Page 41 of Instinct & New Identity

We made our way out the door and started the twenty-minute drive to the pub.Valdid most of the talking, giving a recap of her thoughts on my family and how much she’d enjoyed the evening.

* * *

The ladies andIwalked into the pub together and were immediately assaulted byChristmasmusic playing in the overhead speakers.Myguess was that eitherTammyorElliewas in charge of that decision.

“Come on over, guys.Welcometo the party,”Tammyyelled from behind the bar.

We were the last to arrive.WadeandTammywere both behind the bar, serving drinks.EllieandRuthiewere seated in front ofTammy.Archer,Jack, andAxelspoke together while standing on the other side ofWade.

As we walked farther into the room,Ruthiecame speed-walking up to us and clapped her hands excitedly.

“I got a dog!”Ruthieannounced.

She held up her phone to show us a picture, butValgrabbed the phone from her hand beforeIcould see it.

“He’s a retired racing greyhound,”Ruthieadded. “Mygrandfather got him for me.Hewas there whenIgot to his house today.He’seight years old and just the cutest thing ever.Hisname isDash.”

“I thought dog racing was illegal inGeorgia,”Iinquired.

“It is, butDashcame fromWestVirginia, where it’s still legal,”Ruthieclarified. “Mygrandfather knows someone who volunteers at a charity organization that helps find homes for former racing dogs when they’re abandoned after they can’t race anymore.”

“Did you bring him here?”Catasked next to me.

“No,Idon’t have anything for him at home and no stores are open, so my grandfather will keep him tonight for me since he already has a dog.I’llpick him up tomorrow morning and buy him a bunch of stuff.”

“How are you gonna fit a giant dog and a bunch of stuff in your tinyPrius?”Jackinterrupted, walking up next to me.

“He’s not aGreatDane.He’sonly sixty-five pounds.We’llbe fine,”Ruthieshot back toJack.

“You’re gonna need a bed, bags of food, and a bunch of other stuff.Justborrow mySUV.It’llbe much easier,”Jackoffered.

“Donotlet her borrow your car!”Archeryelled from over at the bar. “Notunless you want a few dents and scratches on it.”

“That wasonetime, asshole!”Ruthieyelled back.

I chuckled asIwalked aroundRuthieandJack, still arguing, and made my way to the bar whereArcher,Wade, andAxelwere talking.

“The kitchen is closed, butIcan get you anything you want to drink,”Wadesaid to me.

“I’ll just have aCoke, thanks,”Ireplied then turned toAxel. “Gladyou came, man.”

Axel’s family was all still back inSweden, so he hadn’t had anywhere to go for the holiday.Wade’smom, who was even more overbearing than mine, had swooped in and practically forced him to attend theirThanksgivingmeal today.

“Enjoyed my first authenticAmericanThanksgivingfeast,” he responded in his subtle accent.

“Was it everything you thought it would be?”Wadeasked.

“I thinkIcould go without eating for the next two days and still live off the caloriesIate today and be fine,” he declared, and we all laughed.

The women had all initially congregated over nearTammy’sside of the bar and the men onWade’sside.Eventually, everyone merged and enjoyed conversation together.Bythe end of the night,Elliewas withWadebehind the bar, standing in front of him with his arms wrapped around her waist, chin resting on her head.Tammy, who had recently moved to the other side of the bar to be seated, was animatedly telling a story.Jackwas behind her, showingRuthiesomething on his phone.Shelistened to what he said as she looked at his phone but seemed to do it begrudgingly.Thesexual tension between those two was high, thoughIwasn’t sure they would ever act on it.

I walked over toCatandVal, who stood listening toTammy.Ileaned against the bar to ask if they were having fun.

“Yes, butI’mcool to leave whenever,”Valanswered.

I put my front againstCat’sback, my hand on her hip, and asked, “Youready to leave?”

She nodded but also stiffened beneath my touch, which was not whatIwas expecting.Sinceshe seemed uncomfortable with my touch,Iremoved my hand.

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