“Well, Jai and I worked together in a bar back in the day. A gay bar, actually—long closed. So long ago, it’s not even funny, so don’t even ask. Anyway, I also trained for a while in a winery in California, so I know wine, too. When Jai and Stuart approached me about the beer, I told them I could help with other alcohol. I know so many liquor distributors, I can get a discount.”

“Ah,” she said.

Erin gave the shaker a few more hard snaps of her wrist and then poured the cocktail into two small tasting glasses in front of them.

“So, Ryann—since Stuart and Maddie clearly left out some details here, the beer has already been chosen. The two of you are choosing the signature cocktail and most of the wine today. They’ve already decided they’ll have strawberry margaritas in addition to the signature cocktail, and they’ve already chosen a red wine. You and Maddie need to select the white, the sparkling, and the cocktail.”

“Why aren’t they having an open bar again?” she asked. “Why do this signature-cocktail thing?”

“It’s cost-saving,” Erin replied. “If they only need to order booze for the margaritas and the cocktail you guys choose, they’ll save a lot. It can also mean people will stick to the beer and wine, which is also cheaper. And it might mean fewer people get totally wasted.”

“That’s a stretch with the crowd that will be there—they’ll get drunk no matter what you give them,” Maddie said, laughing.

Ryann slid the little glass closer to herself. This one was tinged a slight red with orange overtones. It had the consistency of syrup, thick in the glass as she tilted it back and forth, the odor something like heady orange blossoms.

“How many cocktails are we trying?” Ryann asked.

Erin laughed and rubbed the back of her neck. “As many as you want? I have a whole library of choices in my brain. Stuart and Jai gave me some general ideas, and they want it to be red or pink, but I could still mix you as many as you want to try. I’ll try to keep them small. I’m making halves and splitting each one between the two of you, so you’re getting only a quarter of a usual drink.”

“Still sounds like a lot,” Maddie said.

“How about we put a limit on it?” Erin suggested. “Say, four quarter-sized cocktails? Three types of each of the wines? You don’t have to drink everything—just taste.”

She and Maddie made eye contact, Maddie widening her eyes slightly in alarm.

She laughed and held up the first trial in a toast. “To not getting too drunk.”

Maddie laughed and clinked glasses with her. “I’ll drink to that.”

They both drained their drinks, Ryann sputtering slightly at the cloying sweetness, Maddie’s mouth twisting with disgust.