Page 19 of His Sound
She thinks for a moment. “Cinderella?”
“Yeah, that’s it. Cinderella. You don’t have to pull some Cinderella shit. You’re pretty damn cool already.”
Her lips twist into a little smile. “Thanks. That’s nice of you to say.”
I start leading the way back over to our group. “Well, it’s the truth.”
We squeeze our way through the small crowd of people still dancing. We’ve almost made it back to the bar when Molly gets knocked into my back where she’s following behind me. Her hands fist my shirt as she catches her balance. I feel a jolt run through my whole body from just that one touch. I glance at her over my shoulder, and she instantly lets go. Even in the dim bar lighting, I can see her whole face is going red.
“Ohmygod, I’m so sorry,” she gasps.
I just wink. “If you wanted to start a Conga line, all you had to do was ask.”
She’s still blushing when we reach the group at the bar. Kay notices and gives Molly’s shoulder a pat.
“Don’t let him get under your skin,” Kay orders Molly. She jerks her chin toward me. “He’s the biggest flirt in Montreal. I don’t think he knows how to turn it off.”
I make a big show of acting offended. “I am not a flirt,MademoiselleFischer.You’re just jealous you had to settle for the drummer when what you really wanted was me.”
Everyone cracks up laughing.
“See!” Kay crows. “You’re flirting right now!” She turns back to Molly. “He’s only laying it on thick because you’re new and exciting. He’ll lay off soon and stop distracting you from your bar conquests. I saw you talking to someone by the bathrooms. Where’d he get to?”
“Oh, he, um...he was kind of weird,” Molly admits in a small voice, “and drunk.”
Stéphanie takes a sip from the glass of water she’s holding, Ace’s arm wrapped around her waist. “Glad you dodged the bullet, then. At least when JP flirts, it’s entertaining.”
“Ben là, guys,” I groan, “I’m really not that bad.”
Everyone except Molly raises their eyebrows.
“Yes,” Matt argues. “Yes, you are. I saw you trying to flirt with a tree once.”
In my defence, I was very high when that happened.
The conversation moves on after that. Molly stays quiet the whole time, other than turning down the bartender’s offer of a fresh beer. I want to tell her Kay was only messing around, that I don’t just think she’s ‘new and exciting.’ I try to catch her eye a few times, but she seems a lot more interested in the floor.
Eventually, Stéphanie’s friends all leave for some club, screaming like banshees in mini dresses. Stéphanie waves them off and then yawns before checking the time.
“Merde, it’s late. I have to teach tomorrow morning.” She runs her hand through Ace’s hair. “Your place tonight?”
He nods, his own hand cupped around the back of her neck. Matt and Kay laugh when I tell them to get a room, but Molly’s now digging through her purse like it’s the most interesting thing in the world.
“Oh, wait,” Stéphanie says suddenly. “Molly, you shouldn’t walk home alone. We’re at least twenty minutes away. The three of us can just head to our place together, if you’re ready to leave, that is.”
“Y-You don’t have to—”
I cut off Molly’s stuttering reply with my own. “I can walk her back.” I nudge her foot with mine and turn towards her. “If you want.”
She jerks her leg away like I’ve shocked her and then laughs to cover it up.
“Really, I can make it back myself. It’s not far. I don’t want to be a bother...”
“Stéphanie is right,” Matt pipes up, always the responsible one. “You shouldn’t go that far by yourself this late, and besides, the walk might help JP blow off enough steam to save me from his nightly urge to play the keyboard at three in the morning.”
I mean, when the muse strikes, the muse strikes.
“Plus,” I urge Molly, “you still have a beer to finish.”
