Page 49 of Bonus Daddy
The Grasshopper,the bar across the street, was a dive similar to the one we frequented in law school. Creaky barstools and old vinyl booths. The cheap, strong drinks made up for the poor lighting.
The place was packed. Karaoke night was turning out to be great for business. And, of course, Sloane got priority song choices because Sully had bought the damn machine, and he and Gunner, as well as Neal, the bartender, had entered into some kind of blood oath regarding karaoke nights. I didn’t pretend to understand, but myfriend had gotten his wife back, and he was not going to risk losing her again.
Sloane would sing karaoke in an empty parking lot, so the crowd made her extra excited. She wasn’t a terrible singer, though she rarely got the lyrics right, but that only added to her enthusiasm.
“What are you singing tonight, sweetheart?” Sully nodded to the emcee near the small stage.
Neal delivered all of our usuals. Guinness for Sully, red wine for Sloane, Jameson neat for me.
“And what can I get this beautiful lady?” Neal asked with a smile.
“I’d love a glass of sauvignon blanc.” Smiling, Jess scooted in close, her arm brushing mine.
“And Neal?” Sloane said, leaning forward to get his attention. “A round of redheaded sluts to get things going.”
She looked at the rest of us and raised her wineglass. “I’m pumping and dumping tonight. May as well do it right.”
I did not take shots. It wasn’t responsible. But my skin was starting to itch.
Jess looked so pretty tonight, wearing a dark pink dress with these bow strap things. I desperately wanted to untie one, but that would have been deeply inappropriate.
Even so, the urge to touch her was burning me up. After the moment we’d shared in my office, I could think of nothing else. I could not remember ever wanting anything this badly. I didn’t think I’d ever needed to be near someone like I needed Jess.
It was like I hadn’t taken a full breath in twenty years. Only now, when she was in the room, could I fully inhale.
Even in this stuffy dive bar while people butchered top-forty hits.
So when Neal brought the shots, I downed one immediately and asked for another round.
The alcohol was alcoholing, depressing my central nervous system. It was the only thing keeping me from running out of here screaming. Sloane had sung once, a painful yet enthusiastic version of “Dancing Queen,” and Jess was in her element. She glowed under the neon lights, making friends with regulars and belting out “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls like she was auditioning forThe Voice. It was adorable.
“Having fun?” Sully asked.
“I feel like I’m being audibly waterboarded by synth pop,” I replied.
He just grinned at Sloane, completely ignoring me, as she and Jess wandered back to our booth. It was still jarring, the way his perma-scowl could so quickly transform into a bright smile when he spotted his wife. He might be my oldest friend, but he was a complete mystery to me some days.
“I signed us up for a duet,” Jess said, plopping onto the bench and almost landing in my lap.
“No,” I said.
She patted my arm and gazed up at me with the kind of look that scrambled my brain cells, making me incapable of decent judgment.
“Good thing I asked for more shots,” she teased.
“I can’t sing,” I said.
“We know that’s not true. And even if it was, when it’s karaoke, you sing with your heart, Brian. Not your voice.”
I had no idea what the hell that was supposed to mean, so I dutifully downed another shot and prayed they wouldn’t call my name.
But luck was not on my side tonight. By the way Sully was smiling when the emcee said my name into the microphone, I had to wonder if he’d tipped the guy to call me next.
“And now, welcome to the stage, Brian and Jess.”
Jess grabbed me by the front of the shirt and forcefully pulled me out of the booth.
Damn. Until this moment, I hadn’t realized how strong she was. Must have been from all that yoga.
