“So, tell me, Lacey, what do you do for a living?” Paige asked in between sips of her beer.
“I’m a prosecuting attorney. Sounds much more glamorous than it actually is, trust me,” I said, starting to feel the alcohol seep into my veins.
“That’s incredible. Quite taxing, isn’t it?” she asked, and I nodded, while we all proceeded to get far too drunk. It felt good to have a little buzz, and right as Paige and I were delving into a bit more conversation, I saw Lily at the head of the entryway with a man standing next to her, who she introduced as Scott.
There was something incredibly welcoming about Lily and Bailey’s friends, and they were all so kind to me that I was starting to wonder why I even tried getting out of this little celebration in the first place. It was the first time I’d felt comfortable anywhere other than the office in a long time, and I was starting to think that everyone had been right about me. I was too caught up in my job, too lost in all the cases I would work through every day, and I needed a little break.
I’m just glad that I took Lily and Bailey up on their offer, otherwise I probably would’ve been curled up on my couch all night trying to get some work done, ordering some takeout and heading to bed. That is certainly not the exciting night Richard and Mona both wanted for me, but I’m not sure that this is the place I’m going to find someone I’m interested in.
I sat there for a moment with another drink in my hand, trying to decide if I even knew what my type was. Of all the guys I’d dated in the past, no one had made my heart flutter the way it was supposed to, no one ever challenged me or excited me the way I always wanted.Maybe I just don’t know what I want,I thought, noticing that Lily had caught the fact that I had zoned out a bit.
“Hey, what’s on your mind?” she asked, reading the expression on my face.
“Just trying not to think about work for the night. Pathetic, isn’t it?”
“No, it isn’t. You work very hard, Lacey. We’ve barely said two words to each other and I know that. You come home at all hours of the night, looking so exhausted, and I’m just glad that you seem to have perked up a bit while you’ve been here. I wanted to invite you over before, but you weren’t ever home,” she said.
“I live at the office more than I do in my own house, but I’m starting to think that has to change,” I said, opening up to her.
“It’s never too late to make that change, Lacey. Sometimes you just need a little excitement in your life.” I completely agreed with Lily on that one.
About an hour passed before asked Lily where her bathroom was. She pointed upstairs and to the first door on the left, and I headed up, struggling to keep my footing steady with all the alcohol that was coursing through my system. When I finally got to the top of the stairs, I began making my way to the bathroom door when I bumped into someone. My eyes were glued to his feet until I looked up at his face. I lurched back and he held me by the shoulders, keeping me from falling.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice warm and comforting.
“I’m sorry. I was just looking for the bathroom,” I said, trying not to make eye contact with him because he was far too handsome for me to be having a conversation with as drunk as I was. I looked down at the tattoos on his arm, wondering what their stories were, because they were rather unique. I was a bit fixated on them when he finally stepped aside so I could pass, smiling and chuckling to himself.
“I don’t think we’ve met. My name is Michael, but everyone calls me Moves,” he said, and I smiled back at him.
“Now that is quite the nickname. My name is Lacey, I’m Lily and Bailey’s neighbor and they invited me over to celebrate their birthday, but I am really drunk. I’m probably not making much sense right now,” I said, giggling.
“No, no. You’re making perfect sense, Lacey. It’s nice to meet you. Now, I know you were heading for the bathroom, but please be careful on your way out because you nearly fell right back down the stairs,” he said, snickering.
“I will, thank you, Michael. Uh, Moves,” I said, getting into the bathroom and slamming the door behind me while I tried to distance myself from the awkwardness of that last encounter.
I don’t know what came over me. I’m not usually like this. Man, has my tolerance really gone down this much?Sitting there, head in hands, I tried to take stock of the situation.
I stood at the wash basin washing my hands and staring at my reflection in the mirror while I tried to sober up a bit before heading back out. I ran my fingers through my hair, calming myself down. I opened the door to find Moves still waiting at the head of the stairs for me.
“You’re still here?”
“I just wanted to make sure you didn’t tumble headfirst and give yourself a concussion,” he said, and I smiled.
“You’re very kind,” I said as he outstretched his hand, motioning for me to head down the stairs behind him. I felt my cheeks get hot, and I knew I had to be blushing under the warm low lighting above the staircase. Once we made it to the bottom, we were met by both Lily and Bailey saying goodbye to a few of their friends.
“Where were you two?” Lily asked teasingly.
“Moves was just helping me find the bathroom,” I said, and she laughed.
“Thank you for that,” she said, addressing him.
“Lily, Bailey, I just want to thank you for getting me to come out tonight. Trust me, I really needed it. I’m going to be heading out now,” I said, looking over at Moves, who seemed rather concerned that I was going to walk in my condition.
“Please, I’ll come with you, drop you off at your door,” he said, leading me out.
“Have a lovely evening, Lacey. Thank you for coming!” Lily shouted while Moves led me back home to my front door, and I fumbled around for my keys to let myself in.
“Thank you again, Moves, for walking me home. I have to say that I’m not usually like this, and apparently I’ve become somewhat of a lightweight after all this time,” I said, and he grinned.
