“Designated driver.”
“Come on, have a drink.We’ll make sure you girls get homesafely.”
Sandy turns to me, raising a questioning brow, and I nod.Itrust them, and besides, it’ll be more fun if we’re both drinking.
“Okay, boys.”I tap the table.“I’m gonna see what you’remade of tonight.”Twisting in my seat, I seek out one of the girls.“Hey,Carlene!Bring on the shots!”
***Ethan***
She’s lying across the bar, a lemon wedge between her lips.Her friend sprinkles salt on her breasts and climbs up to straddle her hips.Myeyes are glued to those breasts because they look like they’re about to fallout of the bra she seems to be wearing.I have a good mind to drag her off thecounter and cover her up.Casey giggles and the men begin to holler as theother girl licks the salt off her breasts.Sandy pours a shot over Casey’s naveland leans down to quickly slurp it up.The noise in the bar escalates as thegirl leans over and removes the lemon wedge, kissing Casey in the process.EvenI have to admit it was hot—just not for everyone’s eyes.
She stands on the bar unsteadily and grabs Sandy’s hand,pulling her up.Janice hands her a microphone, and she closes her eyes, singingalong with the song that’s playing.She starts off a little shaky, but as shegets into the song, her beautiful voice takes flight.I watch the emotions playon her face and listen to the words.The song is about being in love.I knowshe’s singing to me, even though she doesn’t know I’m here.Sandy joins in onthe chorus, and they jump on the bar, her on one leg, as they get into thegroove of the song.I watch her closely, ready to run in case she falls.Irealize the song’s not about being in love—it’s about losing a great love.NowI know definitively that she’s singing to me.I turn to one of the girls nearme and ask her if she knows the song.
“Yeah.That’s ‘Red’ by Taylor Swift.”
She smiles flirtatiously, but I turn away before she getsany ideas.
“Thank you.”
It kills me to hear the hurt in Casey’s voice.When she saysit’s impossible to move on, I almost race over there to pull her into my arms.She sings the last line of the song and the crowd cheers, asking for an encore.Laughing, she shakes her head and motions for someone to help her down.Charlieis there in an instant, lifting her off and supporting her weight as they headto the dance floor.She still hasn’t seen me yet, but it’s probably becauseshe’s sloshed.She drapes her arms around Charlie’s neck and lays her head on hischest.
“Charlie?”she says.
“Hmm?”
“I really do love him, you know?”
Her words clutch my heart in a vise grip.It takeseverything in me to stay where I am because I realize she might just letsomething slip in her inebriated state.
“I know,” Charlie answers.
“I never meant to hurt him.I didn’t want to.”
“I know that, too.”
“You’ll tell him, won’t you?”
“He knows, but you should tell him yourself… when you makeup with him.”
“No, I can’t.I’m not the right kind of woman.He deservesbetter.”
“What makes you say that?”
That’s it, Charlie.Keep her talking.
“I don’t fit...I just know, okay?”
“What happened, Casey?”
“No.No more talking.Just dancing.”
Her back is to me as I walk toward them.Charlie spins her around,and she lands in my arms.She splays her hands on my chest and begins to feelaround with uncertainty.
“Whoa!Definitely not Charlie.”
She looks up and does something I didn’t expect.She smiles.
“Well, looky here, the mighty Zeus has graced us with hispresence.”
