to Katie getting evicted and having to find a new place?”
“Obviously the former,” Ginny said. “Why would I toast to our best friend getting evicted? That’s not very nice.”
Katie sighed. “Can we just drink, guys?”
“Amen,” Roman cried.
We all sipped our drinks. As per usual, I couldn’t take my eyes off Katie. I loved the way her lips suctioned over the straw. Tonight, they were cherry red to match her dress, and I doubted she had any idea just how torturous and cruel it was of her to show up looking so good when we wouldn’t be alone together for another two nights. She had to work early tomorrow and she was going to pack up and move into Ginny and Roman’s on the weekend. She had announced this decision when she arrived at the bar.
Initially, I’d been surprised to hear this. It had jump started some plans I had in the works but hadn’t talked to her about.
Katie explained that it was making her feel worse going back to her suite at the end of every day knowing she was going to have to leave. She wanted to get out of there on her own terms and start her next chapter, wherever it may be. For now, that was Roman and Ginny’s place.
For now.
The game plan was that they would all commute in to work every day. Roman and Ginny had agreed to start their shifts an hour earlier along with Katie, who liked to get a head start on her workday. They didn’t seem too thrilled about losing an hour of sleep but they were more than willing to do it for their best friend.
I hoped they wouldn’t have to for too long.
By the time we finished our drinks, Roman was itching to hit the dance floor and Ginny was already dancing from her seat. We all got to our feet and made our way onto the dance floor. It was more than crowded. Tourists and locals alike were packed like sardines in a can. Bodies were sticky and sweaty. The floor was littered with spilled drinks, stray ice cubes, and the occasional piece of broken glass that the more sober ones in the room spotted and took care of to protect the partiers. With every passing minute, the bar seemed to get darker and more colorful at the same time. The disco ball above our heads reflected colorful light all around the bar and painted rainbows across everyone’s faces.
Katie came toward me across the dance floor.
I reached for her and pulled her close. “I have a request,” I said.
“Anything,” she purred.
“Please, for the love of God, wear this dress more often.”
Katie giggled and put her hands on my chest. “I think that can be arranged.”
“That’s the right answer.”
The music slowed and Katie rested her cheek on my chest as we swayed gently to the music. I didn’t know how much time passed, but one song bled into the next, and we shifted from dancing like idiots to embracing each other on the dance floor when the tempo slowed. Roman and Ginny stuck up their noses at the slow songs but ended up dancing together and bickering the entire time.
By the fourth slow song, they’d had it with our lovey-dovey nonsense. At least, that was what Roman called it.
He hurried over to us and grabbed Katie’s elbow. “Let’s go down to the beach,” he said.
Katie’s brows drew together. “The beach? Why?”
“Ginny wants to put her feet in the water and that doesn’t sound like a half bad idea to me. There’s never anyone down there at this time. Maybe a couple of drunk tourists but that’s it.”
“We’re tourists,” Katie said flatly.
“Sure we are,” Roman said, “but we’re long-term tourists. The locals don’t think we’re as ignorant and the tourists think we’re from here.”
Katie frowned. “I think you’re making that up.”
“Whatever. Ginny and I are going. Are you two in, or are you out?”
Katie looked up at me.
“I’m not opposed to a late-night swim,” I said.
Roman clapped his hands together. “Excellent. Let’s get the hell out of here. Ginny ordered us another round and she snuck out the back with the cups. We’ll leave them on the porch at the end of the night. It’s borrowing Katie, not stealing,” he added when Katie opened her mouth to say she didn’t agree with that.
Roman took her hand and swept off the dance floor. I hurried out after them and we broke into the fresh evening air. It was still a warm