She shrugs. “I don’t really talk about me much.”

“You should,” Jace says. “How are we supposed to give you a good celebration?”

“It’s not a big deal,” she says, but it is. She may not think so, but some people do care.

Like me.

But I don’t say that, instead I lean against the sink, crossing my arms over my chest and watch as they set up twenty-one shot glasses. Filling each glass, Markus then stands on the counter before cupping his hands around his mouth and making a loud bird-calling noise. Baylor jumps, looking up at him like he’s crazy, while everyone gathers around.

“Today is our girl Baylor’s twenty-first birthday! So first, let’s get to singing for her!”

“Whoa, no, ha-ha,” she tries to stop him while her face turns bright red, but everyone is already singing. When a little grin comes over her face, I find myself grinning too as I sing along. She’s cute when she’s embarrassed. Since she isn’t holding the box any longer, I’m able to drink her in further. She’s wearing a tank with the words “My Cup Size is Stanley.” Her jeans sit low on her hips while a black leather jacket hangs big on her shoulders. With those lips that bright red color that I am finding I love, she looks classically retro, if that makes sense. What doesn’t make sense, though, is how quickly she turns me on.

When her hazel eyes meet mine, her teeth come out to sink into her bottom lip, and I have to stand up off the sink just to catch my breath as everyone finishes singing.

“Thanks, guys,” she says shyly, her face bright red, matching the shade of her lips.

“Sure! Now, time to do your shots.”

She laughs. “Excuse me?”

“Twenty-one shots for the big twenty-one!”

She shakes her head. “There is no way I can do all that at once!”

Markus laughs as Jace says, “No, we know, but you can’t leave this spot till you’re finished. Which means people can keep refilling your shot glasses.”

“What!” she screeches, laughing, and I hide my grin.

“Truth, get started! You have twenty-one minutes before people can start refilling.”

“You guys suck!” she complains, and Markus nods.

“True, but I’ll do one with ya,” he supplies.

“So will I,” Jace says, taking a glass too.

That isn’t the way it works. Usually the person is on their own, but I’m glad they are helping her out. She’d be shit-drunk because I know she’d finish ’em all before the twenty-one minutes were up. They all clink their glasses together and down the shots. When they slam the glasses on the counter, Baylor’s face is priceless while Jace and Markus yell out like two frat boys.

“That’s right, Moore! Get it done!” Markus says, shaking her by her shoulders.

“Hurry up, so we can do a keg stand!” Jace says, and then they both run off, leaving Baylor with her shots.

Looking up at me, she asks, “What if I dump ’em all out?”

I smile, shaking my head. “You won’t.”

She lets out a breath and nods. “I won’t, but ugh. I’m gonna be so pissy drunk.”

“For sure,” I say, coming up to the counter, it being the only thing putting space between us. If it weren’t there, I’d stand as close as I could just to enjoy her scent. I remember it being very flowery, almost fruity though. Her scent is as complex as she is. Mind-blowing really.

Taking one of the shots, I say, “Happy birthday.”

She smiles before taking another shot and clinking it against mine. We down the shots, and while she chases it with the Coke she brought, I down mine with beer.

“That’s a lot of Jack,” I say, shooting another glass as she shrugs.

“Wanted to bring enough for the team.”

“Trying to buy their vote?”

She shakes her head. “Nope, don’t need to,” she says in her snide little way.

“Hmm, I don’t know. I’m probably gonna get it without buying them off.”

“We will see,” she says before taking a shot. Laying the glass down, she says, “You know it isn’t a vote, right? My dad picks the captain.”

I didn’t know that, but I shrug. “He’ll pick who the team loves.”

“Maybe. But after tonight, I could pull ahead,” she say, leaning against the counter. “I did bring the liquor.”

A grin pulls at my mouth as I nod, picking up a glass, and she does the same. Clinking them together, I say, “You did.”

Shooting mine, I lay my glass down and say, “Nice jacket.”

She looks down and then back up at me, a small smile on her lips. “Thanks.”

“It’s old?”

She nods. “It was my mom’s.”

Biting the inside of my cheek, I nod. It’s well known that her mom is a very touchy subject—how could it not be? But still I feel really bad for what I said so long ago. Reaching for another shot, for liquid courage, I guess, I shoot it and she grins. “You’re taking all my shots.”

I shoot another and grin back at her. “I’m helping you out.”

“Thank God,” she says, laughing before shooting one. “I should have just said no.”

“They wouldn’t let you, and it’s good, you are being a team player. Good job.”

She glares playfully. “I’ve been a team player.” I look at her skeptically, and she shrugs. “I’m trying, okay?”

I laugh at that and nod. “Yeah, you are.”

“I didn’t want to come.”

“Never would have guessed that.”

Her eyes narrow a bit before she rolls them.

“Why is that?” I ask then, and she shakes her head.

“I don’t want to make friends just for them to not give two shits about me later.”

“Sounds like you have experience with that?” I note, and she nods.

“When I was in Arkansas, I made a lot of friends from my team, or who I thought were friends. And as soon as I left, they didn’t care. They were happy I was leaving.”

“They were jealous,” I say, holding a glass up to her. “They couldn’t handle your awesomeness.”

She smiles, clinking her glass to mine. “That’s what I said.”