Page 17 of Drawn To You (Paloma's Edge 1)

“She wouldn’t happen to be Bethany, would she?” Joel asked.

Schooling my expression, I faced them again. “Yeah.”

Joel shook his head. “You’re foul.”

I acted like I didn’t know what he meant and finished off my lime club soda.

“I am gonna say hi,” the girl who sat to the right of him said.

“Don’t take too long, Maude,” Rylan said, and the girl who had sat on the other side next to him accompanied Maude.

Bri laid her hand on my shoulder. “Refill?”

“Please,” I replied, and Bri took their glasses as well.

Joel wiggled his finger at the other two girls across the table and they obediently came over. It was like any guy who looked like he had some cash on him and was decently dressed could summon them. It was hard to know if they even liked Rylan and Joel at all.

“Let daddy feed you, ” Joel said as the girl with multi-colored hair moved from the chair to sit on his lap.

***

Bethany

Two girls came toward Cassidy and I after we ordered our drinks. Maude, a curvy girl, with shiny, pin-straight dark brown hair and hazel contacts that didn’t look as good as Chase’s hazel eyes introduced herself, while her friend, with fine mahogany hair, was quiet. They returned to the big table where Chase was with two other guys and their girlfriends. Or at least, that was what I thought until I watched the girls switch places with Maude and the other girl. Now Maude and her friend were really close to the fair-skinned guy with wavy auburn hair. The other guy with dark hair looked perfectly content as he feasted on his meal.

Cassidy was talking to the mixologist when I felt like someone was staring at the back of my head. And I spun my head, connecting my gaze with Chase, in all of his handsome clothed glory. I felt myself blushing when Chase stared at me unapologetically. The light glinted off of his golden face and hands. He had shaved his chiseled face, so it looked smooth to the touch. When we had talked in the kitchen earlier, I had noticed his facial hair already growing in. His short, thick brown hair was gelled. I couldn’t help but notice the contours of his muscular arms bulging through the sleeves of his shirt.

“Don’t mind Amberlynn,” Cassidy said.

“What’s her deal? I said hello to her and I got nothing.”

Cassidy compressed her lips as she reached for her drink. “She tends to ignore people who she doesn’t know. Don’t take it personally.”

I let out a sigh. “I won’t.”

Cassidy appeared to be somewhat levelheaded, and humble, despite all of drinks that had been offered to her by the single men at the bar. She hadn’t accepted the drinks or the notes, claiming that if Uncle Anton found out he’d ban the men from setting foot at the Paloma.

“By the way, you can have almost anything you want from here since you’re related to us, but they don’t serve alcohol to minors. That’s why people who are underage go to La Floridita.”

I only felt comfortable drinking alcohol with Mariska and Jake. And I would have had a wine cooler or some beer. According to Jake, I was a “certified lightweight,” so I kept my alcohol consumption to a minimum. “Thanks. I like my morir soñado plenty.” Cassidy wrinkled her face and I laughed. “It’s just milk, orange juice, and ice. Some people put milk and orange juice in their cereal,” I pointed out.

With her face screwed up in disgust, Cassidy tilted her head to the mixologist, who was short and thin with hair that was a paler blond than Cassidy’s. “Nico, I need another rum and Coke.”

***

After some intense games of limbo, I was more than glad to watch everyone else drink, dance, do body shots, and play other games. I made a wise choice by not eating anything at the bar and only having two morir soñados. I liked how Austin had made them. I tasted the little bit of caramel he put in it. He probably thought I wouldn’t have noticed, but after I observed Mrs. Muldoon make it for her us numerous times as kids, I’d caught on to her little secret. Too much caramel and it’d taste yucky sweet.

There weren’t more than thirty people in Pierce’s penthouse. Some alcohol was flowing around, but not as much as I had anticipated. As I scanned the room, I had to bite my lips to prevent myself from giggling at Cassidy’s flailing arms as she danced with one guy really close to her from behind and the other guy, who was canting his hips in front of her like someone was pushing a stick behind his knees. She’d changed from the black top, jeans, and heels she’d worn into a light-colored maxi dress with higher heels. He stopped talking to Chase and the guys I’d seen at the bar two hours ago. He stalked over to the two guys and pulled them away from Cassidy by the collar of their polo shirts. I was sure that the see-through dress she wore bothered Pierce more. The guy who liked rubbing himself from behind Cassidy sneered at Pierce, but they weren’t very resistant.

When Pierce headed my way, he had a huge smile on his face. He sat down beside me and let out a breath. “A brother’s job is never done.”

“It’s a lifetime gig,” I agreed, and he looped his arm around me. I pointed a finger at his chest. “If you mess up my hair, I’ll tickle you in front of everyone,” I warned. “I remember how you sound, and I bet it hasn’t changed after all of these years.”

“Man, you’re really flexible,” I heard someone say from the other side of me. “I never get the stick to reach my stomach without falling.”

“It takes a lot of practice,” I responded. “I just had better luck this time around. I am Bethany.” I offered him my hand. He gave me a long handshake and grinned. He had cute freckles on his face and his copper hair was the kind women and men tried to achieve via their beauticians.

“I am Joel, Pierce’s friend.”

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