“No.”
“But…”
Aleks sat up and turned to look at Rebecca. He leaned in and whispered something so low that Abby couldn’t hear what he said. When he sat back, Rebecca’s face was tomato red. She quirked an eyebrow. “Promise?”
Aleks nodded.
“Just orange juice for me please.”
Abby sniffled a little. “He really does know you, and loves you anyway.”
“Hey!” Rebecca eyed her with suspicion.
“AbbyGirl, you want to try your drink?” Rhys asked, running his fingers over her hand at the bar.
Normally, she would definitely be reaching for some liquid courage, but she knew that she would need to be clearheaded tonight. Seducing Rhys was way more enticing than a drink. She shook her head.
“No, I’ll just have a coke for tonight.” Rhys brought her hand up and kissed her fingers before turning to get their drinks. Her heart melted. She was falling in love with him so quickly.
“Well, I might as well work on my crochet. I taught myself so I could make Boo a blanket.” Rebecca reached into her backpack and pulled out a ball of yarn and a knotted mess. Abby couldn’t make heads or tails of it, but Rebecca was so proud of her progress she didn’t have the heart to tell her it looked like a fishing net.
“Giddey, who’s driving you later?” Rhys asked, holding his drink back.
“He’s staying with us at the pride house a few days before settling in with Connor and Madison. We’re driving him back,” Rian said, holding up his beer. Rhys nodded and handed the drink over to Giddey.
“Sweet baby Elton, this is perfect. Rhys, you are a god!” Giddey took another sip and sighed happily.
“Elton?” Abby asked, curious.
“Elton John, my idol,” Giddey explained.
“Well, we’re off,” Ms. Tully said, walking past where they sat.
“Rhys, son, you have been a breath of fresh air in this bar. Your drinks are so lovely.” Ms. Tully patted Rhys’s hand in a motherly fashion.
“Thank you, Annabeth.” Rhys winked and flirted with the older woman.
“Oh, oh my. You rascal.” Ms. Tully giggled like a schoolgirl. She looked down where Rebecca had her crochet needle twisted up with her yarn. She looked at it for a moment and then at Rebecca, whose tongue was sticking out the side of her mouth in concentration.
“Baby girl, what are you making?”
“A baby blanket.” Rebecca held up the “blanket” with sections large enough to pass a hand through.
“Why on earth are you using bondage knots to make a baby blanket?”
The conversations in the bar stopped and everyone turned to look at Rebecca’s creation.
“Bondage?” Rebecca squeaked.
“Yes dear, you have made some lovely patterns which would look simply divine on your bear, but I don’t see how it can be used for a blanket.” Ms. Tully took the knot work from Rebecca and turned it over in her hands.
“Rebecca, where in the hell did you learn to crochet?” Abby asked, trying not to laugh.
“AYouTubevideo, Pleasures of Knotwork.”
Ms. Tully clucked her tongue.
“You mean the Knots of Pleasure video. Yes, I enjoyed that one. That was a video about shibari dear, not crochet.” Ms. Tullyhanded the piece back to Rebecca who was eyeing Aleks covertly, before a panicked look crossed her face.
