Page 32 of The Switch: A Friends To Lovers Romance

Chapter Ten

“Whoa, you wanna slow down there?” Luke asked, putting his hand above the shot glass she was about to empty.

“No thanks.” Ashanti jerked her arm away from him so the alcohol slashed over her hand.

Luke captured her wrist. His grip was firm, forcing her to look into his eyes. Concern brimmed from their dark depths. “Don’t you have to work tomorrow?”

“Luke,” she whispered, sensing Michelle eyeing them, “I’m fine.” Ashanti tossed the liquor back and hissed as it burned her throat.

Luke watched her with obvious disapproval.

Nervous laughter erupted from his cousins who had been observing them since Luke walked in with a woman on either side. It was clear they were less than comfortable with their presence, but no one had said anything directly.

At least not yet.

Ashanti glanced at each of the cousins in turn, her own laughter bubbling from her throat. She knew their names and personalities thanks to Luke’s descriptions and her own brief encounters with them over the years.

Her gaze moved to the man at the head of the table. He wore a crisp white shirt and black slacks. His hair was shorn like a soldier and his face was square and rigid, adding proof to that impression.

James Zhang. Lawyer. Involved in politics.

James was the eldest cousin and considered himself the parental influence. He kept everyone in check and dispensed both loans and advice freely and generously.

Beside James was a shorter, chubbier man with big cheeks and eyes that were small and flared out at the tips. He wore a simple white T-shirt and khakis.

Harold Zhang. Chef. Has problems with gambling.

If James was the one lending money, nine times out of ten Harold was the one accepting it. He worked in his family’s restaurant and had gotten married last year.

The youngest member of the Zhang cousins sat across from her. Weng Zhang. They’d met at the café a few days ago, but Ashanti didn’t know much about him apart from his obvious love for bad hairstyles.

“Uh, why don’t we have a toast?” James suggested. He raised his mug. “To family.” He tilted his cup toward Michelle and Ashanti. “As well as friends.”

“Cheers.”

Glasses clanked as they all raised their mugs. Ashanti guzzled her beer and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

Was she creeping toward her limit? Yes.

Did she care? That was a big, fat no.

She regretted bringing Michelle here tonight. Watching Luke act all shy and affected simply by her presence annoyed her for some reason.

Overindulging wasn’t the best plan to deal with her outcropping of bizarre and unusual emotions. Ashanti was well aware, but she didn’t feel like herself and stopping was not an option she wanted to consider.

“Okay.” Luke pulled her mug away before she licked every last drop. He hid it on the other side of his plate and then slid his platter of dumplings toward her. “Eat something before you get drunk.”

“I don’t get drunk that easily,” Ashanti lied.

Luke narrowed his eyes.

Ashanti avoided his gaze and amended, “I don’t get drunk that often.”

Weng grinned at her. “I’m surprised you’re keeping up with us.”

“Why?” Ashanti shot back with a smile of her own. “You think Asians are the only ones who can drink?”

Michelle held her breath and looked at Ashanti with horror while everyone else chuckled.

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