Chapter 32
“I didn’t steal the moonshine.” ~ Maya
Maya
“E nough!” Nova yells.
What’s going on? Why is Nova yelling? Nova is not a yeller. She’s Ms. Sunshine on a Rainy Day.
I glance up from my computer to discover Chloe, Sophia, and Paisley are standing in front of my desk with Nova. My brow wrinkles. Chloe should be downstairs managing the restaurant and bar while Paisley should be across the parking lot in the brewery working on whatever she works on when she’s there.
“What is everyone doing here?”
Nova grins. “We’re here to cheer you up.”
“And to save your fingernails.” Nova points to my hand where I have indeed chewed off most of my fingernails.
“Her fingernails are a lost cause,” Paisley observes.
I stuff my hands in my pockets. “Why are we discussing my fingernails? ”
“Because Nova and Paisley are too nice to ask why you’re chewing your fingernails,” Sophia says. “I’m not. Why are you chewing your fingernails?”
I study her. “I get the distinct feeling you already know.”
Which makes no sense. How could they possibly know what happened last evening with Caleb? I know the smuggler’s grapevine is better than any spy network during the Cold War but we were inside a cabin in the woods. No one could have overheard us or happened to walk by.
“I don’t have any details but you’re obviously upset about something that happened with Caleb,” Sophia says.
“Why do you think I’m upset with Caleb?”
She snorts. “Because every other morning you’ve flitted inside the office happy as a smuggler who fooled the police into thinking he was innocent.”
“It’s true.” Chloe nods. “You’ve been happy as a mermaid who lured a sailor to his death.”
Paisley sighs. “We’ve discussed this. Mermaids don’t lure sailors to their death. And mermaids aren’t real.”
Chloe shoves her palm in Paisley’s face. “Mermaids are real. End of discussion.”
“I guess if you say the discussion is over, it is,” Paisley mutters under her breath.
“You have two choices,” Sophia announces. “You can tell us what happened here and now.”
Not happening.
“What’s my other choice? ”
“We’ll get you drunk at Mermaid Karaoke and then you’ll spill all of your problems without us asking.”
I hate to admit it, but Sophia’s right. I am a bit of a blabbermouth when I’ve been downing shots of moonshine. But, really, who isn’t?
Paisley’s lips purse. “No one mentioned Mermaid Karaoke.”
Chloe throws her arm over Paisley’s shoulders. “You can handle a bit of Mermaid Karaoke for one night. It’s to help Maya.”
Paisley pushes Chloe’s arm off of her. “Mermaids don’t exist and karaoke is an excuse for people who think they can sing to be on a stage.”
“I guess we’re lucky Maya can sing then, aren’t we?”
I bury my face in my hands. Why, oh why, did I ever join the choir in high school? Stupid Chloe and her stupid dares.
“Come on,” Nova urges. “You aren’t getting out of this. You can either embrace the suck or fight it, but it’s happening.”
“The suck?” Chloe scowls. “There’s nothing sucky about the five of us going out together. We don’t do it often enough anymore.”
“Probably because the four of you fell in love and no longer have time to play drunk mermaid midget golf,” Paisley points out.
“The question is – did Maya fall in love with Caleb?” Sophia asks.
Chloe snorts. “Is this a serious question? Maya’s been in love with Caleb since she tutored him in math in high school. Although, I don’t know how much tutoring happened since Maya spent the entire time in the library staring at Caleb with cartoon hearts in her eyes.”
“Fine.” I push to my feet. “I will go to Mermaid Karaoke if everyone will just shut up.”
Sophia bursts out laughing. “You’re cute. You think we’ll shut up.”
Nova laces her arm through mine. “It’ll be fun. I promise.”
The Bootlegger is packed when we arrive. I scan the bar and groan. It’s full of women dressed up as mermaids and men trying to catch them. In other words, it’s my version of hell.
A man stops in front of us. “Hey, pretty lady, why aren’t you dressed up as a mermaid? I bet your tits look fantastic in a bra top.”
My cheeks warm and I drop my chin to stare at the floor.
Nova pulls on my arm. “She’s taken.”
“She’s not wearing a ring. And what man would let his woman come to the bar on Mermaid Karaoke night without him?”
Chloe flashes her left hand in his face. “My husband doesn’t let me do anything. I’m my own woman.”
The man groans. “Feminists,” he mutters before walking away.
“I knew this ring would come in handy.”
Sophia giggles. “You flash your ring at every man who comes within five feet of you.”
“It’s pretty. Everyone should have the chance to enjoy it sparkle. ”
Sophia leads us to a booth in the corner with a reserved sign on it. She snatches the sign and stuffs it into her purse before sitting down. Paisley sits next to her, and Nova and I scoot into the seat across from them.
“Here.” Chloe sets five shots of moonshine down on the table.
“How did you manage to order those in two minutes?” Paisley asks.
Chloe shrugs as she hands out the shots. “Here’s to the—
“Someone stole my drinks!” A woman shouts behind Chloe.
