Chief Roberts, better known as Luke Roberts, glanced at Banger warmly.
His wife, Reece, started to laugh.
“We have more than enough to produce us twelve grandchildren already.” Reece grinned, patting Luke’s thigh. “But each time they have another one, he swears he’s not old enough yet.”
“I’m not,” Luke grumbled. “I’m in my late fifties. That’s bullshit.”
I grinned, but that grin fell off my face when I looked over to see Sareen once again twirling that champagne glass and looking like she wanted to shove it down Banger’s throat.
The other person at the table, Griffin, a man who worked for the US Marshals office, started talking with Banger next about the best places to eat.
Since, apparently, the food they were serving tonight wasn’t enough.
Which I happened to agree with. My starter had been a side salad big enough to feed a three-year-old. Followed by a broth-like soup that smelled like broccoli and brussel sprouts. And tasted like ass, too.
Followed shortly by the smallest steak I’d ever seen in my life.
Needless to say, I was with Banger.
We’d be hitting up Whataburger on the way home if that was the only thing open and there.
“So there’s pretty much only fast food any time after eight?” Banger sighed. “Not that I don’t love Whataburger, but I’ll look silly walking in with a formal dress like that.”
“The kids are actually having prom tonight.” Griffin shrugged. “I bet you’ll fit right in, to be honest.”
Banger nodded as if that was all the information she needed to hear. Then changed the subject again. This time to more ‘illicit’ topics.
“Who does that shop belong to on the corner?” Banger asked.
Griffin’s eyes sparkled as he said, “My wife owns it.”
“The sex shop?” Sareen sniffed, seemingly disgusted.
“Yes,” Griffin answered. “She was supposed to come with me but our entire shop called in because they all have strep throat. So she had to work even though I usually force her to go with me to these kinds of things. Not that she cares. She didn’t want to come to this damn ball anyway.”
I snorted. “Sounds like Banger and Lenore would’ve gotten along great.”
“I’ll have to stop by this ‘shop’ and meet her,” Banger said. “Is it a good shop?”
“It’s a sex shop,” Sareen all but snarled. “How can it be good?”
“People from all over the world order from it now.” Griffin looked pissed that he was having the defend his wife’s business.
Hell, with Sareen’s obvious abhorrence, and general disgust in the knowledge that a woman would own a sex shop—a successful one or not—it was obvious that she thought Lenore was beneath her.
Then, because she knew it would piss Sareen off, Banger turned to me and said, “And while we’re there, maybe we can find that sex swing that you were talking about.”
She’d said it so quietly that nobody could hear.
“Whattttaaaabuuuurrrrgerrrr,” Banger moaned as she stood up. “After the shop, though. I have a feeling if we don’t hurry, Griffin’s wife won’t be there long.”
Griffin threw his head back and laughed, and we followed behind him as we exited the building.
Sadly, I was very much aware, after saying our goodbyes to everyone as we left, that there would be one woman who followed behind. I just hoped she left her champagne glass at the table.
Banger, on the other hand, either didn’t know, or didn’t care, that Sareen was following us.
Because she latched on to my hand, and all but leaned her entire body into me as she laid it on rather thickly.