Page 266 of Something Rad
“But, if youwerehaving a bad night…” he muses.
“But I’m not,” I grit, running an exasperated hand through my hair.
“Right,” he agrees. “It’s just that, if you were, I was gonna offer you some of this,” he says.
My brows pinch together, irritation coursing through me as Paul pulls back one side of his sports coat. I think for two seconds about how much of a damper it would put on the night if I were to just sock him in the face, but then I see what he’s pulling out of his jacket pocket, and I stiffen.
He holds up a hefty metal flask, shaking it.
I can hear the dull sound of the contents sloshing around inside of it, taking note that it must be nearly full. Just the thought of the liquid inside has my muscles relaxing, making my mouth water for it.
But then Paul’s pulling it away, moving to slip the flask back in his pocket and turning to leave. “But if you don’t need it–”
“Hold on,” I blurt.
He turns back to me, his brows raised and a smirk on his face.
I chew on my bottom lip, my eyes narrowing on him. “What is it they say?” I ask.
Paul cocks his head.
“A shot a day keeps the doctor away?”
Paul breathes out a chuckle. “Sure, man,” he agrees. “Let’s go with that.”
He pulls the flask from his jacket pocket once again, uncapping it and handing it to me.
I hesitate for only a moment before I take it from him, tipping it back and immediately relishing in the soothing burn of tequila down my throat. I let out a hum of satisfaction, feeling some of the weight that I’ve felt sitting on my chest for the last couple of weeks slowly being lifted away. I run my tongue across my lower lip, making sure I take in every last drop of the shot before holding the flask back out to Paul.
He shakes his head, pushing it back towards my chest. “Keep it,” he says.
I rear back, my brows knitting in confusion.
“I’ve got another one stashed in my locker,” Paul tells me. “And, besides, it looks like you need it more than me.”
My mouth falls open, my head shaking. “I don’t–”
“It’s all good, man,” he cuts me off, patting me on the shoulder and giving me a tight grin. “Have a good night.” And then he walks out the door, leaving me in the bathroom alone with only the flask in my hand.
I swallow, glancing down at it. I move to slip it into my jacket pocket, then pause, deciding one more swig couldn’t kill me.
When I walk back into the gym, I find Cooper right where I left her on the side of the dance floor. There’s a smile on her face as she stands there with her arms crossed, gently swaying side to side as she observes the band and the people on the dance floor.
She must sense me watching her, because her head shifts in my direction, her grin instantly spreading to its full size as she skips over to me, looping her arms around my neck.
“Hey,” she says, pulling me in for a kiss before I have time to respond.
I chuckle. “Did you miss me already?”
“Maybe,” she admits. “Definitely.” She crinkles her nose, glancing down at my mouth. “Have you…been drinking?”
My spine steels. “Uh…I…”
Cooper’s arms unravel from my neck, her hands slowly sliding down my chest. Her eyes stay on my face as I stammer until her hand comes into contact with the square shape weighing down my suit pocket. Her brows raise in surprise, and, when I don’t offer any explanation, she takes it upon herself to pull back my jacket, peering inside the side pocket.
“You didn’t…” she says.
I shake my head. “I–”
