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Chapter One

Lucky

"Wanna fuck?"

Lovely approach "Does that line ever actually work for you?"

The tactless drunk at least has the decency to look a little e with a coive it another try"

"All right" He gulps back the rest of ill now be the last vodka tonic he’s served tonight and slurs, "You got a nice rack"

I shaketo help the clueless ass After taking drink refill orders fro to the s her heart out, butchering "Hey Jude" The sound is akin to nails scraping down a blackboard

Don’t getis way too long It needs to be retired per The drunkards in the front roay their ar in on the off-key, off-pitch, off-beat ht it stillquietly to etting drunk as soon as this place e crescendo of the chorus Suddenly, the singer on stage goes for the last na na na nananana and her voice breaks into a horrific earsplitting screech

"I eneral direction of the se at the other end of the bar and shake my head

"She’s not that bad actually"

I make a face that conveys what I don’t say out loud, and Avery rolls her eyes as she finishesmy drink order

"You know, you could always show her how it’s done"

I load my tray with the four drinks she’s er up atback to the table of fourat the wall lined with frahten a crooked picture ofover each other’s shoulders They’re both sweatyjam session It was taken at the bar’s one-year anniversary party Seeing Dad’s ss out ress

"You ladies going to get up there and sing tonight?" I ask, trying to be friendly as I hand off three mojitos and a tequila sunrise It’s the third tequila sunrise for the redhead with the thick bun wrapped at the nape of her neck She’s already feeling no pain

"I would love to," slurs the redhead, "but I need to have a few more drinks before I’ll have the nerve"

I nod, never one to push people past their li a cream silk button-down blouse--buttons fastened all the way to the top--with a navy pencil skirt andher conservative ensemble The outfit pairs perfectly with the de under the table catches my eye--and it’s not her impeccably crossed ankles It’s the shoes They definitely don’t go with the rest of the package Five-inch Mary Jane stilettos, the red soles a dead giveaway that there is hts a week for the last seven years here at Lucky’s has taught me a lot about people I can usually spot a closet Beyoncé wanna-be ain front of her bedroo into her hairbrush wearing nothing but those nine-hundred-dollar Louboutins

The crowd has doubled in the last half hour It’s Saturday night and the late movie across the street just let out I jump behind the bar to help Avery for a little while and tell the DJ to throw on sos sloenty