"It's nine o'clock on a Saturday," the jukebox proclaimed and Casey wondered who would choose Piano Man while drinking at Anthony's. Shrugging it off, he turned back to the conversation.
"And then," Dan said, gesturing wildly at the rest of the table. "Then, they told me they were one guy short for the team and could I possibly step in?"
Dan's date shot him an amused look over the top of her glasses. "And you modestly agreed to help out, I assume?" Dan's date was named Stef. She had wild corkscrew curls and a great laugh. Casey hadn't decided if he liked her or not, but her laugh won her points.
Dana had heard this story before. "Naturally, Dan here said that he'd do it. And didn't bother asking what event he'd be in." She tossed back the last of her margarita.
"Really?" Stef asked Dan.
"Really. I didn't ask until we were on the bus, nearly half-way across the state."
"So what event was it?"
"Yeah, tell her what event it was, Dan." Dana looked at her empty glass, and Casey could tell that she was thinking about ordering another one.
"Wrestling." Dan laughed. "I have no idea what made them ask me, but there I was. No wrestling experience, no idea of the basic rules, and stuck on a bus going to the state competition."
Dana smirked at Dan. "I'm still surprised they let you compete…"
Stef held up a hand and Dan paused. "Wait a minute," she said, "I need another drink. I can't concentrate on the wonder of this story if I'm thirsty."
"I'll get it for you."
"You gentleman." She kissed his cheek, and Dan reddened a little. "That's okay. I'll get you another beer, too."
"Me, too." Casey stood up when Stef did. "Another margarita, Dana?"
"Please."
"Notice how Dana lets Casey be gentlemanly," Dan said.
"It's part of my secret plan to be alone with Casey," Stef told Dan solemnly.
Dan leaned over and looked at the people stacked two deep at the bar. "Let me know how that works for you."
Casey followed Stef to the bar and used his height to attract the bartender's attention. Then he let her shout the order. The woman had a well-disciplined pair of lungs. "So, are you having fun?" he asked.
"I am. Dan's a great guy." Stef looked over her shoulder, and Casey followed her glance to where Dan was laughing hard. Dana was trying to keep a straight face, but he could see her grin starting to emerge.
"He is. He's a great guy." The bartender set two beers in front of him. Casey picked up one and watched the bartender start Dana's margarita. "The greatest."
Stef looked at him for a moment. Casey was about to ask if he had something stuck in his teeth when she smiled. "I'm thinking about having sex with him."
Casey choked on his beer.
"I say this because I got the impression you were about to ask me my intentions toward him."
Casey coughed a couple more times. "Should I apologize?"
"I'll let you know." She was smiling again. Casey really liked this girl, but her smile was starting to unnerve him. Every time she smiled, he felt like he was three steps behind in a conversation he didn't know he was having.
It was a lot like talking to Jeremy, but without the weather references.
"So tell me about Dan," she said.
Casey tried to clear his mind of the image of her as the anti-Jeremy—wrong on every possible level. "What about him?"
"All the things that aren't on the Sports Night homepage."
He made a mental note to tell Dan she'd checked out his bio. He'd be flattered. "Well, he's my best friend. He's a great writer—I guess you know that. Um, if he starts talking about a New York Renaissance? Keep warm clothing on hand."
"I have no idea what that means, but I think I'm going to be amused anyway."
Casey grinned.
"What's his family like? He mentioned his brother."
"David?"
"Sam."
"He did?" Casey felt his eyebrows hit their highest point. He did some mental re-evaluation of this woman.
She nodded, and her eyes dropped from his for the first time. "Yeah. But he didn't say anything about the rest of his family."
Casey thought about it for a minute. The bartender put Dana's drink on the bar. Stef's wine followed quickly. Dana and Dan were eyeing the two of them; he flashed a reassuring smile their way. Then he set his beer down and dug out his wallet.
"Okay," he said after he paid, pointing to the second picture in it. "Dana of course you know. And you met Natalie and Jeremy, right?"
Stef looked a little confused, but she nodded.
"This is Isaac, and I know Dan's told you about him."
"Oh, definitely. I can't wait to meet him."
"The feeling's mutual, I promise you." Casey flipped back to the first picture. "And this is my son Charlie."
She gave him another of those long looks, and Casey just waited. She was too smart for him to have to spell it out. But then she grinned. "Thank you, Casey."
"You're welcome." He handed her Dan's beer. "Let's go lie to them about what we were talking about."
"That's no fun," she said as they approached the table. "I think we should tell Dan we were plotting to run off to Jamaica together, Casey. I'm a firm believer in honesty."
Casey burst out laughing at the startled look on Dan's face. "Oh, you're not going anywhere until Dan finishes his story. He hasn't gotten to the truly humiliating part yet." He waved his hand regally at Dan. "We're here, you may continue. And don't leave out the part with the uniforms. Stef needs to hear about the uniforms."