Chapter 2

Cary shoved the flowers into my arms.

"Welcome," he said.

I took them. "Thanks."

But they weren't mine. I didn't want them.

I turned and dropped them straight into the trash, then wiped the wet off my hand across Cary's face.

"You know I'm a clean freak."

Cary gripped my hand hard, teeth clenched, voice low. "There are people watching. Give me some face."

I let out a soft laugh. I hadn't even sat back down.

Then I watched the girl push her way in front of me, throw an arm around Cary's shoulder, rise up on her toes, and lick every drop off his face.

The room burst into screams.

Cary shoved her off in an instant, staring at me in terror.

Like the rest of them, I smiled and clapped for their nerve.

"Sara, Diana's had too much to drink. You don't mind, right?"

One of Cary's buddies came to the rescue with a bottle in hand.

"Come on, Sara's not that type. She's seen storms bigger than this. She's not going to lose it over some kid."

"Besides, those two are thick as thieves. If something was going to happen, it'd have happened already."

Cary was explaining too. "I only think of her as a little sister. Picking a fight with a young girl would make you look small."

Very high-minded words, except he was quietly dragging her behind him, shielding her completely.

Two of Cary's buddies pulled her back with them. "Cary, come here. You don't have to explain all that to her."

Cary frowned. "She's not like other people. She's got a temper."

The few of them murmured advice.

"Oh, you don't get it. However different she is, isn't she still a woman? With this many of us here, she's got to give us some face. Just sweet-talk her later when you're home and it'll blow over."

"Right, with this many people around, no matter how big her temper is she'll have to swallow it."

I took a sip of the wine, lifted my eyes, and met a cool, quiet gaze.

I'd been here a while and hadn't noticed there was a good-looking boy tucked away in the corner.

When he caught me looking, he dropped his head, flustered.

I swirled the glass. This new wine really wasn't bad.

"Sara, if you're angry at Cary because of me, then I'll apologize to you."

Diana came shakily over to bow to me.

Cary rushed to hold her up. Diana was stubborn and wouldn't straighten.

The look of it: if I didn't accept, she'd just keep bowing there.

She stood in front of me, crying and whimpering.

"Sara, isn't this you being unreasonable now? We're all friends here. Friends joke around, that's normal, isn't it? A woman your age—don't tell me you can't take a joke."

Cary was so anxious he lost the thread, stammering. "That's enough already. What more do you want from her? Are you trying to drive a young girl to her death? I really don't understand—what exactly did she do wrong?"

I'd lost my taste for the wine too.

I tapped the table with one hand and spoke flatly.

"I'm getting on in years. I don't want to make life hard for a young girl either. It'd be embarrassing if it got out."

At that, Cary's expression eased quite a bit.

Diana finally deigned to stand up straight.

The buddies traded looks around the table, thoroughly pleased with themselves.

I had no idea what they were so pleased about.

And I couldn't be bothered to get mixed up in young people's affairs any further.

But my own business always has to be dealt with.

I looked at Cary and smiled.

Cary grinned back, playing it up.

I picked up the half-finished bottle on the table and brought it straight down on Cary's head.