Monroe seems a little blitzed for a moment, too, but takes a breath and seems to come back to himself. He releases his tight hold on me and keeps his back to the crowd. “Uh, yeah. That wasn’t exactly my plan. Should we take a bow?”

“I think we’ve done enough.”

“Right. Pork?”

“You’d better be talking sandwiches.”

He laughs and loops his arm over my shoulder. “Come on, birthday girl.” He gives a wave to the crowd. “Show’s over, people.”

There are a few boos.

Half an hour later, my cheeks have finally cooled, and I’m happily finishing off the last bits of a taco. “You were right. This is freaking delicious.”

“Right? Who needs Madrid when you can get this wrapped in greasy paper?”

“Word.”

“And now for the finale. Cake!”

“You rang?” A girl with spiky, bright orange hair and possibly more tattoos than Monroe stops at our table. She sets down two cupcakes in front of us. They’re as big as softballs and smell like baked heaven.

“Wow,” I murmur.

She nods as if to say, Yes, I know they’re beyond fabulous.

She pushes one toward Monroe. “Blue Velvet for you because it’s new, and I need your honest opinion. Cory says people are naturally freaked out by blue foods, but I think he’s making shit up just so we put his newest creation on the menu instead of mine. It may stain your teeth blue for a while, by the way, but I think it’s worth it.”

Monroe eyes the bright blue cupcake with the fluffy cream-colored frosting. From the looks of it, he may be one of those people freaked out by blue foods.

The girl sticks a candle in the other cupcake. This one has deep red frosting. “And Blood and Chocolate for your girl because getting cheated on requires chocolate.” I must look worried because she adds, “Don’t worry, no real blood. It’s a dark chocolate cupcake with Blood Orange Buttercream frosting.”

“Right. Got it. Thanks.”

“Tyra and her brother like naming their baked goods after movies. Preferably horror films,” Monroe says, swiping his finger through the frosting on his cupcake and taking a lick. His eyebrows lift. “Damn, that’s good.”

“Right?” She seems pleased and adjusts the candle in my cupcake. “I want to bathe in that frosting.”

“Well, I’m not sure I’d go that far,” he says, but he’s taking another swipe.

Tyra holds out her palm to him. “Give me your lighter for your girl’s candle.”

“No can do. I quit smoking, heard it screws with your taste buds,” Monroe says, breaking off a piece of his cupcake. I try not to get distracted by the way he licks a gob of icing off his thumb.

“Taste buds,” Tyra says dryly. “Because the cancer thing just wasn’t that compelling?”

I decide I like her.

“Thanks for the cupcakes, Ty,” Monroe says, his teeth already turning a pale shade of blue. “I owe you an oil change. Just bring it by before Thursday.”

“Cool. You hitting the road after that?” she asks.

“Yep. Three months. Try not to slit your wrists from the grief of missing me.”

She sniffs. “I’m sure I’ll manage.”

I want to ask questions, participate in the conversation. But I feel a little on the outside looking in right now. So I bite into my cupcake. I can’t keep the groan of pleasure from escaping, though.

Tyra’s face lights up. “You like?”

My mouth is full but I manage a garbled, “Ohmigod.”

“Look at that, the girl has good taste, despite her questionable choice in men.” Tyra gives Monroe a pointed look.

“Hey,” he says, putting his hands out, affronted. “I’m a good guy.”

She taps the spot in front of me with her palm. “Have fun tonight, sugar. Remember, birthdays are like trips to Vegas. Whatever happens doesn’t go on your permanent record.”

I laugh. “Did he pay you to say that?”

“Didn’t have to. I saw that kiss.”

With that, she strolls off, leaving me blushing all over again.

Monroe leans onto his elbows and smiles. “Ready for alcohol now?”

“God, yes.”

Chapter 5

Natalie

I stare out at the smooth surface of the lake, leaning back on my elbows and soaking in the view. I’m still a little buzzed from the big-ass margarita I had at the bar we walked to after the cupcakes, but the fresh air feels good and the park is quiet. I’m feeling more relaxed than I have all night. I turn on my side.

Monroe is on his back in the grass, looking up at the stars. His eyes are half-mast, and I realize it’s two in the morning and I’m keeping him up after what was probably a long day at work. “You can go home, you know.”

“Don’t try to bail on me now, princess,” he says, his voice sleep-soft. “We’ve still got four hours left until sunrise.”

“You’re not going to make it four minutes.”

“Talk to me then. Keep me awake. Dance, monkey, dance.”

“Where are you going for three months?” I ask, folding my arm under my head and resting on it.

“A little bit of everywhere¸ hopefully, but eventually I’ll end up in South Carolina.” He closes his eyes fully. “A buddy of mine has a place on Myrtle Beach, and he needs someone to house-sit and take care of his two cats in August while he does some contract job overseas. I volunteered.”

“And before August?”

He crosses his arms behind his head. “I’m going to see as much of the eastern part of the country as I can. I love dive restaurants and regional food. Those are the kinds of dishes I want to put twists on if I ever open up my own place. But I haven’t eaten enough of the real thing out in the wild. So I figured I’d do my own Americana culinary tour.”

“And you can just leave your life for three months?” There’s a judgmental sharpness to my tone that I hate, but I can’t help it.

“School’s out for the semester. And my brother’s getting a part-timer to pick up the slack at the shop while I’m gone.” He rolled to face me. “So, yeah. I figured when else in my life am I going to be able to pick up and spend a summer doing exactly what I want? Driving through the Smoky Mountains, seeing the coast, eating like a king, then kicking up on the beach for a month at the end—what’s not to like?”

I stare at him, the concept of chasing some whim so completely out of my realm I can’t even wrap my brain around it. “What are you going to do for money? Where are you going to stay?”

“I’ve got some savings, so I’m good for a while. Once I get to South Carolina, I’ll probably find something in a restaurant part-time to get more kitchen experience and to add to the funds. As for where I’m staying, I’m bringing camping gear for when the weather’s good enough. But when it’s not, I’ll be driving a conversion van I refurbished. It has a bed in the back if I need it.”

“Wow, so just get on the road and figure out what’s what after you get to wherever you’re going?”

He smiles like I’m being cute. “You make it sound like I’m hopping in a spaceship to venture to Mars without supplies. This is America. If I need something, I’ll go to the store. I can make do wherever. I don’t need that much to get by.”

I consider him. He’s being totally serious. “I can’t imagine jetting off to wherever for the summer just for the hell of it.”

“How come? What do you usually do for the break? You taking summer classes?”

A breeze ruffles my dress and I smooth it down. “Usually I go home to Oklahoma and stay with my mom, get a waitressing job, and do my best not to commit matricide.”

He lifts a brow.

“It means killing your mother.”

“I know what it means, smarty-pants. Believe it or not, mechanics read books on occasion, too, even ones with big words.”