“What’ll you have, Skeeve?” Aahz called, heading for the bar.
I started to say ‘Wine’ but changed my mind. Whether or not Bunny was right about my drinking getting out of hand, it wouldn’t hurt to ease up a bit. Besides, Nunzio’s comment about blacking out had me more than a little uneasy.
“Just some fruit juice for me,” I waved.
Aahz paused, cocking his head at me.
“Are you sure you’re all right, partner?” he said.
“Sure. Why do you ask?”
“A while back you were talking about looking forward to having your usual, and now you’re switching drinks.”
“All right. Have it your way,” I grimaced. “A goblet of wine, then. No need to make a big thing of it.”
I leaned back and looked around the room, though it was mostly to break eye contact with Aahz before he realized I was upset. It was funny, but I found myself somehow reluctant to tell my partner my worries about my drinking. Still, it was difficult to change my drinking patterns around him without raising questions that would require an explanation. I figured that, for the moment, the easiest thing to do would be to go on as before … at least, while I was around Aahz. Later, more privately, I’d start tapering off.
One thing I noticed about the inn was that there seemed to be a lot of young people hanging around. Well, to be honest, they were about my age, but I spend so much time with the team, I tend to think of myself as older.
One table of girls in particular caught my attention, mostly because they seemed to be talking about me. At least, that was my guess, as they kept glancing my way, then putting their heads together and giggling, then glancing over again.