“Be my guest.”
He slaps my shoulder again, then downs my shot of tequila and heads over to the ladies. Within seconds, the girls have forgotten all about me, and are cooing over Parker’s tattoos. I shake my head and laugh. The guy’s always been a manwhore, and I guess he hasn’t drunk the Kool-Aid like our buddies Cash and Ryder. Seems they have contracted an incurable disease called love. A sight I never thought I’d see.
Speaking of… I find Cash mixing drinks down the bar.
“Tell me it isn’t true,” I greet him. “Did Cash Gardner actually find a girlfriend?” I ask.
“Holy shit, Knox, you finally remember where your home is?” Cash laughs, jumping across the bar to give me a hug. “This is what happens when you spend all your time in New York. You miss the Hallmark moments.”
“I don’t know whether to congratulate you or commiserate. What am I going to do without my number one wingman?”
Cash laughs. “Somehow, I think you’ll be just fine without me.”
He’s right. We don’t make it two steps before a girl breaks off from the flock to join us. “Excuse me,” she breathes, leaning over to give us a look at her cleavage. “Are you Cooper Knox?”
I sigh, ready to smile and nod, but Cash answers for me. “Sugar,” he says, draping an arm over the woman’s shoulder and pulling her in close. “No Yankee in his right mind would dare to party in Braves country on New Year’s Eve.”
The woman looks confused but I smile, playing along with Cash’s games.
She looks me up and down. “Oh.” Her eyes narrow and I’m sure she’s going to see right through this act. “Well,” she says, “sorry for the trouble.” She heads back to her friends, shaking her head.
“Thanks, buddy,” I tell Cash.
“Sure, anytime. But I thought you loved this shit—last time I saw you, you were signing autographs and posing for your baseball card.”
I shrug. “It was fun to begin with, but I’m over the groupies and the diamond dolls. These women are ruthless,” I tell him. “Seriously, they sneak into the locker room to take photos of your dick, post everything up online. It’s not worth the hassle.”
“Aww, poor little all-star,” Cash teases. I punch him in the arm.
“Says the new poster guy for domestic bliss.”
He laughs.
“So, where is this girl? I’m guessing she must be some kind of supermodel or porn star to get you to commit.”
“Try lawyer,” Cash says. I whistle. “And commitment is easy, she’d bust my balls if I ever strayed. Come on, they’re in the VIP section.”
He leads me upstairs to the mezzanine balcony area, where the rest of our group is spread out in a massive booth. Jackson and Ryder break off their conversation as we approach. “The last holdout,” Ryder says with a firm handshake. “Glad you finally made it back.”
“Glad to be here, man. This place is booming.”
Jackson flags down a passing waitress. “The black sheep of our family has returned,” he tells her as he slaps me on the back. “Bring a round of Patron.”
The waitress hustles to grab our shots and Cash settles next to a cute blonde with corkscrew curls. He locks her in his arms and gives her a kiss. This must be Savannah.
“Never thought I’d see the day,” I shake my head.
“I don’t know about you,” says a woman in Ryder’s arms, “but I think it’s a relief to see that his manwhore days are behind him.”
Ryder barks a laugh and says, “The old ball and chain—is that really the best outcome?”
The woman arches an eyebrow. “ Cassie,” she introduces herself, “Ryder’s ball and chain.”
I smirk as I shake her hand. “You must be quite the force to tame this fighter, Cassie.”
“Don’t consider me tamed,” he says. “She is just as wild as I am.”
The waitress brings our shots. Jackson raises his glass, but before he can get anything out Ryder’s girl hollers, “To the Sexy Bastards, and the women who love them!” The rest of us follow suit, holding our shots high. I feel a knot loosen in my chest, a rushing sense of contentment. It feels good to be back here with the guys, just like old times. I’m living my dream in New York, and damn if I’m not good at what I do. But I do miss this crew—the guys who knew me before my success, who believed in me for all those years. Life throws us curveballs—new jobs, new girlfriends, new cities—but we five have been with each other through it all.
“And to Knox,” Jackson adds. “It’s great to have you back, man.”
Together, the seven of us knock back the tequila. It burns on the way down, spreading warmth across my chest.
“Now we just have to find a way to get you down here more often,” Ryder adds.
“Maybe you’ll find a ball and chain of your very own,” Savannah suggests, but Cash lets out a laugh, shaking his head.