Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 160684 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 643(@250wpm)___ 536(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160684 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 643(@250wpm)___ 536(@300wpm)
“Thanks,” Effie muttered, searching through her bag for her pills.
“I’m sorry about before,” Lucy apologized. “I’ve got a bit of a headache and it’s making me a bit sharp.”
A bit sharp? She was always sharp.
“Do you want another drink? You look a bit pale. Vodka?” Lucy moved behind the bar.
“No, thanks.”
Lucy’s face kind of dropped. Was she actually trying to be nice? Now Effie felt terrible. But she couldn’t drink with these pills. It would make her go loopy.
“Perhaps orange juice?” she asked.
“Sure. I’ll get that for you.”
Effie found the pills and shook two out. Then Lucy placed a glass of orange juice in front of her.
“Thank you.” She drank it down with the pills. There was a bit of a strange taste to the orange juice, but she shook it off. Just a bit sour, she guessed.
“Hey, I make a great Virgin Pina Colada,” Lucy said. “Want one?”
“No alcohol?” she asked.
“Nope.”
“Um, I don’t know. I should get back to work.”
“No more working for you, darlin’,” Nate said, coming up. He eyed Lucy suspiciously, but she went away to deal with something.
Effie pushed the juice to one side.
“She manage to fuck up pouring orange juice?” Nate asked, dumping it out into the sink behind him.
“Something like that. I need to get back to the tables. The other servers are slammed. I took some pain pills. They’ll help soon.”
The only problem was that they’d probably start making her sleepy soon. But it was that, or she wouldn’t be able to move from the pain.
“I texted Olivia,” Nate told her. “She’ll be in soon.”
Relief filled her. “Really?”
“Yep.”
“You didn’t have to do that.” Guilt filled her. That was her job.
“Darlin’, you look like you’re about to collapse, so yeah, I did. Did you take care of him?”
That last sentence was aimed over her head and she turned carefully to see Lex standing there.
“Yeah, he’s gone. Are you all right, Effie?”
Lex was quiet. Watchful. Tall and muscular. She liked him.
“I’m good. Thanks for saving me, Lex.” She patted his arm. “Now, I’m going to work until Olivia gets here.”
“Are you sure you should?” Lex asked.
“You’re both so sweet and kind. But I promise, I’m fine.”
“Darlin’, you’re gonna need to stop calling me sweet. I’ve got a reputation to protect.”
She just grinned at Nate.
“You sure, Effie?” Lex asked.
“I promise, I’m good.” She patted his arm and moved over to her next table. About five minutes later, a woozy feeling came over her and she went back to the bar.
“Here, Effie. Drink this. You look a bit strange.” Lucy handed her a glass of something.
“Um, thanks.” She took the drink without noticing what it was. “No alcohol?”
“Of course not.”
Effie drank it down. Wow, she hadn’t realized she was that thirsty.
“Thanks.”
She walked back to another table. But the world was tilting, and for some reason, she found that hilarious. A giggle escaped her and she nearly tripped. But when she glanced down at her feet, there was nothing there.
That was even funnier. She banged a drink down on a table.
“Hey, that’s not mine.”
“Just enjoy . . . enjoy it all,” she said as she made her way back to the bar.
“Here’s another drink, Effie,” Lucy said.
“You know, Lucy,” she said, gulping it down. “I was wrong, you’re not such a bitch.”
“Thanks,” Lucy replied. Although there seemed to be something wrong with her voice.
“Can you make a drink that tastes like jelly beans? I loveeee jelly beans.”
“Sure, Effie. Anything for you.”
“Yeah, you’re not a bitch at all. You’re so sweet.”
“Effie, are you all right?” Nate asked.
“Nate!” She threw her arms up in the air. “You’re the best too!”
“What’s wrong with her? What did you do?” Nate demanded.
“I didn’t do anything. But I think . . . I think she might have taken something,” Lucy whispered.
“Did you put something in her drinks?” Nate asked.
“No! How dare you suggest that!” Lucy said.
“I want to dance! I want to get up on the stage and dance! Where’s Chardonnay? I’m sure she’ll dance with me! Come on, Lucy, let’s dance!”
“Shit. We need to get her out the back.” Suddenly, Nate was in front of her. He wrapped an arm around her. “Come on, Effie. Let’s get you out back so you can lie down.”
“But I want to dance!”
“What the fuck is going on here?”
23
Grady watched as Effie spun, smiling wide at him. There was something different about this smile.
She actually looked happy. Really happy.
And he thought it would never be a bad thing to see that smile on her face . . . for the rest of his life.
As she spun, she tripped and he reached out to grab her.
“Stupid air. Keeps tripping me up!”
He held her against him, breathing her in. Fuck. She felt so good in his arms.
“You smell so good.”
“Do I?” he asked.
She snuggled into him as though she belonged there. Then she tilted her head back to smile up at him. “You are sooo pretty.”