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“Don’t worry,” Jeff said. “My tip is always oversized.”

The waitress shook her head, but she had to hold back a laugh. If Steve had said a line like that, he would have been slapped. Not that he could ever actually say something like that in the first place.

The waitress walked off.

Jeff pointed to Steve’s gla.s.s. “Get at that beer, b.i.t.c.h! It ain’t gonna drink itself!”

Cooper rolled his eyes. “By b.i.t.c.h, he means Mister Stanton.”

“Here,” Jeff said, picking up his gla.s.s, “let me show you how a real man does it.” He tipped the gla.s.s back and drank the whole thing in one pull. He set it down hard enough on the table to make the other drinks slosh a little. He belched.

“Boom!” Jeff pointed at Cooper’s mug. “Coop, get to gettin’! You, too, Steve-O! Knock it back!”

Steve glanced to the bar, to the girl, saw that she was still watching, still smiling. He didn’t want the girl to think he was a wimp, so he lifted the gla.s.s.

“I have to drink the whole thing?”

Cooper shook his head. “No, you don’t.” He shot Jeff a stern look. “This isn’t a frat party, right, Jeff?”

“Phi-drinky-drinky,” Jeff said. “What’s the matter, Steve? Are you a puh-puh-puh-p.u.s.s.y?”

Steve looked at the full gla.s.s of beer in his hand. If Jeff had done it, then so could he. He tipped the gla.s.s back. He swallowed once, twice, then his throat got so cold but he kept swallowing. Jeff screamed “go-go-go” as Steve drained the gla.s.s and set it on the table.

Jeff raised his arms high. “Winnah!”

Cooper rolled his eyes again, but clapped lightly. “You two can hang out all night. Clearly you’ve got the same testosterone problem.”

Jeff stood. “Boys, don’t go anywhere.” He walked to the bar, leaving Steve and Cooper alone.

“So, Steve,” Cooper said, “you having a good time?”

Steve nodded. His head felt all heavy and loose. “Yes. But I think I may have drunk too much.”

“I can see that. I’ll make sure you get back to the hotel safe. Now, you want to tell me what was going on back on the Mary Ellen?”

Steve felt the elation drain from his body. Why did Cooper have to bring that up now?

Cooper leaned across the table. “If Bo Pan is messing with you, maybe Jeff and I can help.”

He looked so honest, so open. Steve thought about telling him the whole story, right there and then.

And then Jeff returned, the girl with gla.s.ses at his side. Jeff slid in next to Cooper, the girl with gla.s.ses sat down next to Steve.

“Boys, meet Becky,” Jeff said. “Becky just so happens to be one of my favorite names.”