Todd and Clay walked away, and I gave Griffin a look.
“Thanks for that. Weren’t you just telling me that you promised to help me get some on my birthday?”
His eyebrows rose. “That’s it? We’re not going to talk about what just happened between us?”
“No.” I was still a little hurt, but I would get over it. Griffin was my best friend, and him rejecting me wasn’t something to throw away our friendship over. I put my hand on his arm. “Let’s just pretend like I never asked you what I asked you, okay?”
“But I didn’t even give you—”
“There you are.”
We both turned to see Troy standing beside us.
“Do you care if we head down to My Favorite Place?” he asked me. “It’s getting cold out there.”
Christina popped up next to Troy. “I say we stop at the bars on the way down to Griffin’s place for a birthday shot before we end up there.”
I would have thought it was an excellent idea a half hour ago, but I no longer wanted to get drunk and crash at Griffin’s apartment. I could already feel how awkward it would be to lie there next to him. He’d probably be afraid I was going to jump him, and I would be afraid that he was afraid I was going to jump him.
I was sure the whole asking Griffin to sleep with me would blow over but not within a few hours; it was best I started sobering up, so I could go home.
“Actually, let’s just head down there anyway. I don’t really feel like stopping at a bunch of places.”
“It’s only two other bars,” Christina pointed out.
“I know, but let’s just go to Griffin’s.”
She shrugged. “It’s your birthday.” She looked down at my hand. “You’d better finish your beer first. I’ll go tell April and JJ we’re taking off.”
Damn. I’d forgotten I still had a full drink.
I lifted the glass to my mouth and started chugging. It wasn’t until I was about halfway finished that I thought to ask Troy if he wanted it.
“You want the rest of this?” I asked him.
“Sure. We’re planning to Uber home, so I might as well.”
I looked at Griffin. “You’d better finish your beer too,” I said, eyeing his half-full glass.
Troy raised his hand. “I’ll drink that, too, if you don’t want it.”
Griffin pushed the glass into Troy’s chest and grabbed my hand. “Let’s go outside. We can talk while we wait.”
I didn’t want to talk. It was my birthday night, and we were supposed to be having fun.
I was about to tell him that we could talk tomorrow, but I heard April yell from behind me, “Wait for us.”
I laughed and turned around until all four of our friends caught up.
“Here’s your purse,” April said, handing it to me.
“Thanks.” I had been so caught up in what had happened with Griffin that I’d almost left it out there.
“Aww, Griffin’s holding Madeline’s hand,” Christina said when she looked down at our hands.
I rolled my eyes and tried to drop his hand.
He seemed determined to hold on because his grip tightened.
“When are you two going to date already?” April asked.
Oh jeez, April, not tonight.
“I just downed half a beer. Griffin wants to make sure I don’t trip and fall down,” I joked.
“Shall we go then?” Christina asked.
“Let’s go.”
We walked out of the building, and I gave my best friend a look once we were outside.
He smiled at me, so I felt like maybe my mishap wasn’t the worst thing in the world.
But Griffin still held my hand the whole way down to his bar.
Eight
Madeline
When we got to My Favorite Place, Griffin immediately went behind the bar, which I supposed was inevitable. And despite the lecture I had given him earlier in the night about not working, I was kind of relieved he had split from the group.
Casey came out from behind the bar when she saw us and held out her arm. “Right this way, birthday lady.”
I raised my eyebrows.
She dropped her hand. “Just come with me.”
I laughed, and the five of us followed her. In the corner was a round booth that fit several people. It was the only one in the bar, and on top of the table, it had a sign that read Reserved.
“Griffin dropped us a text and told us to make sure the booth was yours,” Casey explained.
“Aw, that was sweet of him,” Christina said and slid behind one side of the table.
Everyone else followed until I was last. I took a seat at one of the ends.
“What can I get everyone?” Casey asked. “I’ll make up your drinks and have one of the servers bring them over.”
The group put in their orders, and then Casey turned to me.
I leaned close to her. “I’ll just have a water,” I whispered.
She put her hand to her ear. “I’m sorry. I can’t hear you.”
I quickly glanced at my friends. I didn’t want them to hear me, and thankfully, they weren’t all staring at me, waiting for me to answer. “Water,” I said a little louder.
“Water?” Casey shouted.
I sighed as all four sets of eyes turned to me. “Yes.”
“And what else?”
“That’s it.”
“Okay. It’s your birthday.” Casey turned and headed for the bar.
April tilted her head. “I thought you were staying at Griffin’s tonight?”
“That’s what I planned,” I said, playing with my purse zipper. It wasn’t a lie. It was what I originally was going to do.
“Then, why are you drinking water?”
“And you gave me half your beer at the last place,” Troy chimed in.
I lifted my hands in surrender. “I simply need to hydrate a little. I’m thirty now. I don’t recover from hangovers like I did when I was twenty.”
JJ frowned in confusion. “Don’t you mean twenty-one?”
“Yeah, that too.”
“Well, don’t drink water for too long, or you’re going to lose your buzz,” Christina said.
That’s the goal.
I gave her a thumbs-up.
“How’s the wedding planning going?” I asked to change the subject. “As a bridesmaid, I keep waiting for you to call me up to do stuff.”
“Ooh, yeah, fill us in,” April added.
“My sister…” Christina looked up at the ceiling and back to her. “I love her. I really do. And most days, I’m thankful she offered to plan the wedding.” She put her hands out and cupped them until they created a circle. “But sometimes, I want to strangle her.” She started shaking her hands as she clenched her jaw.
I bit my lip as I tried not to laugh. “That bad, huh?”
Christina sagged as she dropped her arms. “I said no chocolate cake because Troy’s mom is allergic. That’s it. No chocolate. We could have any other kind, but it’s like chocolate was the only option once I said it was a no go.”
“Sorry, babe,” I said.