Page 64 of Masked

“As usual, I thank you for not going to my place.”

“Oh, that’s right, you own a couple of bars in the area. I’ve been such a bookworm the past few years that I’ve been to like one bar in the city.”

“I can tell you the ones to avoid if you suddenly decide you want to become a bar hopper,” Olivia said with a wink.

Carrie Mercer clapped her hands together. “I want some live music. Can we go find some?”

“The Studio!” Olivia shouted. “I keep meaning to go back there because the owner is really fucking bad ass. But I never have time for bars unless one of you drag me out.”

Everyone seemed to like Olivia’s suggestion, but Reva couldn’t help but worry about whether someone would see her there again.

“I’ll tell security we’re changing venues. This place is a little too crowded for me anyway,” Darci said.

Twenty minutes later they were in the car and heading in that direction.

She’d had a long day at work, and Darci invited her to come out with her and her girlfriends. Noah hadn’t contacted her, and she was feeling uncertain about where they stood with everything going on with Parker, so she’d gone out.

Now it was nearing ten at night, and she was wondering if she would hear from him.

“Put the phone away, Reva,” Carrie said. “Noah goes silent sometimes. The job requires it and you’ll just torture yourself looking for a call.”

She sighed. “You’re right. It’s just hard.”

Carrie held out her hand. “I’ll keep an eye on it for you and tell you if there’s a call.”

Fuck it. Carrie was right she needed to relax and enjoy the evening. With the semester getting into full swing and the duties at work increasing, she wouldn’t have time for nights out for a while. She stuck the phone in the woman’s hand and everyone clapped.

At the lounge, they picked out a table near the stage and ordered another round of drinks. As the drinks were arriving, Another woman walked in and pulled out a chair.

“You must be Adara. I’m Reva Calhoun.”

Adara’s eyes lit up. “Oh! I just read one of your articles.”

Reva blushed. “Really? I never think of those journals as something people actually read.”

Adara laughed. “I’m working on a project for the city and your research was really helpful. Did you finish your degree?”

“I’m working on my last year of classes now and will be ABD by summer. The dissertation has been coming along nicely, so I’m hoping that only takes another year to complete after I’m done with the classes. My advisers have really helped me hone my plan of attack for the study so that I don’t have to wait years for the results.”

“That’s outstanding.”

Carrie raised her glass again. “To a group of bad ass women. We’ve got a politician, a business owner, a human rights activist, a PhD, and a journalist.”

Darci shoved her shoulder. “Excuse me. Don’t you mean New York Times bestselling, Pulitzer prize-winning journalist?”

“Listen, I was trying to lift you all up. Not brag about myself. But yes. I did mean all of those things.”

Reva looked around the table and smiled. It was so nice to have a group of girlfriends who supported each other with such fierceness.

An hour later, the women were well into their second drinks when Q approached them and touched Reva on the shoulder. “Can I talk to you in the back for a second?”

She frowned but stood and followed the woman.

“What’s going on?”

“When was the last time you looked at your phone, sweetie?”

Shit. “I gave it to one of my girlfriends so I wouldn’t keep obsessing.”

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