hand to make an X on my chest. “I cross my heart. We’ll have fun.”
She sat back with a satisfied smile. “Good. I have a feeling this might be my best birthday yet.”
Five
Madeline
I walked into My Favorite Place as the sun was starting to set. This time of year, it wouldn’t take long for it to be dark outside.
“Hey, Madeline,” Mitch greeted me from behind the bar. “Happy birthday.”
I grinned. “Thanks, Mitch.” I scanned the room. “Where’s Griffin?” I narrowed my eyes back toward his office. “Please tell me he’s not working still. I told him I’d be here at seven.”
“Nah. He’s upstairs, getting ready. While you wait, do you want your free birthday drink?”
I laughed. All my drinks at Griff’s place were free. “Sounds great.”
“You want your usual beer?”
“Nah. It’s my birthday. Surprise me.”
When Mitch smiled, there was an extra glint in his eye.
“It’d better taste good, or I’m telling on you to the boss.”
“You got me,” he said as he pulled out a glass.
“Got you how?” Casey, the other bartender on duty tonight, asked.
Fridays were much busier than weekdays, so there were usually at least two bartenders and two servers working. And Griffin filled in wherever he was needed when he was there. I hoped they had enough people scheduled tonight because I was going to be upset if they called my best friend away from my birthday celebration.
“She figured out I was going to give her something nasty to drink,” Mitch told her.
“Never trust a man,” Casey told me.
“Noted,” I said. I leaned forward. “Listen, Griffin promised me that he was going to drink and have fun tonight. Do you think you two can handle the bar and not pull him away? I know he’s usually here to help on the weekends, but tonight’s special.”
Casey smiled. “Don’t worry. The boss scheduled us an extra bartender and server tonight.”
My heart warmed. “He did?”
“He did,” Mitch said and slid over my drink. “And he told us not to call him unless we also had to call 911 at the same time.”
“Thanks. I was really worried he’d be called away.” It had happened more than once when we tried to go somewhere that wasn’t Griffin’s bar, including on his own thirtieth birthday. “And he’s always worried about all of you.”
Casey and Mitch frowned.
“In a good way,” I quickly added. “He feels guilty when he’s not here, helping out.”
The two seemed to accept my answer, and I swiftly picked up my drink before they said something that put me on the spot.
I took a big sip. “Woo. That is strong.” I shook my head to clear it.
Mitch smiled. “It’s good, isn’t it? I made it up myself.”
I took another drink and nodded my head. It wasn’t that good, but he seemed so proud that I didn’t want to say anything to hurt his feelings.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to come up with any lies about how great his concoction was because Casey put two fingers between her lips and whistled.
I turned to see Griffin walking toward us from the back of the bar. He had on a long-sleeved black henley and dark jeans. His beard was freshly trimmed—just the right length, if you asked me—and his hair was fixed. He was smiling, and his blue eyes lit up when he saw me.
When he reached me, he pulled me into his arms and hugged me. “Happy birthday, Mads.”
My nose was in his neck, and I couldn’t help but notice how good he smelled. Just a hint of cologne and a whole lot of man.
“Thank you,” I said, my lips brushing against his skin.
I pulled away as a strange feeling sent flutters through my stomach.
I smiled at him and tugged at his shirt. “My, don’t you look pretty sexy tonight?” I playfully told him, ignoring the unusual feeling in my belly.
He grabbed my hand and spun me around. “Look who’s talking,” he said.
I looked down at my purple top and black skirt. “I felt like looking pretty on my birthday,” I said.
“Babe, you’re going to have men falling at your feet.”
I grinned. “I can only hope.”
Griffin laughed and pointed to my drink. “You want to finish that before we go?”
I opened my eyes wide and slightly shook my head. “Yes, I do,” I said out loud.
Griffin reached over and grabbed the glass. Before I could stop him, he swallowed the rest of the drink down.
He coughed a few times when he was finished. “Holy shit, Mitch. What did you put in here, lighter fluid?”
“Hey,