Page 14 of Run, Little Bunny

I bite my lip again, very turned on at how much control he’s taking. “No peeking until the door shuts.”

12

Re-entering High Five, the bunny mask off and held in my hand, a dumb smile is glued to my face.Tuesday.I can’t wait to see her again.

“Did you seriously pick up Anna Clark while wearing the bunny mask?” my friend Chris, Lauren’s husband, asks, his voice full of disbelief as soon as he spots me.

“Seems that way.”

Nicholas laughs from across the table and raises his hand to get Aaron’s attention. “We need a pitcher over here!”

“You were a good sport today,” Nicholas says, patting my back as I sit at the tall boy table.

Aaron sets down a fresh pitcher of beer.

“I’m taking fantasy football a lot more seriously next year.”

Chris leans forward. “Nicholas, you know there’s a rumor going around that you’re buying an engagement ring.”

“What?!” Aaron and I say in near unison.

“That’s what I get for supporting local businesses.” Nicholas sighs, but there’s a glint in his eye.

“You’re serious?” I ask, still shocked.

Nicholas smirks and nudges me. “Never underestimate the power of roleplay. It can be life changing.”

While I laugh, my mind goes to some very specific places I’d rather not be.I do not want to think about Emily calling him Santa, and I definitely don’t want Anna to call me anything related to the Easter Bunny.

“When’s your next themed pop-up?” I ask, steering the conversation back to safer ground.

“Halloween, for sure,” Nicholas says, leaning back. “Still deciding about any other holidays before then. Our social media girl, Taylor—if it were up to her, we would be a permanent pop up.” He shakes his head, then takes a sip of his beer. “They’re great for extra sales in the off season, but once summer is here, I want this to be High Five. A place where you can grab a cheap beer and hang with your friends.”

“Speaking of, we need to do a celebratory shot to close out fantasy season,” Chris says.

“I’m not doing a bomb,” I firmly state.Those are in time out for a while.Hangovers in your thirties are not worth it.

“What do you want then, princess?” Chris teases me.

“I’ve been through enough torture today. How about a nice whiskey?”

“Whiskey, perfect,” Nicholas says. “Claire, three shots of my favorite, please.”

“To day drinking,” Claire says, returning with the shots. We each pick one up, and she says, “Cheers, boys,” raising her own shot glass, and we all tip them back.

“Claire’s cute,” Chris says, checking her out as she leaves.

“You’re married,” Nicholas fires back.

“I can still say a girl is cute.”

Questionable.

“CB, isn’t Claire cute?” Chris asks me.

“Why are you doubling down on this?”

“There is nothing unattractive about Claire, so why can’t I say she’s cute?”

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