Page 36 of Unforgettable You

Chapter Sixteen

Sophie

My hands sweated and shook as I approached the entrance of Sapph. I had my cute dress on under a jacket, I’d put my hair up, and I’d worn my favorite gold jewelry.

I thought I looked pretty cute. Or as cute as I could get without professional help.

There were a few people hanging around outside smoking and vaping and talking. I stood on the sidewalk looking up at the sign for a few minutes.

I could do this. And if I decided I didn’t like it, I could leave.

Reid was here. She wouldn’t let anything bad happen to me.

My decision made, I paid the cover and stepped inside.

I’d prepared myself for it to be crowded, but the reality was a little scarier. Bodies packed together in a small space while loud music pounded through speakers and everyone shouted so they could hear each other.

Oh shit. What the hell had I gotten myself into?

Fighting the urge to bolt, I moved further into the bar. I could leave if I needed to. I could leave if I needed to.

Once I had adjusted a little bit to all the noise and the darkness, I looked to the right where the bar took up a huge portion of the wall with people packed together and trying to get the attention of at least one of the bartenders.

I didn’t care about the others. I had to get the notice of one bartender in particular.

There she was. A little hard to spot, but I found her. She walked the length of the bar balancing several glasses with poise as she set them down and then swiped a credit card. Reid still moved like a dancer. I knew she had quit, but I didn’t know when and I didn’t know why. As far as I knew, she’d been a hardcore badass ballerina and on her way to becoming a professional dancer. I imagined one day I would buy a ticket to see her on stage in New York City under the sparkling lights. She’d been talented. I remembered her spending summers getting invited to special dance camps and programs all over the US.

Reid didn’t talk about dance anymore. Something must have happened, but I didn’t want to ask in case it was painful. She also didn’t talk about her mom. I knew it had been just the two of them and that things had always been rocky.

One of these days I was going to find out what made Reid tick.

Using a little bit of force, I pushed my way through the crowd and found a place at the bar to stand. Reid was on the other end and a different bartender spotted me. She had silver septum piercing in her nose that winked in the light and full sleeves of tattoos on both arms.

“What can I get you, sweetheart?” I blushed at the endearment.

“Um, I’m actually hoping to say hi to Reid. We’re friends.” I’d told her that I might show up tonight, but I hadn’t sent her a message or anything warning her ahead of time in case I changed my mind.

“Friend of Reid’s? Sure,” she said, but I could tell she didn’t believe me. She went to tap Reid on the shoulder and gestured to me. I waved to Reid and saw her lips twitch with a suppressed smile. She said something in the ear of the other bartender and came over to me.

“Hey Soph. You made it,” she said, her voice quiet, but I could still hear it over everything else. I could probably hear her voice anywhere.

“I did!” I said way too loudly. “Sorry.”

She smiled and my heart did a slow little roll in my chest. She looked so good her under the purple neon lights. Sexy as hell, her dark hair lit up and her eyes hooded and mysterious.

She looked like a fantasy, and I bet she got hit on all the time. Reid could have anyone she wanted. I couldn’t believe she’d agreed to help me.

“What do you think?” she asked, completely ignoring everyone else trying to get her attention. I leaned forward, flattered and also desperate to get closer to her. Being near her somehow made everything seem less intense. The noise and colors and people didn’t press on me so hard now that she was here in front of me.

“It’s a lot,” I said. “But I’m glad I pushed myself and came. And I think I should have a drink.” There. I’d decided to stay.

Reid winked at me and I wished I was sitting down. That wink was devastating. Good thing she hadn’t unleashed it on me before.

She was fully in her zone as a bartender. Playing her role like she’d once played a dying swan on the stage in a white costume.

“What can I get you?” she asked. Oh shit, I hadn’t studied the menu. Panic gripped the back of my neck as my skin went hot and cold with anxiety. I always looked up menus before going anywhere so I could decide ahead of time, but I hadn’t done that tonight. Shit.

“Hey,” Reid said, her tone sharp. I’d frantically been trying to read the menu hung high above her head. “I’ll make you something you’ll like.”

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