“I’ll keep that in mind.”
He nodded again and then turned to the group and boomed, “Sangria! Next topic!”
I got up and announced, “I’m getting a drink, anyone need anything?”
Lots of shaking heads and then they moved on to decorations. Yay or nay and if yay, what kind?
I wandered to the bar. When I got to the front room it was packed. The only space available at the bar was next to Eddie Chavez.
Damn.
Just my luck. I took a deep breath, slid in beside him and caught the bartender’s attention.
“What ‘cha need?” the bartender asked me.
“Diet,” I ordered.
He put ice in a glass and pulled out the soft drink gun. I felt rather than saw Hank and Eddie’s eyes on me.
I turned to them. “Hey,” I said.
Yep, they were both looking at me but neither responded to my greeting.
Whatever.
The bartender set the drink in front of me.
“How much?” I asked.
He grinned then winked. “That’s on the house,” he said.
Pu-lease.
I’d heard that before.
“How much?” I repeated, making my point that I was not interested.
He blinked then his face fell. He was cute and probably not accustomed to being shot down.
I felt sorry for him but I needed to flirt with a bartender like I needed a hole in the head. Firstly, Eddie and Hank were watching, they were friends of Vance’s and even though I was not with Vance, everyone including Vance thought I was. Secondly, I wasn’t into the bartender, I wasn’t into anyone including Vance (okay, that last part was a lie but I wasn’t adverse to lying to myself in extreme situations).
“A buck fifty,” the bartender cut into my Romantic Denial Reverie.
I dug in my purse, got out my wallet, gave him two dollars and he wandered away.
“Crash and burn,” Eddie muttered under his breath as I threw my wallet back in my purse.
“Sorry?” I asked even though I heard him.
Eddie moved away from the bar to stand beside me and Hank moved forward, both of them effectively fencing me in.
“Word of advice?” Eddie said, ignoring my earlier question.
I took a sip and glanced at him over the rim of my glass. Then I put the drink on the bar.
I did not want a word of advice from Eddie Chavez.
Instead, so as not to be rude, I said, “Sure.”