Page 63 of Here's to Tomorrow

He throws his head back in loud laughter. Benny looks to me, his eyebrow quirked up in question. I lift a shoulder in aWhat can you do? sort of way.

“That fuckin’ mouth,” I hear Hudson mumble in an amused voice as he walks away.

“Poor guy. He has no clue what he’s getting into with you,” Jaret, Benny’s partner, says from his perch at the bar.

“Nope, and I don’t really have it in me to feel bad for the guy.” I smirk, grabbing the beer once again and walking out onto the floor.

After I drop off the beer for Benny, I pull my phone out to text Haley.

Me: You’re off the hook. Found a ride home.

She responds immediately.

Hales: You so suck, dude. These women are boring! I just want to take my e-reader out and read. Is that bad? Ya know what? Fuck it. I’m gonna read on my phone and pretend I’m texting.

Hales: Wait…who’s taking you home?

Shit.I knew that was coming.

Me: Hudson…

Hales: Just wrap that shit, sis. Love you! Be careful!

And for some reason, people trust her with their children. That’s terrifying.

Me: Love you too! Enjoy your book!

Hales: OMG, SHUT UP! I’M READING! RUDE!

Pocketing my phone, I roll my eyes. She’s such a dork sometimes.

The next thirty minutes fly by as I make my way around the bar to check in on all my tables. I know I need to go check on Hudson’s table, but I’m nervous. He makes me that way. Being near him gives me weird jitters.

Okay, fine, I’m also procrastinating because they’re one of my last tables and that means I’m one step closer to being in a small, enclosed space with him alone.

But…my bediscalling my name, so it’s time to put my big girl panties on.

“Ah, there’s my girl,” Perry says, pulling lightly on my ponytail. I smack his hand away as I slide up close next to him, pushing him until he’s only halfway on his chair, and then sit beside him.

Resting my elbows on the table, I blow out a tired puff of air. “Are you dudes done yet? I’m ready to get out of here and you’re holding me up.”

“Shit, really? I didn’t realize we were your last table,” Gaige says as politely as one can while still using the wordshit.

“No, I still have two other tables, but I can pass those off on Maura and bounce out early. This dude”—I point at Hudson—“wants to take me home. As you can see, he’s old, so he probably has a bedtime he has to stick to. You should all respect your elders and scoot scoot.”

“Did you just call me old?” Hudson asks in a shocked voice.

I nod solemnly. “I can totally see your gray hairs from here.” Not true. He doesn’t have a single gray hair on his head. Not a wrinkle or any sign of aging. He looks young and happy…and handsome as hell.

He scoffs. “I’m only twenty-four!”

“Must be your air of maturity.” That isn’t a lie; there is something about him that makes him seems older, more mature, like he had to grow up fast or something.

“Hudson, I think I love your girl. She gives you as much shit as I do,” Tucker says with admiration in his voice.

I throw him a wink. “I told you dudes I’m a catch. You missed out big time, Tucker.”

“And she’s full of herself. I feel like you’re a female version of this weird Gaige/Hudson hybrid. It’s creepy…and kind of hot.”

---