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“Two pints of gat,” I hold up my middle and index finger. Taylor’s head bobs to the music and her hands tap against her jean-covered thighs.

“Hey, Liv is here!” she yells over the slightly drunk and rowdy crowd, pointing to the dance floor.

“Go on.” I nod. “I’ll wait for the drinks.”

I wait, watching her squeeze her way through the crowd until she gets to Liv, who smiles and throws her arms around Taylor. They sway back and forth, seemingly excited to have found each other.

“Date night?” Liam asks, setting our beers on the bar. “Your girl looks good tonight. Maybe she could end up teaching you a thing or two.” He says in jest. I ignore the urge to smack him upside the head and instead focus on how much I like the way‘my girl’ sounds.

“Hey, so how’s the season going?” he continues, and I lean against the bar, watching Taylor’s confident hips dip side to side as she dances like it’s her job out there. I clear my throat and turn my attention to Liam. “You know if Coach ever needs an extra hand, I’m around.”

“You and Dax should come by next week. We’ll give those kids a good show.”

“I’m in.” He smacks the bar top with his towel. “You plan on coaching them again next year?”

I reach for my pint and focus back out on the dance floor.

“I’m not sure.” I scratch the back of my head, but Liam doesn't give me the courtesy of letting it go. “Alright, I got an offer to go work with my old team, but don’t say anything.”

“Why?”

“Why, what?”

“Why don’t you want me to say anything?”

“You know how this town is.”

“So… are you going to take it?”

“I don’t know, I don’t think so.”

“Well, whatever you decide, you better be damn sure.” Hurt and warning are etched into my oldest friend's face, and I know this has been weighing on me, but either he’s not the person I need to talk this out with, or it’s just not the time.

“Hey.” Taylor smiles, breaking through the crowd with Liv in tow.

I clear my throat and lift one of the pints to Taylor. “Sláinte!”

“I’m not sure what that means, but ditto,” she says, holding her glass out to me.

“It means health,” Liv supplies.

“Seems odd to talk about health while drinking beer, but alright.” Her lips wrap around her glass, and she takes a deepchug. I laugh when she beats her chest with an open palm, working to swallow.

“How’s about that real, Irish beer?”

“Absolutely savage,” she says through a forced smile with a thumbs up and I drop my head back on a full belly laugh.

“Savage, eh? We’re going to make a real Irish girl out of you yet.”

The night airis cool as it breezes through the windows. I look over at Taylor, whose arms are wrapped around her legs, knees pulled up to her chest, and her head rests back with a content smile on her face. “Dreaming of that Irish beer?”

“Between you and me, I don’t think I’m actually a beer girl.”

“Nooo.” I feign shock and she laughs. The sound is a perfect melody clinging tightly to my chest. My eyes flirt between her and the road and when she looks at me, both my heart and my mouth lift in a smile. “What are you thinking?”

“I just love your smile.” I over-exaggerate, showing off every single one of my teeth and she laughs before turning towards me. “I’m serious. It’s so carefree and warm.”

That causes me to pause. “I don’t think those are the kind of words anyone else would use to describe me.”