The lighting in the bar was romantic and low, so much so Marianna had to turn the setting up on her phone to see the message her mother sent her. With a grunt of annoyance, she tossed the device into her purse and leaned back in her seat, pinching the bridge of her nose. Damn did she need something stronger than a Screwdriver to forget the argument she had with the prudish woman earlier.

"Are you going to continue nursing that drink?" Zachary asked.

The said man sat across from her in a pewter chair wearing what Mari could only describe as fierce. He sat his Long Island Tea down on the table and frowned.

"Is it the Dragon Lady again?"

Mari snorted at the nickname he gave her mother.

"Yeah. She has been blowing up my phone since she left for her trip. Leaving me alone for a week wasn't something she was thrilled about, but dad swayed her with the promise that I keep in touch."

"Because of the party? Is she still mad about that?" Zachary asked.

Mari shook her head.

"It was a month ago, but she doesn't trust me."

To celebrate her mother's inauguration as the Deputy Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, Mari threw a get-together but things got out of hand and she ended up on the backside of the news. Her mother received a lot of backlash for the damages Mari caused and since then she wasn't subtle about expressing her disappointment to her daughter. Like she had been all afternoon; it was irksome.

"I don't blame her for being concerned, but I can't even take a piss without her worrying that I am going to put a dent in her reputation," Mari mentioned.

It was an honest mistake.

Picking up her Screwdriver, she finished it, despite it being watered down. Her stomach was in knots.

"On a better note," Zachary said with a hum. He peeked over the rim of his glass and motioned to something behind her. "The guy at the end of the bar is cute."

Mari peered over her shoulder with no care as to whether or not the stranger could see her staring. From afar she could recognize his sharp features; high cheekbones and full lips. Zachary was right; he was cute.

"Should we send him a drink?" Mari asked.

Zachary grinned.

"Depends. Are you wanting to get laid?"

"Are you?" Mari countered.

After the morning she had, yes.

Zachary waved over the barkeep, a charming young man named Quincy, and ordered a shot for the gorgeous stranger. Mari turned back around once the barkeep walked off, facing her rambunctious friend. A minute or two later, Quincy returned.

"Ma'am," he greeted as he approached the table. Quincy sat a shot of whiskey down in front of her. "Compliments of the gentleman at the bar."

Mari thanked him and watched as he walked off, then turned and faced the stranger, thanking him as well with the shot in the air. Tossing it back, the liquid burned her throat on the way down.

"I think he's trying to get me drunk," Mari mentioned, resisting a cough.

"It's OK honey, you don't have to try hard, she's easy," Zachary shouted.

Mari scoffed.

"You're just jealous."

"He's too strait-laced for me. He's wearing a suit with the tie undone; wife problems most likely," he assessed. "But he is cute."

Mari hummed in disappointment.

"That's a shame. I'm not in the mood for extra baggage tonight."

She tossed the stranger a wave and turned around in the seat, facing her friend.

"Do you want to hit up Euphoria tonight? I want to dance."

Dulces Sueños was great for relaxing, but Mari wanted to drown in music and fade in a mass of horny drunk people.

Zachary hummed.

"You know I do."

He hopped up and paid for their drinks, then came back over to the table to retrieve his coat. Mari peeked at her phone again, rolling her eyes at the spam of messages, then gathered her purse. As she walked out of the cocktail bar, she met eyes with the gorgeous stranger again. Her heart swooned as he gave her a cheer with his shot glass.

She had no idea that later in the week she'd see him again.