Page 43 of Can We Skip to the Good Part?
“Yeah?” Ella asked, her lips tugging into a relieved smile.
“Yeah. I guess we’ll know pretty quickly what they saw,” Max said and pushed off the wall. “Those women don’t have impressive poker faces.” She led the way through the bar that felt exponentially more crowded than when they’d arrived. She turned to the side to dodge a group of women waving their drinks around freely as they walked. “You’re hot,” one of them said.
“Thank you,” she said and reached behind her for Ella’s hand, afraid she’d lose her in the chaos. Their hands linked, and Max felt that connection click into place. With Ella’s hand in hers, something important anchored within her. She felt confident, steadier, as if a missing piece of herself had returned. She took note, realizing the significance and refusing to discard the moment as a fun night at a club.
“That happens to you a lot, doesn’t it?”
“What? Almost getting drinks sloshed on me? Not as often as you’d think.”
“Try women hitting on you,” Ella called above the music.
She reflected. Women approached her a fair amount. “Here and there. Isn’t that standard?”
“No. What I’ve witnessed tonight is definitely above average. You’re a chick magnet, Max. So, what are you even doing with me?” She sounded like she was only half joking.
Max paused, not liking the framing. She turned around, stopping them right there in the middle of the bustling walkway to the dance floor. “You’re by far the most beautiful woman here,” she said in Ella’s ear. Determination drove her. “And that’s not even a question.” Ella went still and she studied Max’s face, perhaps searching for hints of sincerity. The idea that Ella might have a shred of skepticism about that was ludicrous, and Max wanted to do everything within her power to correct her awareness.
Morgan beamed as she approached. “Did the dance floor swallow you up?”
Nope. She hadn’t seen a thing. Max brightened. “This one had to be dragged off. She’s getting really good at stepping on feet.”
She felt an elbow to her ribs. “Hey. Back up. I’ve improved noticeably,” Ella said in emphatic defense of her dancing skills. The bonus was the playful stare she shot Max that made her want to tease her more.
“Well, the tea is that Stevie is giddy, talking to all sorts of women. She’s made friends with groups of them at the bar.”
“As we knew she would,” Max said.
Ella nodded happily. “Good for her.”
“The downside is she’s a little overserved, and we should get her out of here sooner rather than later. She told the bartender that spiders should live in tiny apartments.”
“It’s not the worst idea,” Ella said. “What about her car?”
“That’s the thing,” Morgan said. “It’s a whole shuffle. Stevie can’t drive, and we might have to leave her car and?—”
“We can take her,” Ella said without a shred of hesitation. “And I can bring her back tomorrow to pick up her car. I don’t mind.” She shrugged, stepping out of the way of a muscular woman in a green cowboy hat, who tipped it to Max. Ella sent her a see-what-I-mean stare before turning back to Morgan. “I’m the one without a nine-to-five.”
“If you two don’t mind, that would be great.”
“This is the best place I’ve ever visited,” Stevie shouted and danced in a circle, rejoining the group. “The way people dance this way and then that way is my favorite. Like a movie just for me.” She offered a demonstration, hooking her thumbs through her belt loops.
“Glad you had a good time,” Max said, placing an arm around her shoulders. “We’ll drive you home since you’ve had a couple.”Or eight. Stevie had clearly imbibed away her anxieties. Luckily, Max’s two drinks had long fled her system with all the dancing. And kissing.
“You are the nicest,” Stevie gushed. “And we’ve never talked about it, but you are a hot cookie.” She touched Max’s arm. “OW! Dammit. You got me.” That was followed by Stevie’s extra throaty laugh. Across the friend group, Ariana’s face came into focus. She folded her arms and regarded Max with a knowing smirk.Well, fuck. When Max met her gaze, Ariana raised an eyebrow in a challenge that saidjust what are you up to?
Max sent back a wide-eyed stare that saidcalm down, I’ll tell you later, which seemed to appease Ariana. At least, temporarily.
“Shall we get Stevie home before she takes that woman’s hat again?” Ella asked, interrupting their silent exchange.
Max followed her gaze to Stevie, who was returning a backwards baseball cap to its frowning owner. “Oh, don’t pout. You look cuter in it than I do,” Stevie called and then danced what could only be described as an Irish jig.
“Yeah, I’d say it’s time to go.”
Once they’d said goodbye to Ariana, Morgan, and Olive, they ushered a very chatty Stevie to the car. “Lesbians in that bar are way nicer than I ever would have expected. There was the woman who knew about all the different types of beer. The one who was too pretty to be believed. I really liked the one who gave me her number.”
“Wait,” Ella said, turning around in the car. “You got a number? Stevie!”
“I did. She put it right in my phone. Is that good? These seats are so comfortable, Max. I might sleep here tonight.”
