Tobias were the only two people Jasmine allowed to call her Jazzy, and that was simply because they refused to do otherwise. She had gotten to know both guys pretty well over the past couple years. They were both in their late-twenties and treated May and Jasmine like their sisters. Their natural acceptance and open hearts had proven impossible to resist.
Unlike the more athletic Tobias who favored casual comfort over any real sense of style, Danny was every bit the urban hipster. Today he wore tight burgundy jeans, navy high-top Converse, and a navy T-shirt under an untucked, patterned button-down. Although he wasn’t wearing it at the moment, his dark, unkempt curls told Jasmine he had likely worn one of his favored beanies to the bar. At the moment, he was sitting at a table for two with his laptop in front of him and a glass of wine in his hand.
“Come sit with me,” he said over the music. “You’ll be in line for an age. Just tell me what you want and I’ll text T.”
She walked over to his table and, since he rose and extended his arms, gave him a hug. “I don’t want to trouble Tobias,” she said, though she did allow Danny to help her remove her coat and hang it over the second chair. “They’re really busy back there.”
“Nonsense,” he argued, urging her into the chair. “He knows we don’t expect instant service. He’s the one who told me to order this way. Now what can I get you?”
Too exhausted to argue, she turned to look again at the pastry case, then back at him. “Would you split the citrus and berry Mille-Feuille with me?”
“Twist my arm, honey,” he said, typing into his phone. “And what are we drinking?”
“Let’s go with a glass of the Riesling.”
Danny looked at her over the rim of his glasses. “Someone’s in need of some sweet and sassy, huh? Rough day?”
“You have no idea.”
“In that case, I’ll just order us both two glasses.”
That brought the first smile to her face in more than an hour. It was amazingly comforting to have someone take care of her, even if just to place an order and commiserate with her. “Thanks, Danny.”
“You got it.” He sent his text and put his phone down, then closed his laptop. “I’ve been looking for a reason to stop working on that shitty project since three o’clock. Now spill.”
She sighed. “I’m not sure where to start.”
“Where were you before you got here?”
“Physical therapy.”
He lifted his glass of wine. “Start there.”
She did, giving him a run-through of what she’d been working on and what she had hoped she’d hear. Before she reached the part where she got the bad news, May appeared at her elbow carrying a tray with two glasses of wine and the pastry.
“I heard there was an S.O.S. text,” she said, expertly balancing the tray and leaning down to place a brief kiss on Jasmine’s cheek. “I wanted to come and check on you. Sugar and alcohol generally equal Day From Hell for you.”
“Thanks. I didn’t know if you were working,” Jasmine said, gratefully accepting her glass as May distributed the items from the tray.
“Yeah, we’re a full crew tonight. It’s always jammed when Miles is playing.”
Jasmine inferred that May was referencing the singer who had just announced he was taking a fifteen-minute break. “Ah. He’s good.”
“He’s excellent,” her sister corrected. “I expect any day he’ll be discovered and I’ll lose our biggest draw. But that’s neither here nor there. Why are you sitting here downing Riesling like it’s a shot of tequila?”
Jasmine swallowed the rather large amount of wine she had in her mouth. Before she could reply, Danny got to his feet and touched May’s shoulder.
“Sit for a minute,” he said, taking the tray she held and his empty wine glass. “I’ll ask T how I can help.”
“Thanks, hon.” May settled in the chair and gave Jasmine a pointed look. “Okay. What’s up?”
So Jasmine started again, giving a more abbreviated version of her PT experience since May really needed to get back to work.
“I’m sorry that the news wasn’t more positive,” May said, reaching across the table and covering Jasmine’s hand briefly where it had settled around the stem of her wine glass. “I’m sure it was difficult to hear.”
That was the understatement of the year. “Of course it was. It didn’t help that it came right on top of my conversation with Bàba about him not paying my way anymore.”