“The stage is way bigger,” Bailey says. “And there are actual men’s and women’s bathrooms.”
Jenna nudges Symphony. “You think your infamous single bathroom is still around?”
“Go look,” Symphony says. She’s got a knowing smile. And that’s no surprise. She’s been going out with Diesel for months. She visited the remodel several times while it was underway.
But she’ll always have a soft spot for the old bathroom, where she and Diesel had their first, well,collision. Heck, that’s why we all know this place.
Jenna bursts out laughing, and I turn to see what she’s spotted.
“The bathroom,” she says, pointing.
To the left of the bar, where the old “Outhouse” was, is a new sign. It reads, “Hookup Heaven.”
She pulls on my arm. “Let’s go check it out.”
I might as well look. I practiced a million things I could say to Merrick when I saw him again, but talking about the remodel might be the safest. He’s bound to be here somewhere.
I follow Jenna to Hookup Heaven. It’s currently unoccupied, although several people stand around it as if waiting to see who might give it a go.
A man whoops as Jenna and I approach.
“Two girly girls going in! That’s how to break it in! Diesel, you got cameras in there?”
I turn to spot Diesel, wondering if his brother might be with him. But Diesel crosses the room alone in his black Leaky Skull T-shirt, his tattooed arms swinging.
He lifts Symphony off her feet and twirls her in a circle. Her blonde hair billows out in a whirl as he holds her aloft.
Jealousy pangs. Diesel and Merrick look a lot alike, and I can easily picture Merrick doing that to me.
Except he doesn’t seem to want to. The few times we’ve been together haven’t helped my case. Once I was hanging onto two old bikers after drinking too many shots. Okay, one shot. I’m a lightweight.
The second was the infamous night I flashed everybody, and I wound up sleeping off my alcohol the entire time we were around each other.
And the third, well, I wound up confessing my crush to his brother.
“Let’s go in,” Jenna says, pulling me through the door.
The bathroom has the same toilet and sink. But now, there are funny metal bars attached to the wall at varying angles.
Jenna grabs one. “You can go at it from any direction!”
My face goes hot again. “What is that machine there?” I point to a metal box near the sink.
“A condom dispenser!” Jenna cries. “Sweet!”
I recognize the packet shape now. “Seems practical.”
“I’m going to buy one just for fun.” She digs in her purse for quarters.
I take in the room. There are more mirrors than before, including one on the ceiling. I peer at my upturned face, my long hair leaving dark waves against the silvery sweater. “I guess this is one of the things they did to make it appeal to a different crowd?”
Jenna stuffs her coins into the machine. “Probably so. Symphony said they were pushing to add customers who would buy higher-priced drinks. This is a novelty. Something to post on Instagram or whatever.”
Jenna pushes a button, and a condom drops into the open space at the bottom.
I watch her examine it from the mirror’s high angle. The part in her hair isn’t straight. Mine isn’t either.
She holds up her package. “I got strawberry flavored. Why would you want the flavor on the condom, though?” She shakes her head.
