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“I lost my mind a long time ago, pinky.”

She’s seriously going to need to not call me that again.

I’m spared at least for the moment when she walks away, answering to a raised hand on the opposite end. I get irritated with customers as it is, she’s practically a saint for dealing with drunk, obnoxious ones.

Vic is finally done with her own conversation, seeming to come back to the real world when she looks at me.

“How long does it take to get mozzarella sticks made? They just fry them in oil, right?”

I nod. “Might be my fault. I’m quite distracting.”

“Are you flirting with the bartender?”

“Not yet, I’m not.”

3

I’m not the most attractive I’ve ever been as I scarf down mozzarella sticks, but I’m not theleastattractive. I know that because Bailey keeps glancing sideways over at me, no matter what she’s doing. I know what someone who’s interested looks like, and it’s exactly what I’m seeing.

At some point, a guy walked behind the bar and started making drinks. I watch as they make their way through a rush, moving around each other perfectly. Not an elbow bumped or a drop spilled.

Vic asks me to sing a song with her and another one of the women from her class, but I’m not a fan of the song. I know what my voice is meant for and what it’s not.

She glares daggers into me as she’s dragged onto the stage without me. I’ll make it up to her, she’ll just have to be patient.

Vic has always been a fan of my singing voice, swears she could listen to it all day.

She doesn’t believe me when I say the same thing back to her. She has the voice of a damn angel, and she hits notes that I could only dream of. It’s obvious that as soon as the first words leave her mouth, the entire place is enraptured. People around me, ones that were uninterested and involved in their own stories, have shut up to pay attention.

She still won’t believe me after this, despite all of this clear evidence. Her friend is good, but her voice shakes with nerves, and she could really raise the volume a bit. All in all, they’re the least embarrassing act of the night.

So far.

I watch as the applause quiets, and the next duo takes their place in front of the mics.

“Do you ever come out from behind there and take a stab at it?”

Bailey chuckles and shakes her head.

“Not usually, but no one has gone out of their way to convince me.”

“I have to go out of my way. Got it.” My ears are filled with giggles from the next two girls trying to sing. Given their nerves, I doubt they’re going to stay up there for the whole song, something by Rihanna I think. I raise a brow at Bailey. “Does that mean I have to reach back there and pull you out?”

She laughs loudly, gaining the surprised attention from her coworker.

“Dave,” she calls to him, before holding up the same bottle she’d used to pour my shot. “Mind if I…” Then she points to the stage area.

He shakes his head in disbelief, but seems amused. I must be special, because something tells me no one really has gotten her out here.

“Have a blast, hon’.”

“I’m going to need this first,” she tells me before throwing back a shot of her own. I watch her throat move as she swallows and it’s one of the single hottest things I’ve witnessed. I’ve never found necks to be particularly attractive, but there is a first time for everything.

“I’ll take another one, too. Fuck it.”

Only after we’ve both taken our second shot, do my eyes track her as she walks around the bar to stand next to me. She smells strongly of vanilla, enough to remind me of the days I only ever bought the cheapest, sweetest body spray I could get my hands on.

It’s honestly a little off-putting, but not enough that I reject her outstretched hand.