Page 63 of Let's Talk About Love

She kissed his cheek. “Deal.”

***

ALICE ARRIVED ATthe bar in under twenty minutes.

“Sorry. We’re closing in ten,” the massively built bouncer barked. He had more in common with the brick wall behind him than the entirety of the human genome.

He. Was. Magnificent.

“I’m here to pick someone up.” She tried to stop smiling at him, but couldn’t. “He called me for a ride.”

The bouncer glanced behind him. “Okay. Hurry up,” he said, returning her smile.

(He was probably one of those huge, intimidating guys who were nothing but pure marshmallow fluff on the inside.)

She scanned the bar for Takumi. The house lights had been turned on. A giant dance floor, or, at least, the one made by the mass of gyrating bodies, filled the majority of the space. White couches bordered the sparkly black walls on all sides. Gold staircases (steps, banister, and all) led to a second floor. If Alice had a nightclub, she wouldn’t let the interior designer responsible for this tacky mess anywhere near it.

She spotted Takumi leaning across the bar, speaking to a female bartender with light blond hair streaked with pale orange highlights and the kind of light skin that probably tanned beautifully in the summer. His head turned a fraction of an inch, enough to spot Alice.

“There she is!” he called across the room, then turned back to the bartender to say something.

“Alice, this is Jennie, the bartender. Our dads are friends. We’re friends, too,” he said when she joined them. “Jennie, this is my Alice.”

My. Alice.

“Hi, My Alice,” Jennie said, smiling.

“Hello, Jennie the Bartender.”

Takumi hugged Alice, squeezing her within an inch of unconsciousness.

“Too tight. Can’t breathe,” she gasped. He let go only to place hishands on her face and rub their noses lightly together. He pulled back and laughed, then wrapped his arm around her neck, holding her to his chest.

Alice’s heart hammered against her rib cage. Part of her wanted to laugh and the other part (a very serious part that had been starving for affection and was apparently ready to devour Takumi) wanted him to do that again.

“Good-bye, Jennie,” he said.

“Have a good night, you two.” She turned around, wiping down the bar behind her.

“Come on, Drunky,” Alice said, her breathing back to normal.

“Aye, aye, Captain. That’s SpongeBob,” he said, pausing to swallow. “Do you like My Little Pony? My nieces love it. It’s very cute; you would like it.”

“It is very cute, but it’s a little simple for me. I like my cartoons with a bit more emotionaloomph.”

“That makes sense. You’re so smart.”

“Thanks.” She unlocked the car door. “In you go.”

After making sure Takumi was in, Alice walked around to the driver’s side, hopping inside. “Are you going to puke in the car?”

He had the wherewithal to do a self-assessment before answering. “Probably not.” She helped him click his seat belt into place after watching him struggle for a minute.

“Bad night?” she asked. She doubted this drunken episode was part of his allocated 2 percent ofunhealthyindulgences where he decided to drink beer.

“You could say that.”

Takumi stared out the window, head leaning back. When they reached his apartment, he opened the car door, managing to make it to his feet. One step forward, however, and he grasped the side of her car for purchase. She sighed and took off her seat belt.