Page 9 of After All This Time

His dark-blond hair is messy, as if he's been running his hands through it, while his golden skin glows under the lights.

He's hot—not my usual type, but definitely hot.

"This is Michelle, Poppy, and Natalya," Harper continues, pointing to each girl sitting around the table. I offer them all a polite smile as I tuck a stray piece of my hair behind my ear. "They're brand new, just like you."

Sitting here with these strangers is a little awkward. Okay, it's a lot awkward, or maybe I'm just awkward—hell if I know.

"So tonight is about answering any questions you might have and letting us get to know you a little. Hopefully, when you all start in a couple of weeks, it won't feel so overwhelming since you'll recognize a few faces."

I'll have to get drunk or find an excuse to leave.

"So who wants to go first and tell us about themselves?"

Screw it. I need a shot.

Two hours later, I'm four glasses of wine down, and I'm starting to feel the warmth of the alcohol spreading through me.

During that time, I found out that Poppy, a stunning redhead with freckles that look like they've been kissed onto her porcelain skin by the sun itself, had moved here from a small town in England.

Michelle used to dance with a company in Miami, but like me, the Royal Chicago Ballet is the company she's always dreamed of working for. She's unfairly beautiful, with flawless ebony skin and a head full of gorgeous, wild curls that frame her face.

Then there's Natalya. She didn't say much about herself, and honestly, she didn't have to. It's evident in the way her gaze flicks over people like she's deciding whether they're worth her time. When it comes to people, I always trust my gut, and she screams bad vibes and entitlement. It's subtle, but it's there, and it rubs me the wrong way.

"Excuse me a minute," I say, standing up and escaping to the bathroom. The second the door closes behind me, I pull out my gloss and swipe it across my lips, needing a second to reset. But before I can take a full breath, Harper bursts in and leans against the basin beside me.

"God, I had to get away from there," she says with a dramatic sigh. "Natalya just asked me if we could move on to a cocktail bar. Apparently, this place is a little trashy compared to what she's used to." My jaw drops open, and she continues, "Right? That look on your face is exactly why I'm hiding in here."

"I can't believe she said that."

"Logan nearly choked on his beer."I can't help but laugh, and she groans, rubbing her temples. "I don't know why I agreed to this."

She suddenly freezes, her eyes widening as she looks at me."Oh, god. Not this—like,this. I mean, I'm happy to be here with you. Sorry, that sounded awful."

"It's fine. I can't imagine anyone signing up for this willingly,"I say with a shrug.

"Considering nobody volunteered, you would be right."She reaches into her purse and pulls out her phone. "How can she call this place trashy?There'sa guy playing the piano, for God's sake."

"I like it here. It's different."

"I knew I'd like you the second I saw you grinning at Jason."I blink in confusion. "The guy in the window,"she clarifies.

"Oh, thanks."I chuckle as I meet her eyes in the mirror. "You wanna go straight to the bar? I'll buy us a shot, and we can hide out there instead."

"God, yes."

I push the door open, and Harper follows closely behind me.

Resting my elbows on the purple bar, I take in my surroundings. Everything in here is purple—except the tables and chairs, which are black. However, various shades of violet bathe everything else, from the walls to the lights.

"What shall we have?"Harper asks, eyeing the shelves stocked with every imaginable bottle. "Tequila? Vodka?"

"Sambuca?"She grimaces as soon as the word leaves my mouth. "Okay, no sambuca."

Harper laughs, shaking her head, and I'm sure I see her shudder a little. "I have so many bad memories from drinking that crap."

Logan stands beside me, his muscular arms resting on the bar. When I look up at him, I notice that his eyes are a deep shade of blue—nothing like Tobias's eyes.

Tobias's eyes are pale, so light they almost resemble shards of ice.

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