Page 67 of Counting On You

Out of my periphery, I notice two bouncers guiding my unwanted admirer through the gathering crowd.

I throw my hands up in exasperation. “Why do men always feel the need to lie? Do you think women are stupid? We always know when you’re lying. For once, stick to the truth.” I turn back to the barman who pretends to be busy rearranging bottles, but in reality he’s staring just like everyone else in the vicinity. “Three more drinks of what I just had.” The barman glances at me, then at Kade as though to get his permission. I’m so angry I could crawl up a wall. “Don’t ask the prick. I’m the one buying,” I mumble.

Kade sighs, sliding into the seat next to me. “Vicky, what are you doing? This is vodka.”

“Good eye, Sherlock Holmes.” I take a sip of my glass and grimace. This stuff is so bad, I can’t believe people are paying good money to drink it. “I’m having fun, Kade. Join the party.”

“This isn’t fun.” His hand stops me from taking another sip. “You’re going to make yourself very sick.”

Scoffing, I stab my finger in his chest, emphasizing every word as I say, “That’s. Not. Your. Fucking. Business. Now, let me have my drink.”

He lets go of my hand but doesn’t back off. “You have to stop.”

“I can’t.” Does my voice sound a bit slurred? Or is it this music that’s made my head spin—and not in a good way.

“Fuck, Vicky. How many drinks have you had?” Kade asks.

I try to remember…and fail. “Two? Three? Four? Who’s counting?”

“You’re drunk.” His statement makes me all defensive.

“I’m not. See, I can still walk straight.” I jump up from my seat, and everything begins to shift and sway.

Kade’s arms wrap around me just as I’m losing my balance. “That’s it. I’m taking you home.”

“Home?” I laugh so loud heads are turning to stare. “I don’t have a home, but thanks for offering.”

We’re backin the limousine, and my head’s resting against the cold glass. But the coldness seeping into my skin does nothing to soothe the loud thumping sound hammering inside my head. Everything is spinning, and not in a rollercoaster fun kind of way.

There’s a long pause as Kade opens the cabinet and pours himself a drink.

I stretch out my hand. “Can you get me one, too?”

“You’ve had enough for today,” he says decisively.

“What’s one more? I’m an adult. I can have as many drinks as I want.”

“You’re going to make yourself sick.” His tone is still authoritative, but I can hear his resolve crumbling. Iaman adult, and he can’t tell me what to do.

I stretch out my hand again.

With a sigh, he hands me his drink.

“What’s going on?” I feel his weight as he settles in the seat inches from me.

“I’m fine,” I mumble.

“You don’t look fine. You look upset, and I’ve had enough of not knowing what’s going on.”

“It’s Bruce,” I say after a drawn-out breath. “I think he’s back with his ex.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I just have this feeling.” I shrug my shoulders and look up, expecting him to start ridiculing my ‘feelings’ the way guys always do.

“Why don’t you tell me about him?” Kade says. He looks tired, the way you do after a long night out, but his expression is earnest, interested.

I shake my head, not willing to talk about him.

---