Page 253 of The Perfect Spiral
Zara slides into the booth next to her best friend, my sister. They’ve been through thick and thin together.
“Hey, girls! What are we gossiping about?”
“We’re telling Andy embarrassing stories about Kyle,” Hannah laughs, but we’re interrupted by the bartender who was talking to the hot guy at the bar.
She sets down a round of shots and then slides a drink over to me. But only to me.
“Uh, I didn’t order this?” I point to the drink in front of me.
“The gentleman at the bar sent these over,” she says, nodding toward a man in a blue shirt who’s engaged in conversation with Lauren and her friends.
He lifts his beer in a silent toast, and I raise the drink he’s bought me, mouthing a silent thank you.
Lauren turns to see who’s caught his attention and spots me, glass raised. Her eyes narrow into slits that feel like they could slice me in two. If looks could kill, I’d be six feet under.
“Could you maybe tell him he and his friends are welcome to join us for the shots he bought?” I ask the waitress. She nods and heads over to deliver the message. We watch as she speaks to him, his smile broadening as he turns to look at our booth.
He leans back, elbows resting on the bar, and turns away from Lauren to speak to his friends, who are chatting with the other girls in Lauren’s group.
“You just love getting under her skin,” Andy observes, watching the men. I can’t help but smile, knowing I’ve successfully ruffled Lauren’s feathers.
The men glance our way, sharing a few words before breaking away from the girls they were talking to and heading toward our booth.
“She does not look happy,” Sam notes, turning back to me with a mischievous grin. As the men reach our booth, they slide chairs over and introduce themselves.
We spend the rest of the night with them. Zara ends up making out with one, while the rest of us enjoy their company. Chad, the man who bought me the drink, is particularly charming.
They keep the drinks coming, noticing that Sam is the bride-to-be. All in all, it’s a great night. They’re a fun group.
We take shots, flirt, and laugh. Well, I flirt. The others are more reserved, and Zara is otherwise occupied. When it’s time to leave, they escort us out of the club and help us onto the bus.
“Here, take my card. If you’re ever in town again, give me a call. Or if you’re ever in Florida. Maybe I could take you out to dinner sometime,” Chad offers.
I accept the card, tucking it into my clutch. “Maybe. Thanks for all the drinks. It was very kind of you! We’ll be paying for it tomorrow, though,” I say, clutching my purse in my lap.
I look up at him, and his gaze drops to my lips. I lick them instinctively.
“You have the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen... And I’m so tempted to kiss you, but I have a feeling your boyfriend wouldn’t appreciate it,” he says, testing the waters.
One kiss wouldn’t hurt, would it?
“You’re in luck, Chad. I don’t have a boyfriend,” I say, glancing at my friends who are waiting by the bus, silently cheering me on.
“So Carter isn’t your boyfriend?” he asks. I shake my head, and he steps closer.
“Well, in that case...” He leans in, and our lips meet. I taste the beer on his breath as his tongue slips into my mouth. It feels rushed, unnatural, forced.
I pull back and offer a smile. After thanking him and his friends once more, we manage to drag Zara onto the bus.
As I settle in next to my sister, I run my hands through my hair and take a deep breath. The night’s excitement still tingles in my veins, but I can’t shake the feeling that something’s missing.
Chapter 91
I grope around on the chest of drawers next to the California king-sized bed in the room.
I remember coming back with pizza in hand, barefoot and sprinting like a madwoman through the foyer to escape my brothers’ wrath.
Sam and I dashed into our room, pursued by them, and locked the door, diving into bed together like we used to when we were kids. The memories of last night make me chuckle and cringe a little at my antics.
