All the Right Moves(17)
He hit Text. You’re on your own.
While he waited to see if there was a response, someone sat at the bar a couple stools away from him. He briefly glanced over and saw it was actually two women, young, maybe college age. Standing behind them was a third woman with long blond hair that hid most of her face.
“Hey, Cassie.” The brunette with the really short hair, who was sitting, waited for Cassie to look at her then signaled that there were three of them. “When you have a chance.”
John caught Cassie’s nod before he checked Rick’s return text. It turned out to be a picture of a redhead. She had a lot of makeup and wore a low-cut top that left nothing to his imagination. He hadn’t been a kid who peeked at his presents before Christmas morning. When he unwrapped a package, he preferred to be surprised.
Thanks, but I’ll pass.
Once he hit Send, he turned off his phone and slipped it into his pocket as Cassie approached, carrying three mugs. “What are you guys doing here on a Tuesday?” she asked the women while setting down their beers.
“We’ve got one for you.”
John felt a shift in the atmosphere. Those sitting at the bar all turned to look at the girls, and it wasn’t because they were pretty.
* * *
CASSIE SIGHED AS KARMA reached between her friends for her mug. “I want a shot with this. Shall I get it myself?”
“I’ll get it.” Cassie looked at Ariel, who’d spent a little too much time at the tanning booth. “Who’s driving?”
“Brittney,” she said as she tilted her head at her pale friend sitting beside her. “I’ll have a shot with Karma.”
“Wait,” Brittney said. “I don’t think it’s my turn.”
The other two laughed. “That’s because you were too drunk to remember that I drove last week,” Karma said.
Cassie took a deep breath and turned her attention to John. She picked up his beer mug, gave him a smile, then walked back to her station, hoping whatever the terrible trio had in mind would be harmless.
Pouring a shot of tequila, she noticed Karma noticing John. Her double take was like something out of a movie. Not that Cassie could argue with that—she’d had the same reaction. A couple of nudges later, and all three of them were staring at him with about as much subtlety as a two-ton truck. Cassie should do something about it, although she figured he could take care of himself. Besides, she was curious about his reaction to the girls. They were all legal, of course, but they were young and hot and she wasn’t sure if John was a player or not.
He had to know they were staring at him as if they’d discovered Johnny Depp had wandered into the bar. Damn. What would they be like after they had their shots?
Cassie walked back with John’s beer, and only John’s beer. She stood right in front of him. After she put down the mug she planted her hands on the bar in a very territorial display. “You doing okay?”
He gave the girls the side-eye, then smiled. “Just fine.”
“Good. Enjoy the rest of the game.”
It took him a few beats too long to look up at the TV. She had no idea what game it was, but it didn’t matter. He now had a reason to ignore the women, and they had a reason to leave him the hell alone.
She’d have done the same for anyone.
She sidled over to the girls. “What’s this big stumper of yours?”
“It’s a killer,” Ariel said.
“Hush up,” Karma said. “It’s my question.”
“Karma. Stop. I don’t have time for this. I don’t care whose question it is, you’d better ask it or I’m not playing.”
“Oh, you’ll want to play,” the blonde replied, flipping her hair back behind her shoulder.
“Why is that?”
“Because you’re never gonna get it.”
“What’s the subject?”
“TV.”
She went back to her station and picked up the two shots for the girls, wondering how long it would take for people to buy a clue. Every time she was challenged it was with absolute certainty that their question was so obscure she’d never get it in a million years. Cassie just shook her head. “I wouldn’t be so sure.”
The three girls laughed, then Ariel and Karma threw back their drinks.
“The question is,” Cassie said, “what do I win when I get it in less than sixty seconds?”