Page 7 of So Wrong, It's Wright
Ash sits back and frowns. “Shots? What kind?”
“Tequila,” Ruby says in a singsong voice.
“Are you for real, man? I’ll probably die if I start shotting tequila. Do you realize how old and well used my liver is?”
“Oh, come on, cuz. You’ve got some fight in you yet,” Tanner teases, causing Ash to roll his eyes.
“Maybe. But,tequila?” Ash argues. “Do we want to get messy?”
“Last time we did this was at my birthday last year,” I tell Ash, hoping that maybe I was just reading into his standoffishness and that light fun we had was still there. “It definitely got messy. But it was that night that Tanner and Ruby met, so this is to honor them.”
Ash takes in a slow breath as he meets my eyes, then nods. “OK. I’ll do one for the bride and groom. But then, I’m out of here.” His words are met with a hefty objection from the rest of us. “I’m running on no sleep, guys. I’m exhausted.”
“And I’m only gonna get married once,” Tanner says. “You can sleep when you get home. Tonight, my favorite cousin, you’re going to party with us. It’s my wedding and I won’t take no for an answer.”
Ash rolls his eyes. Much in the same way I did when Ruby suggested this to me earlier. “In that case,” he starts. “Line them up.”
“First one to vomit has to pay the tab,” Ruby calls out when we pick up our shots. It causes us to laugh because it’s an open bar. But at the same time, I get a little wistful since that’s exactly what she said the night she met her soulmate.
“Don’t let me barf,” I whisper to Ash. “I beg you.”
He gives me an almost imperceptible nod. “I’ve got you,” he says, my belly heating before we lock eyes and drink…
ASH
“Ithought you didn’t like dancing,” Tahlia mumbles, her mouth smooshed against my chest as I hold her and we sway together on the dance floor while some Fleetwood Mac song plays over the speakers. Most of the wedding guests have left at this point, so it’s only the hardcore partiers who are still sticking around. And even then, we’re fading.
“I’m really fuckin’ drunk,” I murmur against the top of her head, my arms tightening around her body.
“So that’s the secret to getting you to loosen up, huh?”
I smile. “I do a lot of shit I wouldn’t normally do when I’m drunk.”
She looks up at me with half-lidded eyes and smiles a lopsided smile. I get this incredibly intense desire to lean down and kiss her. But even drunk me doesn’t take those kinds of risks. I don’t know how many opportunities I’ve missed in my life, but I’ve never been the kind of guy to make the first move romantically unless I’m certain it’ll be reciprocated. Probably why I’m a forty-two-year-old bachelor. I’ve gotten plenty of shit over it from friends throughout the years, but all I know is that I’m shitty at reading and reacting to those subtle signs women give. I’m too busy second-guessing whether it’s a true signal for me to make a move, a thought about something else that I’m misreading, or just gas... “I really need to pee,” Tahlia says suddenly, confirming the reasons behind me hesitating.Not a signal. She just needed to pee.
“OK, then.” I release my grip on her, feeling a little defeated the moment she places her hands on my chest and spins away from me, but OK with it at the same time because we’re drunk and…well, I’m notthatkind of guy either.
After I watch her teeter across the dancefloor toward the bathroom, I head back to our table once she’s safely inside so I can take a load off. I don’t know how women do this in heels, becausemyfeet are killing me.
“Why hello there, Mr. Wright Now,” Darren quips, dropping into the seat next to me. His energy levels seem unchanged from what they were at the start of this day to now. I’m envious. “I hope this means you’re waiting for our Tahlia to freshen up so you can go upstairs and rock her world.”
“I doubt Tahlia thinks I can rock her anything,” I deadpan, giving him a smile as I let out a tired sigh.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course, she does. We can all see the vibe she’s sending your way.” He leans in a little. “We also think you two make a great match.”
“Is that so? And what vibe do you think she’s sending?” I ask, raking my fingers through my beard as I pick up my cell and check that my room key is still in the case. I’m really gonna have to call it. Regardless of the signs or the vibes, tonight is not that night.
Darren narrows his eyes. “I don’t know if you’re serious or if you’re being facetious.”
“I’m not being facetious.” I slip my cell into my side pocket. “I just don’t know what a—how old is she? Twenty-five?” Darren nods. “OK. I don’t know what a twenty-five-year-old woman could want with a forty-two-year-old man who isn’t much to look at, doesn’t have much to offer, and is also set in his ways.”
“You’re forty-two?” he gapes. “What the fuck moisturizer do you use?”
“None.” I laugh, shaking my head as he makes a show of inspecting my skin. “I just look like a perpetual kid.”
“Wow.” His mouth opens like he wants to say something more, but shakes it off and gets back on topic. “Listen, I think you’re missing the point here—a pretty girl just spent an entire evening glued to your side and hung on your every word. How do younotsee that as a sign she’s into you?”
“Even if she is, Darren, we’ve both hada lotto drink tonight.” I pick up a glass of water and sip, trying to do something nice for my liver and kidneys. “I don’t think what you’re suggesting is a good idea.”
