Page 57 of February

“Fine. But I have to drop off my giant bag, as you call it, in my room first.”

“I’ll walk you to the hotel, and we can head out from there.”

“Walking?”

“It only takes about twenty minutes from here.”

“Will you hate me if I order us a car to get us there since we’ll be walking around all night?”

“Hate you? No.” Bridgette shook her head. “Make fun of you? Yes.” She nodded.

“I’ll let you ride with me.”

“In the limo? Does it come with sparkling water and warm towels?”

“It’s a town car,” Monica said, laughing.

???

About half an hour later, Bridgette was sitting at a table at Henry’s with her friends and Monica Arnette, the woman who was here to buy her company. She had introduced her around again, and everyone had gone straight into small talk and had a few questions for Monica, who had ordered her very first Po-Boy, which she later told Bridgette she liked. When they leftHenry’s, they decided to walk up and down Bourbon Street first just to give Monica a lay of the land and let their food digest a bit.

Finally, they ended up at a good bar initiation to start the night where they could sit down at a high-top table, have a drink, and not have the music blare too loudly in their ears. Monica had a gin and tonic and finished it by the time they were ready to move on. They walked a little farther, and Bridgette noticed things were picking up. The crowd was starting to build, and the group got split up from time to time, so she found herself placing a hand on Monica’s lower back to help keep them connected. It made her feel like she wasn’t alone somehow. Even though her friends were only steps away, a gentle hand on Monica’s back had her feeling like someone needed her in that moment and she needed them.

“Are you having fun?” Bridgette asked once they got to the second bar, which had an upstairs and a balcony they could go out on to look over the street below.

“This city really is something else,” Monica replied before she took a sip of her drink.

“It really is,” Bridgette agreed. “So, that bar has a great drink, but it’s really sweet, and you forget there’s alcohol in it, so you have to be careful.”

“Where do I get a Hurricane?” Monica asked.

“A Hurricane?” Bridgette laughed. “Literally anywhere.”

“I want one of those.”

“Okay. Well, personally, I think the best Hurricanes are at Pat O’Brien’s.” She pointed down the street. “We can go there next. They have tables in a courtyard if you want to sit down.”

“Yeah, that would be great.” Monica smiled over at her, and Bridgette just about fell into those damn blue eyes of hers.

“Let me see if they’re ready to go. If not, they can just meet us there.”

Monica nodded, and Bridgette left her on the balcony to check on her friends, who had remained inside.

“Hey, are you guys ready? Monica wants to go get a Hurricane from Pat O’s.”

“Monica wants, huh?” Melinda teased.

“Yes. She’s never had one.”

“And this has nothing to do with the fact that she told you she was gay this morning, so now, you’re showing her around town instead of having us do it?” Jill checked.

“Monica is gay?” Kyle asked.

“I really need to add you to our group text, babe,” Melinda said as Kyle wrapped her arms around Melinda’s waist from behind.

“It’s not about that, no,” Bridgette replied. “I just want her to like it here.”

“Why?” Melinda asked.

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