“Huh?”
“The display says cast member, not staff member.” She narrowed her gray eyes at me, her freckled nose scrunching up. “Did you steal someone’s pass? Is this your second drink?”
“No,” I said but before I had a chance to explain, she swiped my card from my hand, turning it to read it in the dim light.
“Esra Taner, that’s you all right.” Adriana returned my pass with pursed lips. “You should get that looked into. Different passes open different doors, so you might need it reprogrammed or something.”
“I thought you were new here too.”
“Kinda. Yeah.” This time, she grinned. “Long story that involves a lot of tequila and poor life choices.”
“Sounds like my type of story. Tell me some other time?” I glanced over at our booth, because I still had so much to catch up on with Sinan. Including my new job. My brother and his fiancée were no longer alone though. Noah Young, peanut butter and towel officer extraordinaire, had sat down next to Sanny.
Not going to lie, I was a little disappointed that he had so valiantly avoided looking at my body earlier. Whenever Sanny had mentioned his friend Noah who worked with him at Bravetown, he’d forgotten to mention that Noah was tall, like easily 6’3”, had strapping muscles, a sharp jawline and ink-black hair. Right above his left brow, that hair had one perfect white streak in it. Not the turned-gray kind, and not the peroxide kind, but a white patch caused by lack of melanin.
I turned back to Adriana. “Actually, do you have peanuts back there?”
“Sure.”
She poured me a small bowl of nuts. It wasn’t exactly a whole sandwich, but hey, it would have to be enough to make amends.
With the official part of the evening over, people were crowding between tables, chatting and laughing, swinging with the music pouring from the speakers. They almostmade me spill my drink and my nuts twice by the time I was close to our booth.
“… back to your parents. It’s not your job to keep her out of trouble.” Noah’s voice cut through the noise, halting me dead in my tracks.
“She’s my baby sister. Of course it is,” Sanny replied, and my stomach dropped a little. I was grateful for his help getting a job, but I didn’t need to be kept out of any trouble. I wasn’t looking for trouble. I was looking for some fun. And I was done letting the people around me keep me from it.
“She’s a grown woman,” Noah said, “and she’s obviously careless and irresponsible.”
“Noah,” Zuri pleaded, but didn’t interject beyond that.
“I’m just saying, don’t let her blow through your life like a tornado. You’re trying to build something here.”
Fuck Noah Young and his stupid haughty opinion. Over what? Some bread and a towel? I’d even given the damn towel back. Asshole.
And fuck Sinan for not defending me.
Wild.
Out of control.
Losing my way.
Tornado.
I turned on my heels and headed back to the bar, clanking the peanut bowl back on to the counter. Adriana turned to me with raised brows after serving someone their beer. “What’s wrong?”
“My brother’s best friend is being a total dick,” I grumbled and climbed on to one of the barstools. I shoved a whole handful of peanuts into my mouth. Ha. He wouldn’t get any of them.
Adriana bent over the bar to glance toward where Sanny was sitting. “Noah?”
“Yeah,” I grunted through the nuts.
“Don’t worry. Noah doesn’t really like anyone. He’s more of a mutual-tolerance kinda guy. I’m pretty sure your brother is the only exception because he’s real damn hardnotto like.”
I currently despised him, but I could admit that she was right. Sinan was a goddamn ray of sunshine, always had been. He made friends easily, helped anyone who needed him, and never said “I told you so” even if he had given you sound advice before you made your own stupid mistakes.
“What about you?”
