Page 135 of Unrivaled Love
We roll up to the club in sprinter vans Felix arranged for transportation. There are three of them and I wonder why he couldn't just get the team bus to take us.
Even with the carpool fun, as we walk into the club, I am forcing the smile on my face. The feeling of wanting to get away knocks around in my brain for the first time since this summer.
I called Jo three more times and they all went straight to voicemail.
I texted her sister to ask if she'd heard from her and she said no but that she'd try to call her too.
The salt in the wound is that Harper and Caroline made the trip with us. Caroline and Johnny, our second string left forward, got married over the summer.
Aiden whisks Harper away to the dance floor to celebrate their one year Bangs-iversary so I sit back next to Crosby and Duncan and listen to their conversation about this year’s halloween costume. We'll be back in D.C. for some locker room trick or treating and Felix will host his annual costume party.
"Hey E.T. is G.T. coming to the party this year?" I ask Emmett across the table.
"Of course, Grams wouldn't miss it for the world. She's got an idea for a double trick shot that involves inclined planes."
"Amazing." I smile for real. Grams Turner has been coming to the Halloween party for years and always gets us involved in her ping pong ball trick shots. She's got like a million followers on social. She also posts videos where she plans them out on a white board and while they're not as popular, I always enjoy the lesson. I probably should watch a couple more of her videos before attempting another chain reaction prank on my own.
Caroline slides into the seat next to Crosby. "Happy Birthday Bryson."
"Thanks, Caroline."
"Are you having a good time?" She asks around a yawn as she scoots a little closer so Johnny can slide in.
"Um yeah, I guess so."
"Is there anything that could make it more fun?" She asks and her eyes get wide. Caroline has been known to try and fix us up with friends of hers. But she wouldn’t push that on me. She knows I’m with Jo. She's the type of person who wants to see everyone in love.
"I haven't been able to get a hold of Jo tonight and I really wanted to talk to her." I say and Caroline nods along.
The music is loud and Duncan gets up to go dance. I slide to the end of the sofa and swirl the ice cube in my glass. I'm not really in the party spirit.
Ignoring the people at the table and their conversation, I look out through the crowd. Appearances have been fine lately. I think all I needed was to get back to work. I haven't gone out with the guys as much so this is the first time I've been in a club in a while.
A flash of a brown ponytail in the strobe light teases me. It's like my mind wants to see Jo everywhere. She's a mirage in the desert and I'm the fool crawling towards it, desperate for a drink.
My eyes glaze over and all I see are the flashes of light in the darkness.
But they clear and again I think I see her. It's the shape of her face, the strength of her shoulders in a black spaghetti strap dress.
I sit up straighter when I see her getting closer to Harper and Aiden.
My heart flips inside my chest when she approaches them and gives them hugs. It does a triple axel when Aiden points up to our table.
I stand and step forward to the railing.
And she smiles.
Nothing else in the world exists except for me, Jo, and the adoring look on her face.
She lifts her hand in a little wave and then indicates she's going to come and meet me up here.
I keep my eyes on her in the crowd as she shoulders her way back to the VIP section. The bouncer stops her but I'm there to tell him it's fine.
And then Jo is in my arms.
"Happy birthday Bry," she says against my ear as I wrap her in a hug.
"Jo, Josie, are you real?" I ask her because I’m honestly not sure. I've dreamt of her so much these last two months that I could be hallucinating and wrapping my arms around air and kissing an imaginary neck.
