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By ten, they were in the car and on their way to the bar. Luckily, Ashley had a sequin mini dress from high school that still fit.
“So, what’s the game plan here?” Ashley asked. She turned the radio down so they could hear each other.
“What do you mean?” Esther asked.
“Do you still want to be my girlfriend tonight? I never came out in high school, so we can totally pull off college friends, but you look super-hot, and I kind of want to show you off. But it’s totally up to you. No extra hurdles either way.”
“You’re going to just come out tonight?” Esther sounded unsure.
Was she nervous about Ashley coming out, or did she not want to keep up the fake girlfriend charade when it wasn’t strictly necessary? Ashley didn’t want to push her. This night was supposed to be fun, and she didn’t want Esther to be uncomfortable.
“Honestly, who cares? I never see these people, and I’ll probably never see them again. I’m already hiding so much of myself as a vampire. I just thought it would be cool to throw this one piece of me out there, and what better way to do it than with a date looking sexy as hell. But this night is about having fun, so whatever you’re comfortable with is what we’ll do.”
“Okay, let’s do it.”
“Yeah?” Ashley was caught off guard by how sure Esther sounded. She expected more uncertainty to wade through.
“Yeah. It’s a lot of fun being your girlfriend. And you said tonight is about having fun.”
“Hell yeah, it is.” Ashley pumped up the music again. “Let’s send this year out right.”
They were easily overdressed for Peanuts. The noise rammed into Ashley like a semi the second she opened the door. Her heels crunched on the namesake’s shells littering the floor. Straight ahead, the bar was crowded with people trying to get the bartender’s attention. And to the right, the stage was currently occupied by Kyle, her one-time foray with the male species, singing that song about a heart in a blender. Everything was exactly how she left it.
“You still good?” Ashley yelled into Esther’s ear.
Esther took her hand. “I’m good. Let’s get a drink.”
In a matter of minutes Ashley had procured two whiskey sours, claimed a table, and put in three song requests—all without vampire speed, thank you very much, and one of them a duet with an old cheer friend she ran into along the way.
“You sure you don’t want to sing?” Ashley asked after returning from her second song of the evening.
“I’m not really the singing type.” Esther sipped at the last of her whiskey sour. Ashley watched the motion, transfixed by the way her throat moved as she swallowed. Maybe she should be singing less and hanging out with Esther more. She was being a negligent fake girlfriend. “I don’t know if I have any song that would be appropriate. And I’ll need another drink first.”
“I can get you that drink.” Ashley jumped at the opportunity to do something for her. To make her happy in any way possible. “Name a song, and I’ll put it in on my way back. You’ll be finished with it before your name even comes up.”
Esther took her time answering, running a finger around the rim of her glass and making Ashley sweat. What was in these drinks? Just being around Esther and her little movements made Ashley feel off-kilter.
Esther’s fingertip paused, and it wasn’t until Ashley looked up that she realized she’d been caught staring. “You get the drink.” Esther’s smile felt like a promise. “I’ll put in my name. Just don’t expect anything amazing.”
Ashley swallowed before putting on a shaky grin. “I’m loving this surprise. Meet back here?”
“All right.”
Casey behind the bar still remembered her and her drink, so Ashley ended up back at the table in record time. It was only a few minutes before she felt a familiar hand on her lower back. A hand much larger than the date she arrived with.
“Ashley? Jesus, you haven’t aged a day.” Kyle, on the other hand, looked ten years older, as was expected. He’d aged well. The skin at the corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled like his face had recorded this regular habit, and she spotted a couple of gray hairs at his temples that sparkled when the party lights hit him just right.
“Not bad, yourself.” She shifted so his hand fell from her back, but her smile remained genuine. As far as boyfriends went, he didn’t suck. “What’ve you been up to?”
He planted an elbow on the table, making himself comfortable. “I teach math at the school now, if you can believe it.”
“Seriously? You hated math.”
“Nah, I was faking that. Thank god kids are allowed to be interested in things nowadays. But how have you been?” He tapped his beer to her glass before taking a sip. “Visiting family?”
“Yeah, I’ve been at my parents’ since Christmas. We’ve?—”
“Hey, I got the song… Oh.” Esther noticed Kyle and startled, slipping on some shells and catching her balance on Ashley’s arm. Ashley wrapped her arm around Esther’s waist, steadying her. “Sorry, I didn’t know someone was here.”
