He muttered a few things. Was his earpiece real or for show? I wasn’t well traveled, but I also wasn’t anidiot. This place wanted to seem exclusive. The girls who got in wanted to feel special. Superior. Like gold.
I was dressed like fool’s gold.
How was I going to get in? I wasn’t the sexy Kerrigan sister. I might as well have worn mySorry, I have plans with my cat tonightsweater.
“Excuse me.” The bouncer ushered me back, creating more distance between us, like my plainness was a contagion. A second bouncer politely gestured for my friends to move to the side. A tall blond with heels I swore were twice the height of Kaitlyn’s strode through us like we were the sea and the bouncer had parted us for her. She disappeared down the dark entry.
Well then. I didn’t catch her face, but her long, glossy blond hair hung down her bare back. Her gauzy red dress was shorter than Destiny’s. She was a polished ruby compared to us river rocks.
When she passed, my friends started down the entry after her. I glanced from them to the guys who’d moved to block me again.
“We’re full at the moment,” the first bouncer said, his gaze skipping over me.
“Oh. Okay.” Embarrassment flooded my cheeks. The whole not-well-traveled-but-not-naive thing could be a curse. I knew why I wasn’t being allowed in.
I wasn’t fuckable.
My throat grew thick, and the cozy haze of the two cocktails I’d had in the last three hours burned off.
Brittany stopped past the entry threshold and so close to the official opening of the club. Her eyes were wide. “Autumn?”
The rest of my friends spun to stare at me, the excitement draining from their faces.
“Why can’t she come with us?” Brittany asked, her voice sharp.
One of her students might’ve started crying, but the bouncer didn’t flinch. “We’re full. You want in?”
She tried to extinguish the longing in her eyes, but I caught it.
“You can go,” I said hastily, hating the attention on me.
“No,” they all said and started in my direction.
I backed up, holding my hands up. “It’s fine. They’re full. I’ll wait.”
They hesitated. They wanted to be ride or die, but they also wanted to go into the trendy casino nightclub run by a hot CEO. It was all they’d talked about on the flight down.
Kaitlyn frowned, wringing her hands together. “We can’t.”
“Go.” I shooed them away. “Really. I’ll be fine. I might even go back up to my room. I’m really tired.” That was the truth, but humiliation was better experienced in private.
Destiny shook her head, the light dancing off her glossy black hair. “Autumn?—”
“Last chance,” the first bouncer barked at my friends.
“Go on,” I stressed. “Really, it’sfine. I’ll be in in a few minutes.”
“Only if you’re sure,” Kaitlyn said, her glossy lower lip pouty.
The second bouncer ushered them into the silver-tinged shadows. I waved and forced a big smile. “Have fun.”
I watched them rush away, tears poking the backs ofmy eyes. I turned a direct gaze toward the first bouncer. “I’m not getting in, am I?”
To his credit, his expression contained mild regret, and he shrugged. The bouncer next to him waved three more girls inside. Each of them wore a handkerchief and little else.
Right. I pushed a lock of hair behind my ear. I’d left it down for once. I might have a matronly style, but my red hair screamed young and vivacious. It was the only part of me that was wild. Most of the time, I was okay with that.
I might’ve wished to be lying in bed and watching a movie a few minutes ago, but the reality of doing so because I hadn’t been sexy enough for a club in Vegas stung.
