I turned on my heel and stalked toward the bar, shoving past people with little to no regard for who the hell was in my way.
I hated that he could get me so riled up so easily.
I hated that nothing more than sex had me feeling this way.
I hated that I had so much annoyance about everything to do with him.
I shoved my way to the bar and nestled between two groups of people. For a small town, White Peak sure had one hell of a nightlife on a Friday night. Although it was tourist season and most of these people were probably hikers or the like who liked the outdoors, so that was probably the reason why.
It also helped we only had one bar in town.
“What can I get for you, Tori?”
I looked up to see Holley and Ivy’s dad behind the bar. “Two tequila shots and a gin and tonic.”
He raised his eyebrows. “That kind of day?”
“Don’t ask.”
Chuckling, he turned around and went to fulfil my order.
A body shoved into me, and right as I turned to give the person a mouthful, I smacked my lips together when my eyes caught Colton’s.
He grabbed my waist and pulled me against him so my hip was digging into his lower stomach. His lips brushed my ear when he leaned in, sending an irritating shiver down my spine, and he said, “I might come like a bitch when my dick is inside you, but you scream like one for me.”
I stiffened.
“And that’s before my dick has been anywhere near you, Victoria.”
He released me with the same vigor he’d taken hold of me.
Ooh, I was going to kill him.
Slowly and painfully.
I shook those thoughts off right as Simon returned with my drinks. I went to hand him my card, but he held up a hand.
“If you’re ordering this all for yourself, you need them more than I need your money, Tori.”
I fought back a smile. “I can’t do that.”
“Yes, can I help you?” With a fatherly wink, he headed for the other end of the bar to serve someone.
I downed the two tequila shots one after another, blinked hard as the liquor burned the back of my throat, and headed toward the karaoke area where I knew everyone was.
“Tori! Toriiiii.” Kinsley grabbed my arm and hang off it. “Let’s sing a ssssong!”
“I’m not doing Kanye,” I said quickly.
“Damn! Nobody wants to rap with me!” She let go of me and went to harass Piper for it.
“You rejected Kanye too, huh?” London sidled up next to me and put her straw between her lips. “I’m up now. Come sing with me.”
“I don’t sing, London.”
“Yes, you do.” She grabbed my hand with a grin and set her empty glass down. “I just saw you down two tequila shots, so I know for sure you sing now.” She took my glass, nudged Seb until he took my glass, and dragged me to the side of the stage.
“London, no, I—”
My protests were completely useless. She had full control of me, and she pulled me up just in time for some tourist group to finish their shocking rendition of the Cha Cha Slide.
I had enjoyed their dance moves, though.
They exited the stage, and I offered one last protest that London wholeheartedly ignored. Instead, I motioned for Sebastian to pass me my drink so I could get some of the good old Dutch courage a girl needed to stand on a karaoke stage in a packed bar and sing what, for all she knew, was from that stupid Disney movie with the talking snowman.
Jesus, if it was one of those, I was going to kick London out myself.
I took a big mouthful of my gin and tonic and regretfully took the microphone.
The music kicked in, and I had to fight back a huge laugh.
You Don’t Own Me.
This had been our defiant teenage talent show song, and I was not surprised London had selected this for her.
The irony of my recent conversation with Colton didn’t escape me.
All right.
Fine.
I’d sing.
And that was so the tequila talking, because I did not sing.
In public, anyway.
The shower, my car, into the wooden spoon in the kitchen…
“Are you actually singing in public?” Holley yelled. “Someone video this! It’s been a whole decade!”
I offered her a prime view of my middle finger as the lyrics kicked in and London sang them. Her dulcet tones rang out through the bar, and a few too many people turned to listen for me to be truly comfortable.
My stomach literally twisted.
Still, as the notes for verse two hit, I sang. It was some dumb muscle memory or some other shit, but the words fell from my tongue like I’d sung it only yesterday.
I probably had.
I was also now going to have to hibernate for three days after this exertion of energy.
We belted it out together, hitting the same notes we had as teenagers when we had way less cares in the world, but when we were done, we collapsed against each other with a laugh.
London wrapped her arm around my waist. “That was fun!” she said loudly into my ear, counteracting the music that started up. “I forgot how fun that was!”
“You have a six-year-old who demands all your attention!” I said back. “You’re forgiven!”
She hugged me, laughing, and released me with a bounce. I loved her energy and her passion. She’d brought a brightness to White Peak ever since she’d moved back.
That could have just been the gin talking, though, so…
“Thank you!” I took my glass from Sebastian. “And you didn’t drink it!”
He grinned, leaning in. “I don’t drink gin. Takes like raccoon piss.”
I wrinkled my nose up. “You owe me a drink now. Thanks.” I shoved the glass back at him, and he laughed, setting it on an empty table.
“Not a gin?”
“Not a gin,” I confirmed.
Laughing, he grabbed Josh and Colton. “Drinks?”
They both followed him, and I pretended not to notice Colt looking back at me.
“We’re going!” Ivy grabbed my hands. “Don’t want to leave Mom too long with the kids. I talked to London, and Leo is going to stay at ours with Mom, so feel free to completely corrupt her.”
“Done.” I hugged her, then Kai. “I promise to return her to you fully corrupted in every way.”
Kai stared at me flatly. “Move to water, Tori.”
“No.” Laughing, I turned away and rejoined the group, telling Piper and Saylor that I was going to the bathroom. Piper grabbed my hand to join me since women never visited the bathroom alone in a public place.
I mean, you never knew who was going to be there.
Ted Bundy.
The Candyman.
That scary bitch from The Ring.
That’s right. That’s why women went to the bathroom together.
We’d watched way too many horror movies as weak-ass teenagers to pee alone.
And Netflix documentaries as grown-ass women.
Ahem.
There was a line outside the bathroom, and I waved Piper on to jump in, telling her that I wasn’t that desperate so I’d just wait here for her. I scooted to the side away from the queue and pulled my phone out of my purse, opening up Instagram so I could mindlessly scroll through random posts I didn’t care much about.
The only people I cared about were here tonight.
I double-tapped a photo of Tegan that Ivy had posted earlier, then continued down. There were book photos from the bookstore, and Piper had been testing out her photo skills on her cupcakes with some summer flowers, so I went on a slightly-tipsy liking spree.