“Quick. Drink up,” Chloe urges.
“Are you trying to get into a barfight?” Sophia asks.
Chloe shrugs. “She’s a mermaid. She won’t fight me. I’m a smuggler.”
“I think you mean thief,” Paisley mutters.
Nova holds up her drink. “Here’s to the bootleggers. Masters of sneaky sips and secret stashes. Thanks for keeping the party alive.”
“To the bootleggers!” we shout as we lift our glasses and down the shots.
“Here,” the bartender arrives and slams a bottle of moonshine on the table. “This ought to keep you from stealing other people’s drinks for at least an hour.”
“Thanks, Sloane.”
She wags her finger at us. “No dancing on the tables, no stripping off your clothes, no getting into fights.”
Sophia bats her eyelashes at Sloane. “We’re on our best behavior. ”
Sloane snorts. “Your best behavior caused you to lead a strike against the science department in high school.”
“Because you told me I wasn’t allowed to slap the biology teacher.”
“Why did you want to slap the biology teacher anyway?”
Sophia growls. “He told me I was only on the honor roll because my dad was a millionaire and he was buying my grades.”
“But everyone knows you cheated on the biology test. You didn’t buy your grades,” Chloe says.
Sloane throws her arms up in the air. “And I’m out. Don’t make me phone your brother to come arrest you.”
“Joke’s on you,” Sophia hollers after her. “Weston isn’t on duty tonight.”
Chloe pours another round of shots. “How many of these do you have to drink before you tell us what fish crawled up your ass?”
“Two more,” I say.
She slides two more shot glasses toward me. “Bottoms up.”
I balk. “I was joking.”
“I wasn’t. As you very well know.”
It’s true. Chloe doesn’t joke about drinking or confessions.
“Arrest a smuggler,” I mutter before downing the first shot. Chloe nudges the second glass closer toward me. I glare at her as I pick it up. “Happy?” I ask when I finish it. She slides the next shot glass closer. I narrow my eyes and throw daggers at her as I drink it .
“Now.” She rubs her hands together. “Tell us what happened.”
Nova elbows me. “We’re worried about you, Maya.”
Ugh. She’s bringing out the big guns. I don’t want Nova worrying about me. She worries too much as it is. She’s over her hypochondria but she still worries.
I motion to Chloe to pour me another shot. I’m already feeling warm and a bit woozy from the earlier shots but I need some additional courage before I pour my heart out to my friends.
“Caleb and I had a fight last night,” I say when I finish the shot.
“About what?” Sophia asks.
“Cone of mermaid silence?” I wait for everyone to nod before continuing. “He found out yesterday that he can’t return to active duty.”
“He’s far too injured to return to active duty,” Paisley says.
“That’s what I thought.” I point to her but I don’t know which Paisley to point to since there are now two of her.
“His injury is bad. I didn’t realize how bad until he collapsed at the resort.” I gasp and slam a hand over my mouth. I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone.
Nova pries my hand away. “We already know about what happened.”
“Promise not to say anything to Caleb. He’s embarrassed. He thinks his injury makes him less of a man.”
“How ridiculous.” Paisley shakes her head. “A man is not judged by his physical prowess. ”
“How do you know how a man is judged?” Eli asks from behind her and she startles.
She glances over her shoulder at him. “You are not part of this conversation.”
“I can’t help but overhear when you’re speaking at such a loud volume.”
She motions with her hand for him to leave. “Go away. We don’t want whatever you’re selling.”
“I’m not…” He scowls. “Whatever.” He marches off and Paisley breathes a sigh of relief.
“Those two are going to be a riot,” Chloe says.
Sophia slaps her shoulder. “One issue at a time.”
“I’m not an issue. Caleb and I fought. He was an asshole. So, I left.”
Nova’s eyes widen. “You left?”
“I will not allow anyone to treat me the way he treated me.”
She throws her arms around me. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Let’s drink shots to celebrate.” Chloe pours another round of moonshine.
I down the shot. I’m starting to feel all fuzzy inside. I do love moonshine. And my friends. They’re the best. I should probably tell them more often. I open my mouth to confess my love for them, but I’m cut off when someone announces my name.
“Maya Jenkins. You’re up.”
The woman on the stage waves the microphone at me while Nova hauls me out of the booth .
I glare at my so-called friends. “I’m going to kill you all in your sleep.”
The music starts up and the first beats of I Knew You Were Trouble play.
I snatch the microphone. “I love this song!” I shout before I begin to sing.
I’ve known Caleb was trouble for nearly two decades. And yet I can’t let him go. But I can’t allow him to treat me the way he did yesterday. Plus, there’s a good possibility he doesn’t ever want to see me again after I walked away.
And here I thought I was getting my very own happily ever after. I should have known better.
I shove those thoughts out of my mind. My queen, Taylor, is singing. Never ignore your queen.
Caleb and our problems can wait. We’ve waited this long after all.