She’d enjoy herself so much that she’d forget about her friend with the tattoos and the midnight blue eyes.
Music pounded the air inside the Dragonfly nightclub as ferociously as a boxer with a grudge. It smelled to Britt like beer, perfume, and anticipation. Looked like the inside of a kaleidoscope. And felt like a battle between the humid heat of dancing bodies and the building’s industrial air-conditioning units.
After dinner, Britt, Hannah, and Mia had met up with Hannah’s boyfriend, Kyle. Kyle had brought two of his friends with him. One was Reid, the guy who’d spilled his drink on Zander the night of her birthday party. Zander had hated him, a fact which made Reid more attractive this evening than he’d been before, thanks to her contrary state of mind.
Reid shouted conversation to her, and she shouted back. Britt learned that Reid played minor league baseball, was the eldest of four kids, and enjoyed skateboarding in his free time.
When her throat grew hoarse from the effort of talking, she tugged him onto the dance floor.
This was fabulous. Better than fabulous.
Reid seemed interested, which was gratifying because he was trendy, friendly, sporty, and impressively handsome.
Deliberately, she thought,Isn’t this fun? This is so much fun!Adventure sports and chocolate making and travel weren’t the only routes to pleasure.
She allowed Reid to buy her a glass of champagne. She wasn’t much of a drinker, in large part because she wasn’t much for relinquishing her self-control. But she and her girlfriends were enjoying a night out! She was young and healthy. She was wearing gray leather pants, a wildly colorful halter top, and earrings so long they brushed the upper tips of her shoulders. And all of this seemed to call for champagne. Just one glass.
Later, she checked her phone in the restroom and saw that Zander had sent her a second text. His first text had arrived in the midst of their Mexican cuisine meets American cuisine meets we’re-fashionable-so-we’re-going-to-charge-through-the-nose cuisine dinner.
He’d texted,What are you up to tonight?
She hadn’t replied because she’d been a)a little miffed at him and yet b)hadn’t wanted to upset him by telling him what she was up to.
This new text read,Are you okay?
He hadn’t heard back from her, so he was following up. If she didn’t respond, he’d worry.
Yes, she typed,I’m at a club in Shelton with Hannah and Mia.
Be safe, he messaged back.
Even here in the bathroom, music vibrated through the breathless female conversations. She tucked her phone into her back pocket and applied lipstick.So much fun!She didn’t have to answer to anyone, and it felt fantastic to be so free.
Her phone buzzed.
Another text from Zander.Who’s the designated driver?
Uber, she answered.
Will you text me when you get home to let me know you’re there?
What was this? Three seconds ago she’d been thinking how wonderful it was not to have anyone to answer to.You’ll be asleep, she typed.
Even so. Will you text me?
Sure.
She returned to her group of friends and proceeded to laugh at Reid’s jokes. When he ordered her a second flute of champagne, she didn’t protest. The champagne tasted amazingly delicious, and she was feeling clear-headed, so no worries on that front.
This was so much better than laughing at Zander’s jokes while they watched TV. This is why she hadn’t settled down. She could go out with her friends at a moment’s notice. She could flirt with a cute guy she hardly knew. She could exercise her beloved independence.
The life she’d chosen was thrilling. Empowering!
Reid wore his sandy-colored hair long on top, the sides shaved into a fade. The style flattered his chiseled face.
She could predict how things would go between them. They’d text each other in the coming days and message on social media. He’d eventually invite her to join him somewhere for something, and they’d hit it off. She’d become infatuated with him and ride the giddiness of that for as long as it lasted. Then, two or four or six months from now, she’d grow bored. Her interest in Reid would deflate, and she’d ask him if they could just be friends.
She wouldn’t gamble so much as one penny on the possibility that Reid might be her soul mate. No, indeed. No hope of that. Which meant that having him as a boyfriend wouldn’t require her to risk her emotions or lay herself bare. All pleasure. No pain.
