With his belly pressed to the bar, the state of arousal his encounter with Karen had left him in was well-hidden. He lingered, and when the bartender looked his way, he ordered a shot of bourbon over ice. The cold liquor burnt smooth and fiery on the back of his tongue, both heating and cooling him from the inside. He drained the glass, willing the potent fumes to erase the memory of Karen’s perfume from his consciousness.
It didn’t work. The airy, fruity scent lingered in his nostrils – how was it possible that he could still smell her? Half hopefully and half guiltily, he glanced toward the corridor that led to the restrooms. He could already imagine how she’d look emerging from the hall – pretty, perfect and way out of his league.
* * * * *
Karen fought the instinctive urge to turn and face Jed as he approached the table and sank back down in his chair. Where had he been? She was so hyper-aware of his presence – or lack thereof – that she noticed when he was gone. He hadn’t been at the table when she’d returned a few minutes ago.
Tyler elbowed Jed, grinning. “Beer not good enough for ya?”
What did that mean?
Jed smiled a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes and shook his head.
“Lay off him,” James said. “It’s his birthday. Matter of fact, I think we should order a round of shots for the whole table.”
Jed frowned. “There are kids here. Take it easy.”
“Easy for you to say,” James muttered. “Are we taking turns sneaking to the bar?”
Karen eyed the bar at the other side of the restaurant. If Jed had stopped by for a drink, she couldn’t blame him – not when she was already craving another one in the wake of the lemonade cocktail she’d recently finished. Being around Jed put her nerves on edge in a bittersweet way, and it would be nice to have something to take the edge off. Then again…
She’d blurted out her crush-confession to Mina after having half a bottle of champagne. Maybe she should resist the urge to soak her nerves in alcohol – who knew what she’d say to Jed’s face if she overindulged.
“You were right about the lemonade,” Abby said, rattling the ice left in the bottom of her drained glass. “It’s amazing. Should I ask the waitress for two more?”
“Uh…” Well, she could always sip her next drink slowly. Very slowly.
But she didn’t. The straw was making slurping sounds as she pushed it to the very bottom of the ice by the time Mina stood up at one end of the table and announced that she had a gift for Karen.
“You really didn’t have to,” Karen said, accepting the beautifully wrapped box Mina handed her.
“Of course I did,” Mina replied with a smile.
Karen untied an artfully-curled white ribbon and tore the golden wrapping paper, revealing a plain white box. When she lifted the lid, something green-grey peeked from beneath layers of tissue paper. It was soft between her fingertips as she lifted it from the box.
“Wow, Mina, this is beautiful.” It was a summertime sweater – an airy knit with short flutter sleeves, done in tones of dove grey, moss green and steely blue.
“I thought it would really bring out your eyes,” Mina said with a smile.
Karen gently lowered the sweater back into the box. Mina understood her style exactly. “I love it. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Happy twenty-fifth birthday.”
Abby said something about how the sweater would complement Karen’s hair, and Karen nodded, thanking her too as she reached automatically for her glass. Condensation cooled her fingers, at odds with the heat she could feel, the pressure of someone’s gaze.
Not just anyone’s gaze – Jed’s gaze. She could feel it. It shouldn’t have mattered – everyone had watched her open the gift, after all. But she couldn’t help noticing.
“Hey Jed, we’ve got a gift for you too,” Tyler announced, alleviating the silence.
Mina watched as Tyler waved an arm, grinning.
As if on cue, the waitress appeared, carrying a tray laden with shot glasses.
“I hereby declare that everyone must take a shot in honor of the birthday boy,” Tyler announced. He shot a quick sideways glance at Jess and her boyfriend, Blake. “Everyone of age, I mean.”
Jess and Blake were so lost in their own little world that they hardly seemed to notice the waitress lowering the glasses onto the table. Ah, young love. Karen couldn’t help but smile when she looked at the two of them. They’d been seeing each other ever since they’d attended the homecoming dance together months ago, and they were adorable.
“Hold on,” Jed said.
Karen raised her gaze, daring to look at him directly for the first time since she’d returned from the restroom. Was he really serious about not drinking in front of the kids – could he be about to send the drinks back?