Page 140 of Trigger

Just perfect. Who else?

“Me, too,” Jordan squeaked, earning Adam’s scowl.

“Maybe the chief would like to come too,” I said ironically. “Whydon’t we ask him?”

“With you losers?” Chief Bibb said, passing by my desk in hisusual ninja style. “No way. Besides, Missus and I have been invited to a gameof canasta tonight.”

“Carter?” Shelly said with a sigh of defeat.

“I can’t.”

“You’re going,” she grumbled. “Everyone is going, so you’re going,too. End of discussion.”

Chapter 28

Second Chances

Carter

Pete’s was crowded, and we barely found a booth big enough for allof us. Bruce, Shelly, and Tye sat down first, while Adam sat beside Bruce. WhenJordan tried to sit next to Adam, he earned himself a scowl. “Sit elsewhere,weirdo.”

Jordan blushed and circled the table so he could sit next to Tye,but the stormy blue eyes told him it wasn’t going to happen.

“Come here, Jordy,” Shelly said, motioning for him to sit betweenher and Bruce. “Adam got off on the wrong foot again.”

Bruce chuckled. “Is that how we’re calling it these days?”

I sat down next to Tye before anyone could pick up on me actingweird, and then we ordered drinks. Double for me and Shelly, who, incidentally,was sending me weird looks the entire day.

“You okay, Shel?” I said in a low voice when everyone else beganto discuss today’s boxing match.

“More importantly, are you?” she whispered, wide-eyed.

Okay, that was weird.

Tye kept checking me out, further increasing my anxiety. His legwas touching mine, but I couldn’t even blame him since the booth was so small.

“Is it really a karaoke night?” Bruce mumbled with his mouth fullof chips. “I’m an excellent singer. Did you know that before joining the force,I almost became an opera singer? I would have been one of the greatest if itweren’t for that weird tonsil accident that I had as a teenager.”

“Getting drunk becomes more appealing by the second,” Adam said,raising his hand. “Oh, waiter! Another round, please. Just for me, of course.”

Jordan, who was playing with a beverage napkin, glanced at him.“Is tequila your favorite drink?”

Adam scowled. “What’s it to you, weirdo? Besides, why don’t youask your lover over there?”

When he pointed his chin at Tye, Jordan turned red in the face.

“He’s not my lover!” Jordan exclaimed. “Nothing happened. It was amistake that—”

“Jesus Christ, he’s still speaking,” Adam said through laughter.“Can someone put a dick in his mouth and shut him up?”

“Don’t you dare talk to me that way!” Jordan growled.

“Then why are you letting me?”

“B-because…”

“B-because,” Adam mocked him.

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