Page 28 of Waiting for Sunshine

As.

Shit.

I had been spending every second that I could in that little studio upstairs, blasting my music in my headphones and letting my brush strokes express all the things I had been feeling lately. The way my stomach flipped any time I was around Max, the way I would let my mind wander with dirty thoughts about him. How happy I was to be back home and surrounded by my best friends constantly. It was all transferred from the confines of my mind, onto a canvas.

It was now the night before Christmas Eve. Lauren and Leah had just gotten to the house looking like the fierce beings that they are. Lauren wears her short, shoulder-length brown hair in loose waves, her makeup consists of winged liner, and red lipstick on top of an absolutely flawless foundation. She has on black ripped skinny jeans, red stilettos, and a red bodysuit paired with her black jacket.

Leah has her long auburn hair pulled up halfway, with a few pieces framing her face. She wears a dark green sweater dress and tan suede boots that hit her knees, her makeup simple with a light foundation, blush, and mascara. A timeless look for a timeless soul.

Taylor and I, being the procrastinators that we were, still have on our baggy t-shirts and sweatpants while we do our hair and makeup in her master bathroom with Ashnikko bumping on the Bluetooth speaker. Her bathroom has a double vanity so we get ready in here on nights we go out.

We normally do a movie and margaritas for our annual Christmas girls' night, but this year we decided to go out before coming home and getting cozy with the Grinch.

“Any idea what you guys’ are wearing yet?” Lauren asks as she fluffs her hair.

“I think I have my outfit picked, it just depends on whether or not it looks as good on me, as it does in my head,” I answer as I finish putting curls in my hair. I decided to go easy on the makeup tonight, doing a thin winged liner and nude eye shadow.

“What color are you wearing?” Leah asks.

“White top, denim pants, olive shoes,” I tell her while taking one final look in the mirror.

“Then you need this.” Lauren hands me a darker brown lip color. I raise a brow at her and she just shakes her head.

“Trust me, Shane. We’re making statements tonight. Don’t be afraid to stand out.” She hands me the lipstick and I put it on. I lean back and examine the result.

“Okay, what kind of makeup wizard are you?” I tease. I honestly didn’t think I could ever pull off such a dark lip, but here I am. Doing the dang thing. Lauren has a gift when it comes to knowing what makeup would look good on others.

I get dressed in my long-sleeved, white bodysuit. It’s a ribbed material that feels like heaven but has a scoop neck that makes it just sexy enough to wear out dancing. I pair it with my dark skinny jeans and my olive green booties.

It feels so good to not be in my bar tee or usual sweatshirt and leggings combo that I wear when I paint or go out for errands.

Once Taylor and I finish getting dressed we are out the door. Chattahoochies recently made changes that allowed for a dance floor. Once eleven o’clock hits people are packed in and flooding the dance floor, and for my friends that was all they needed to hear. So off dancing, we went.

* * *

MAX

I am on closing shift with Ruby tonight, and the bar is starting to pack ‘em in. Rubes convinced me to move some tables around in the bar to make a dance floor for the late-night crowd. I fought her on it at first because this is absolutely not that kind of bar, but Ruby is one tough broad to say no to. So now we have a fucking dance floor.

It was flooded with a bachelorette party last night which made it seem ten times louder in here than normal. I moved behind the bar to make drinks for some of my regulars when my attention is pulled to the festive bunch that just walked through the door.

Shane, Taylor, Leah, and Lauren are all in variations of white, red, and green. It is a subtle kind of festive, but still making the statement I’m sure they are going for. They sit at one of the booths along the wall and Heather goes over to take their order. I watch Shane laughing with her friends, her radiant smile lighting up the whole damn place.

Jackie calls me back to the kitchen as the delivery guy shows up, so I can receive the last-minute holiday order I’d put in. I needed to replenish things we were almost out of before tomorrow, thank god my delivery guys liked me.

I keep Chattahoochies open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, unlike most places around here. I wanted there to be a place open for the people who had nowhere else to go on those days, so I make sure we are stocked for the occasion. No one should be alone on Christmas, even ifIam the only company they have.

Once I get done checking everything off the invoice I leave Jackie to store the supplies, and I head back out front. I notice Tucker has wandered in and is sitting at his usual stool, I give him a nod before my eyes involuntarily scan the room for Shane. I don’t see her or her friends at the table they had been at when I left.

I scan the room a bit more and see them all on the dance floor. I stand there, unable to take my eyes off her. She moves her body like she doesn’t care who is around or who is watching. She dances between Taylor and the one with red heels on – Lauren, I think? She tosses her blonde hair behind her, laughing at something one of them has whispered in her ear.

“See something you like, boss?” Ruby taunts from beside me. I shake my head and toss the bar towel over my shoulder.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I deny. Knowing absolutely no one is buying it.

“Haha, busted man.” Tucker chimes in obnoxiously. I glare at him in hopes of shutting him up.

“Well, seems you’re not the only one.” Ruby nods her head over to a group of guys that stand off to the side of the dance floor. I watch them whisper to one another, while their eyes never leave the girl I have also just been staring at. They start walking towards Shane and her friends and my hands fist at my sides. It is the dipshit that got a little too handsy and left his number on Shane’s ticket last week.

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