in yoga pants and a sweater, totally not a clubbing outfit, and I really didn’t feel like venturing into a sticky bar. “Where?”

She shrugged. “Doesn’t matter, we’ll figure it out. Did you know dancing is the best exercise for mood improvement? They say it’s better at treating depression than running and SSRI’s.” She pulled a face. “I hate running.”

“I’m not depressed,” I responded quickly, then paused. “Are you?”

She drained the rest of her drink, then grinned like a Cheshire cat. “If we dance, no one is.”

______

Piper was right. While dancing, I forgot everything about today, everything about my job, my money issues, my relationships– or rather, lack of relationships. All I thought about was what song would be coming next. I sighed. All I needed in life were strobe lights, a DJ booth, and my best friend throwing her head back, laughing.

We were dancing in a sea of young 20-somethings, but I couldn’t care less that we were probably the oldest in the bar. This was needed.

When a remix ofGimme! Gimme! Gimme!from Mamma Mia blasted through the speakers, Piper screamed that it washersong, then somehow ended up on stage with the DJ. The dance floor crowd cheered her on, loving her moves. She looked like a total star up there. No one in the bar probably had the slightestclue that she’d probably be in the Olympics for dancing on ice pretty soon here.

After the song ended, she jumped down and tugged me to the bar for another drink.

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