Page 45 of Clichés & Curses

‘Just a Sprite?’ I arched a brow at him.

‘Well, you’re going to need someone sober to drive you home later.’

‘I don’t think I agreed to let you drive me home,’ I said to him, my voice teasing.

Colton was quick to reply. ‘You’ll just have to get used to me driving you home.’

My stomach flipped at his words, his tone firm andpossessive.But the last part was probably just my imagination running a bit wild.

Colton had driven me home numerous times before, but something felt different about this one. My automatic response was to reject his offer, reassuring him I could go home on my own, if he wanted to drink tonight. But, instead, I just accepted his kind gesture with a grateful smile. ‘I appreciate that. Thank you.’

Aunt Edna was back at our table moments later, holding our drinks in her hands. ‘Here you go,’ she placed down the drinks as she turned to Colton and said, ‘and you’re off for the night by the way.’

‘Shit. Did I take you away from work?’ I forgot he only went to the diner for his break.

‘Don’t worry about it, honey. We can manage the bar from here, you two just have fun,’ Aunt Edna reassured me. ‘And call for me if you need more drinks.’

‘Thanks, Aunt Edna,’ Colton said before she left us.

I took a sip of my margarita, my eyes turned to watch the people singing on stage. They looked like they were having a great time, not caring whether they were off-beat or singing the wrong tune.

‘You look like you want to go up there,’ I heard Colton say next to me.

I turned my attention back to him and shrugged. ‘It looks like a lot of fun. But I definitely do not want to be up there alone.’

‘Then, I’ll go up there with you.’

My eyes widened, and then I let out a small laugh at his suggestion. But I stopped when I realized he wasn’t joining me and instead had an amused expression on his face.

‘You’re not serious?’

‘I never kid around about karaoke.’

‘You don’t have to go up there just because I want to.’

‘I know, but I do want to,’ he said, before adding, ‘On one condition though.’ Holding up a finger.

I tilted my head. ‘Which is?’

‘I get to pick the song, and you won’t know what song I picked out until we get on stage.’

I gave him a suspicious look. ‘And how are you so sure I will actuallyknowthe song that you chose?’

‘You’ll just have to trust me on this one.’

I took a moment to think about it, but I already knew my mind was made once he said he would go up there with me. ‘Deal.’ I held my hand out to him, and we shook on it.

‘I’ll be right back,’ Colton said as he left our table to submit our names for our turn on stage.

I let out a sigh. While I do like karaoke, it’s mostly in a privately rented room with my closest friends—a pastime the girls and I grew fond of ever since we discovered a karaoke box in town our freshman year—not in a public space like this.

What did I just agree to?

Colton came back moments later, retaking his seat. ‘There’s two more songs including this one, and then it’s going to be us.’

I just gave him a silent nod and took another sip of my margarita. We settled into silence—well, as silent as you can get at a karaoke bar—as the next person got up on stage and sang the song they had selected, belting out the lyrics slightly off-pitch when they reached a high note.

Noticing how quiet I got, Colton asked, ‘Are you okay?’ His voice filled with concern.

---