Page 76 of Panty Dropper

CHAPTER 33

Billy

“Is it true that your nickname is Panty Dropper?” A sexy redhead leaned across the bar revealing cleavage that would make a eunuch sweat.

“Nah, that’s not me,” I lied.

In a way, I was telling the truth. I wasn’t that man anymore. I wanted to be different. I was different.

“Are you sure? That’s what a little birdie told me.” She giggled. “I mean that literally. The bird by the pool tables called you that when you walked by.”

I was going to wring Jimmy’s neck for teachin’ that damn parrot to call me that. He’d done it over a year ago, and I still couldn’t figure out how to get the bird to stop.

“You can’t believe anything Skittles says.” I rotated the margarita glass in the salt tray, turned it over and poured Jessica Rabbit’s chilled tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice from the cocktail shaker into the glass. As I set her drink in front of her she slid a cocktail napkin with a number written on it toward me.

I gave her a grin and a wink as I dragged it across the bar top and stuck it in my pocket. I may have had no intention to use it, but that was no reason to fuck up my tips.

“’Scuse me.” Nicole reached across my chest to grab two pint glasses.

I stepped back and bumped into Sam who was grabbing a bottle of Jim Beam from a shelf behind me. Things were a little tight behind the bar. Cash and I had a system down when it was just the two of us, we were a well-oiled machine. But tonight, the two bartenders that I’d hired seasonally part-time for the past four years were both sharing the space with us.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I moved to the end of the bar and pulled it out, hoping that it would be Reagan. I’d dropped her off five hours ago and hadn’t stopped thinking of her since. I knew that she was meeting Nadia down at the pier, but I’d held out hope that she’d stop by the bar tonight.

To my dismay, it wasn’t Reagan saying she was on her way. It was a message from Jimmy. I almost put my phone back, thinking I’d read it later, when a photo came through. It was of a group of people dancing. I scrolled up to see what the text had said.

Just thought you might want to know that Reagan is out on the dance floor with Mack Daddy Mark and she can barely stand up.

I checked the photo again and this time I spotted Reagan. She was wearing a long red dress and Mark’s arms were around her waist and it looked like he was holding her up.

Tiny bubbles appeared on my screen before another message came through.

Oh, and she’s been asking for you…

For me? Without giving it a second thought, I ducked under the bar flap and headed out back, waving to Cash who was working the outdoor bar on the patio.

“I’m headin’ out.”

My friend nodded in acknowledgment even as his eyes narrowed. “You comin’ back?”

“Yeah.” As much as I wanted to say no, there was no way I could bounce on one of our busiest nights of the year. Once everything shut down at the pier, we were always slammed by people wanting to continue the party.

I jumped in my truck and took a service road down to the water, avoiding the traffic jam on the main drag. I made it down there in just a few minutes time and entered the employee and vendor gate at the docks. Access to this lot was one of the perks of Jimmy owning the tour boat business.

I’m here. Where is she?I texted as I took the stairs up from the beach two at a time. There were hundreds of people on the pier, it would’ve been like finding a needle in a haystack.

Damn, you got here quick.Jimmy texted back.

I’d just reached the top when I saw that I no longer needed my brother for Reagan GPS. She was sitting on a bench between Nadia and Cheyenne. I stalked up to the trio and demanded, “How much did she drink?”

Reagan lifted her head and smiled. “Hi! I yus juzz talkin’ bout you,” she slurred.

“She keeps stopping people and asking if they know you,” Cheyenne explained.

“And a surprising number of women say yes,” Nadia interjected with a smirk.

“How much has she had to drink?” I asked again.

Reagan lifted her arm and held up her middle and forefinger. “Two. Only two.”

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