Caroline looked at Dan. “It was so not me,” he said, hands up.
“Jonathan?”
“Okay, maybe it was me,” Jonathan said.
“Hell yeah, it was you,” Zoey said. “I don’t appreciate the googly eyes and your fingertips, and when did you become so pretty?” She patted his jawline again, and Jonathan laughed.
“I missed Drunk Zoey,” Jonathan said.
“It’s too bad you didn’t appreciate this when you had it. It took a shitty marriage for you to realize what you had.”
Jonathan froze in his seat.
The insults didn’t stop there.
Jonathan remembered Drunk Zoey as delightful and hilarious, sometimes blabbering on with stream-of-consciousness thoughts that made him spew beer and laugh every other line.
This Drunk Zoey was pissed.
She made fun of his messy hair (“I remember when you flat-ironed it”) to his taste in music to the way he held his fork.
“Oh, where are we going?” Zoey asked as they pulled her down the front steps of the lodge. Caroline gathered everyone and stood on a planter so her voice carried over the crowd.
“We’re going to a club called Emeralds at the Diamond Rough Casino across from Harrah’s. Derek is getting a VIP booth,” Caroline said. Jonathan saw the pain in her face as she admitted Derek did a decent thing. There were half-hearted “Thanks, Derek”s going through the crowd. Addison stood emotionless, several inches away from him.
“And I ordered a limo!” Dan said, playing a DJ air horn sound on his phone.
“Way to steal my thunder!” Derek yelled. “Nice, bro.”
“I know a guy,” Dan said. He looked at his phone. “Should be here in ten minutes.”
“Oh my God, a limo. I am so excited!” Zoey said, jumping up and down. Her feet came out from under her, and Brady and Addison picked her back up by her armpits. “I freaking love you guys.” She squeezed Brady in a death grip while Addison was held prisoner by a hand around her wrist.
The limo pulled up, right on cue. It was an old-school black stretch limo with blingy lights along the side panels.
“Holy shit!” Zoey yelled, running toward it. She yanked the door handle, and it didn’t open. She then tried to jerk the handle again. “It won’t fucking open.”
The driver emerged and opened the door for Zoey. “Thank you, good sir.” She pointed her thumb back to Jonathan. “He opens doors now and thinks it will open my legs. Fat fucking chance.”
Jonathan pretended like he didn’t hear that.
He stepped into the limo, and as soon as he saw it, he cringed.
There was a stripper pole in the middle. Dan stepped in and said, “Nice!”
“Zoey, you are not allowed to get on that.” Caroline gave a stern look to Zoey.
“Relax, Caroline. I know my limits.”
Zoey motioned for Caroline and Addison to flank her so Jonathan couldn’t get close. Just like at the barbecue. He interlocked his hands between his knees as Dan sat next to him. Makenna sat on the other side of Caroline, while Derek rubbed Addison’s knee.
Zoey glared at Jonathan the entire limo ride. He would be talking to Dan and look back. Still glaring. Jonathan found a bottle of water and silently passed it to Caroline, who opened it for Zoey. Still looks of utter hatred.
He didn’t blame her.
Thankfully, it was a short ride.
Diamond Rough Casino was less than two miles from the Timberlake Lodge, across from Harrah’s on the Nevada side of South Lake Tahoe’s main drag. It was a medium-sized casino, recently updated with a single high-rise of hotel rooms. The limo pulled up right next to the entrance in the fire lane. Caroline and Brady’s wedding party spilled out onto the sidewalk.
“Carry me,” Zoey said, tapping Jonathan on the shoulder.
“I don’t think I want to,” Jonathan said. “Are you going to claw my eyes out?”
“Come on. You’re a professional drunk-girl carrier.”
“Fine.” He picked her up, her arms linked around his neck, her breath hot on his face, the smell of tequila on her breath. She rested her head on his shoulder as he walked her into the club, across the casino floor. His head jumbled with Zoey’s emotional range. First, she was flirty at the dinner before she went to the bar with Dan. Then, she was her cute self. After she came back, she’d said the meanest things he’d heard from her, maybe ever.
Maybe it wasn’t mean. Maybe it was just true.
After their great lunch and walk, he thought all was forgiven. He thought maybe they could continue down this path toward hugging and kissing and everything else. It never dawned on him that she might not be ready, might need to hash out their past, even though she clearly didn’t want to. But he did owe her an explanation.
He also owed her the world’s biggest apology.
Now, she was in his arms, her lips dangerously close to his jaw. She could reach out at any time and brush her lips against his stubble. He hoisted her up so he had a better grip on her legs, and she giggled as she bounced. He noticed her small breasts jiggle, and he quickly averted his gaze.
They were surrounded by their friends, in the world’s smokiest casino, while he carried her to the club. Now was not the right time. At all.
Slot machines dinged and chimed as they walked by, seats occupied by transfixed gamblers. Cocktail servers roamed, taking drink orders and dropping off beverages. Jonathan dodged a waitress who swung back with a brown tray, almost colliding with Zoey.
“Oh, I’m sorry. And congratulations,” she said.
“What?” Jonathan asked. Zoey laughed in staccato giggles. She snorted and kept laughing.
“She thought we just got married,” Zoey said in between laughs. Her laughing made it difficult to carry her since she vibrated. Her face flattened and she said, “Fat chance, bucko.”
Jonathan followed the group to the back of the casino to the new club, while Zoey grew heavier by the step. The sign above the club’s dark entrance glowed with neon letters on a gaudy silver background. As they approached the modest line behind ropes, they saw an attractive blonde woman standing by the entrance with a small purse on her shoulder, looking around like she was waiting for someone. She looked vaguely familiar.
“Taylor!” Zoey yelled as she wiggled out of his arms. She ran toward Taylor and tackled her, knocking Taylor over.
“Hey, hey, hey!” the bouncer yelled, probably thinking a girl fight had just broken out.
“We’re friends,” Taylor said, standing up, hair already out of place. “This happens all the time, actually.”
Taylor had been in the same grade as Caroline and Zoey, but played a ton of sports and never went to house parties or school functions. Jonathan had seen her in passing and had a couple classes with her, but they never really talked.
“Hi, Jonathan Turner,” he said, outstretching his hand. “I’m not sure if you remember me or not.”
“Oh, I remember you,” Taylor said, shaking his hand like she was dared to break it. “You look a lot different.”
“I know, right?” Zoey said, her eyes big and animated. “It’s almost unfair. To me.”
“Oh boy.” Taylor smacked Dan in the arm. “How much did she have to drink?”