| |
After Amanda cashed in her winnings, she insisted they go for a drink to celebrate. Sady didn't know how Amanda was still on her feet, but since they couldn't go back to the room, they went to the lounge. Amanda ordered a round for them after they sat.
“This is a first,” Matt remarked. “Amanda's actually paying for herself... and someone else?”
“Don't push your luck, Stubbles, because it's all in my pocket tonight. Now shut up and drink!”
Sady looked at the drink in front of her. “What is it?” she asked Matt.
“It's a bomb shot,” he replied. “You might want to take it slow.”
“Wrong!” Amanda interrupted. She downed hers and said to Sady, “That's the proper way to drink a bomb shot.” Sady stared in amazement. All that alcohol and Amanda seemed to be as sober as when they arrived at the casino. Maybe she was the expert, not Matt.
Sady downed her drink then shuddered! Matt shook his head and ordered appetizers. It would be a long night. “I bet you can drink a frat house under the table,” he accused Amanda.
“I have, and I can,” she announced proudly before ordering another round. The drinks arrived before the food and Sady downed another. She was soon swaying in the booth, singing to herself.
“Just remember she doesn't,” Matt told Amanda, pointing to Sady. When the server arrived with the appetizers Amanda tried to order another round. Matt interrupted. “Bring this one,” he pointed at Sady, “a Shirley Temple.”
Sady giggled. “A Shirley Temple. I get it!” She punched Matt in the arm and took a sip from his unfinished first drink. He snatched it from her with a glare and shoved the food her way. This was getting out of hand. Even Amanda had a tolerance limit. Imagining himself with two drunk women on his hands- this situation could quickly get out of hand unless he did something about it.
He turned to Amanda and said, “Amanda, don't you let Sady leave this table. She's likely to walk out the front door and land in Mexico in her current condition. Watch her!” Amanda waved her hand like he was a bothersome pest.
Matt went to the front desk. “I need a room.” The woman behind the desk said, “We're booked, but let me see if there's been any cancellations.” She checked her computer. “I have one room cancellation, but I'm not sure...”
“I don't care what it is, I'll take it,” he replied handing her the company credit card with no guilt. It wasn't his fault they were in this predicament.
“How many key cards?”
“Two.” He paid for the room and grabbed the key cards. Before going back to the lounge he found Amanda's favorite security guard. His name tag read Travis.
“Hey, buddy, can you do me a favor?” The guard raised his brows and Matt handed him a big tip. “The woman who won at the craps table earlier- the one you tossed the other night? She's celebrating in the lounge right now. When she's finished will you make sure she gets to this room okay?” Travis nodded and Matt gave him the key card.
Amanda was still pounding drinks when he got back to the lounge. Sady was half asleep, draped over the table with her hand grasping her Shirley Temple. Amanda raised her glass to Matt, splashing some over the rim. “I didn't let her out of my sight.”
Matt lifted Sady's head by her hair and she glared at him. “Put me down.” He lowered her head down to the table.
“Are you ready to leave?” he asked with a grin.
“No, Shirley and I haven't finished yet.” Matt took her drink and poured it into one of Amanda's empty glasses.
“How about now?”
She peeked at him and tried to wink. After blinking several times, she shrugged and said, “Ask Amanda if she's going to sneak me another bombed drink first.”
“Don't look so stern,” Amanda scolded Matt when she saw his expression. “You left and I never drink alone.”
“You bought her another one?” Matt asked incredulously while Sady giggled hysterically.
“I refuse to answer that on the grounds that I might be drunk.” Amanda and Sady thought it was hilarious.
Matt shook his head and asked Sady, “Can you walk?”
“I dunno. Help me up 'n I'll see.” More laughter from the two women.
Matt pulled Sady across the booth and said to Amanda, “When you're done here just go find your security guard Travis.”
“That's more like it, Stubbles. Make sure you don't lose Sady.” The girls laughed again while Matt pulled Sady to her feet.
“You wanna know how to hide you been drinking?” Sady asked.
“Not really.”
She gave him a huge smile, “Walk real slow.” To prove her point, she took tiny steps, placing each foot carefully and slowly ahead the other.
“What happens if you're in a hurry?” he asked.
She thought about it and said, “Dunno. I never been in a drunk hurry.”
“I didn't think so,” he sighed, taking her arm, trying to move her along at a faster pace.
She stubbornly refused to cooperate. She stopped and looked up at him. “I like your eyes.”
“Thanks, Sady. I like your eyes too. Now are you sure you can't walk faster?” They hadn't even made it to the elevator.
“Nope.”
“Okay.” He leaned down and hoisted her over his shoulder. Her head was dangling down his back.
“Hey! You have a cute butt,” she yelled.
“Stop that!” he scolded when she reached down and patted his bottom.
“You gonna carry Amanda too? What's so funny?”
Matt set her down and used his key card. Finally! He opened the door and laughed. CJ would blow a gasket. It was a honeymoon suite, for crying out loud. Well, that's what they got for tying up the three bedrooms in their suite.
Sady was still standing in the hall where Mat had set her. He took her arm and pulled her into the room. “Hey, you're s'posed to carry me over the door in this room. You gonna carry Amanda over the door too?” She shrieked with laughter.
Matt pushed her toward the bathroom with a laugh. Sady stopped to take off her shoes and nearly fell. She was hopping drunkenly on one foot, trying to remove her other shoe. After she succeeded she gave her shoes a puzzled look. With a shrug she tossed them over her shoulder. Matt ducked to avoid them.
Five minutes later she yelled from the bathroom, “I'm done!” He closed his eyes and prayed she wouldn't be sitting on the toilet like little Bea Davis, waiting for someone to come help her finish. He opened the door and found Sady standing by the sink.
“Look. Toothbrushes. I brushed.” She waved one at him.
“That's good, Sady. If you're done, you can put the toothbrush on the counter.” She dropped it on the floor and smiled. Matt took her arm again and pulled her toward the bed.
She stopped and giggled. “I thought the bed would be a heart.” She hopped on the bed and bounced a few times, almost bouncing herself onto the floor. “Lotsa springs. Good thing, huh?” She elbowed Matt and tried to wink. “You don't like bouncing?”
“Not tonight, Sady. Now will lie down and go to sleep?”
She threw herself down and pretended to snore with one eye open. “Fooled you!” She rolled over to the middle of the bed and fell asleep. Matt had a hard time getting her under the blankets. She was completely out and a dead weight.
He no longer got Sady settled when the door opened and Travis tried to get Amanda into the room. He had a torn uniform, messy hair, and lipstick all over his face.
Sweating heavily, he tried to pry Amanda's hands off his body. “A little help?” he asked Matt. They tag teamed to release the poor guard. “Dude, you must have a death wish. I caught their act at the Can-Can Club. Hope you survive the night!” He ran for the door.
Amanda draped herself over Matt now, and he had a hard time maneuvering her. “Amanda, do you want to use the bathroom?” She gave him a glassy stare and ignored him. Matt took it as a no and groaned as he worked her toward the bed. He was sweating like the guard when he got Amanda onto the bed. There was no way he would fight to get her under the blankets, so he left her where she landed.
He tried getting comfortable in a chair, but it didn't work. He looked over at the bed. Sady was in the middle, Amanda was on one side... plus it was a king-size bed. He didn't hesitate any longer. He climbed in next to Sady, thinking about the first time they met. They'd shared a bed then, at the Sinful Inn- the worst hotel ever, he thought with a fond smile.