30

Max carried Alexa out of the bar, shuffling past a few drunk people stumbling out the door. He caught sight of his former boss, Sam, prancing about like always and yelling at the bartenders. He had planned to have a check on the bar operations, but he wouldn’t be able to do that today anymore due to Alexa’s circumstance.

As if on cue, the woman in his arms suddenly shifted, and he looked downward to see her staring at him unblinkingly. Her eyes widened, coupled with the redness all over her face, she looked like some ethereal creature, but thankfully, Max was strong minded enough to not be shocked by her.

He stared at her and asked evenly, “Are you awake?”

She didn’t react or even blink at first, and Max furrowed his brows. But just when he thought she was probably still delirious, she suddenly slurred, “Max?”

“Yeah, it’s me. What were you doing there?”

She blinked a couple of times as if trying to make sense of what was going on, bu