“Yeah, we’ve had them for awhile. It was necessary…in Wichita,” I said.
“Necessary?” Travis asked.
“It’s a good thing you have connections,” America said. She hiccupped and covered her mouth, giggling.
“Dear God, woman,” Shepley said, holding America’s arm as she awkwardly stepped along the gravel. “I think you’re already done for the night.”
Travis made a face. “What are you talking about, Mare? What connections?”
“Abby has some old friends that—,”
“They’re fake ID’s, Trav,” I interrupted. “You have to know the right people if you want them done right, right?”
America purposefully looked away from Travis, and I waited.
“Right,” he said, extending his hand for mine.
I grabbed three of his fingers and smiled, knowing by his expression that he wasn’t satisfied with my answer.
“I need another drink!” I said as a second attempt to change the subject.
“Shots!” America yelled.
Shepley rolled his eyes. “Oh, yeah. That’s what you need, another shot.”
Once inside, America immediately pulled me onto the dance floor. Her blonde hair was everywhere, and I laughed at the duck face she made when she moved to music. When the song was over, we joined the boys at the bar. An excessively voluptuous, platinum-blonde was already at Travis’ side, and America’s face screwed into revulsion.
“It’s going to be like this all night, Mare. Just ignore them,” Shepley said, nodding to a small group of girls standing a few feet away. They eyed the blonde, waiting for their turn.
“It looks like Vegas threw up on a flock of vultures,” America sneered.
Travis lit a cigarette as he ordered two more beers, and the blonde bit her puffy, glossed lip and smiled. The bartender popped the tops open and slid the bottles to Travis. The blonde picked up one of the beers, but Travis pulled it from her hand.
“Uh…not yours,” he said to her, handing it to me.
My initial thought was to toss the bottle in the trash, but the woman looked so offended, I smiled and took a drink. She walked off in a huff, and I chuckled that Travis didn’t seem to notice.
“Like I would buy a beer for some chick at a bar,” he said, shaking his head. I held up my beer, and he pulled up one side of his mouth into a half-smile. “You’re different.”
I clinked my bottle against his. “To being the only girl a guy with no standards doesn’t want to sleep with.” I said, taking a swig.
“Are you serious?” he asked, pulling the bottle from my mouth. When I didn’t recant, he leaned toward me. “First of all…I have standards. I’ve never been with an ugly woman. Ever. Second of all, I wanted to sleep with you. I thought about throwing you over my couch fifty different ways, but I haven’t because I don’t see you that way anymore. It’s not that I’m not attracted to you, I just think you’re better than that.”
I couldn’t hold back the smug smile that crept across my face. “You think I’m too good for you.”
He sneered at my second insult. “I can’t think of a single guy I know that’s good enough for you.”
The smugness melted away and was replaced with a touched, appreciative smile. “Thanks, Trav,” I said, setting my empty bottle on the bar.
Travis pulled on my hand. “C’mon,” he said, tugging me through the crowd on the dance floor.
“I’ve had a lot to drink! I’m going to fall!”
Travis smiled and pulled me to him, grabbing my hips. “Shut up and dance.”