“Oh, my god, you guys went all out tonight,” I say, lifting a piece of ice from the bucket and popping it into my mouth.

Dottie, Keith, and Sondra share knowing smiles, which sparks my curiosity. These bitches are planning something…

“What song are you going to sing tonight, Winter?” Sondra asks with a smirk.

“I don’t know. Any suggestions?”

“‘Reunited’ by Peaches and Herb.” Dottie says a little too quickly.

Sondra arches an eyebrow. “‘Let’s Stay Together’ by Al Green.”

“‘Never Really Over’ by Katy Perry,” Keith adds, making Sondra and Dottie laugh.

My eyes narrow on my friends. “What are you hussies up to?” I ask suspiciously.

“I’m going to get some shots.” Dottie smiles, ignoring my question. “Tequila?”

“White tequila,” Keith says, and Sondra and I nod in agreement.

“Ah, the top shelf shit. Got it.” Dottie pops up from her seat and bops toward the bar.

Whatever they’re up to, I don’t care, because my friends are happy. They’re happy that I’m happy. This is nice. I’ve been so hung up on how hurt I am over Aleck, I forgot to remember all the ways my life is amazing. Having not one, but three best friends who would stop at nothing to pull me from the pits is everything.

Sasha, the karaoke DJ, steps onto the stage, making a few people from the crowd whistle.

“Phew!” she blows into the microphone theatrically, and saunters across the stage in her black combat boots covered in spikes. “Thank god it’s Friday!”

The crowd cheers and whistles. Dottie slides into her seat and sets four shots in the center of the table, then slides a shot in front of each of us.

“To friends…” she says, holding her shot in the air.

“To family,” Keith adds.

“And to that dress,” Sondra says, nodding at me, making us all chuckle.

We tap our shots on the table before throwing them back into our throats, just as the melody of “Please Don’t Go” by Boyz II Men starts playing in the background, making me almost choke.

“What’s wrong?” Sondra nudges Dottie with her elbow, a gesture I ignore.

I shake my head, a reminiscing smile curling my lips. “Nothing,” I murmur. I don’t want to tell them Aleck loves Boyz II Men or that, for reasons beyond me, I love them now too.

“Okay, so, remember Simon Ripples?” Dottie asks.

We all look at each other knowingly and laugh.

“Mm-hmm,” Keith says. “Every time you say his name, I think of that drag king, Dick Ripples. Remember him?”

“Oh, at Mary’s? Yes. Good lord, he was hot.” I fawn over the memory.

“Well…” Dottie continues. “We’re going out tomorrow night. He finally called.”

Sondra scrunches her nose. “Where’s he taking you? The gym smoothie bar?”

Keith and I laugh, but Dottie turns up her nose. “No. We’re taking a class at Primo Gainz, then having lunch at Greenleaf.”

Sondra, Keith, and I stare at each other wide-eyed for approximately three seconds before we throw our heads back and laugh like Dottie just pissed her pants.