Tim was at the entrance, his eyes lighting up when he spotted me with my group.“Cadence, it’s been a while.I was beginning to worry.”
I smiled warmly.Tim was the bouncer boss guy here.I had originally met him at a different event and he vouched for me and quickly became my big guard bear.No one dared to mess around once they saw him.He was protective and two little girls of his own had given him plenty of practice.
“Tim.Do you mind if we have fun tonight?”I asked.
He eyed our group, already recognizing Seth and Justin from the last time I was here.His eyebrow rose slightly as he saw the others.
“Your group is growing,” he said, sounding impressed.
“I’ve been learning.”
He chuckled as he lifted the chain to let us through.
The music had already been slipping outside, but the moment we entered, it hit us like a wall of sound.The guy at the door checked our IDs and then waved us through.
“Can we dance?”Janice asked, already practically hopping.
I laughed and shook my head.“To the bar first.I want you to meet Jose.He’s the owner and should be working.He’s a good person for you to meet.”
Janice managed to tear her attention away from the huge wall of bodies jumping and dancing around to look at me.“Okay.”
Jose was in his element behind the bar as he mixed drinks and attended to the customers.He glanced our way briefly, was about to do something, but then looked back at us.He literally dropped everything and came right over.Thankfully, he had plenty of other bartenders and one of them was able to take over for him.
“Cadence,” he said, already covering the table with glasses and filling them with water.“It’s good to see you.”
“I wanted you to meet my friend Janice.”I pulled her forward.“She’s visiting me.”
“Oh, a pleasure.”He flashed her a friendly smile, his dark brown eyes filled with only warmth and friendliness.
“She’s special to me, so I ask that you treat her well.”
His gaze lingered on me as he pushed forward the drinks, flickered to her briefly, and then he was smiling like always.
“Of course, anyone who’s a friend of Cadence will always be well taken care of here.”
I lowered my shoulders as relief ran through me.Tim and Jose.They got it.They always got it.
“Here.”Seth passed me one of the waters.“Drink this before I release you to the dance floor with the other two girls.”
I took a drink, letting it distract me from the nervous excitement that was fluttering around in my stomach.
Janice reached over and downed her water, nearly slamming the glass on the bar as she sighed.“Okay, let’s go dance now.”
Lillian had been quietly sipping her water.She placed her cup down and grinned.“I’m with Janice.I need a good distraction.”
Seth and Justin were leaning against the bar, already taking their body blocking guard duty seriously as they watched us.
With a bemused expression, Seth raised an eyebrow.“Go ahead.We won’t let anyone slip through us.Besides, Micah and Hazel already beat you guys to it.”He tilted his head to the side and I followed the motion, finding Micah and Hazel jumping around each other while laughing and doing silly dance moves.
Lillian sighed.“They have no sense of rhythm.I’m embarrassed for them.”
Janice laughed, grabbing my hand and Lillian’s.“We better go protect their dignity.”She tugged us onto the packed dance floor.The electric music reverberated through the floor and up our bodies, helping to get us moving.
I smiled as we moved further in.The pulsating crowd swallowed us until we were only three more bodies added to the massive mix of limbs.
Hazel and Micah moved so they were nearby but still in their own little world.And when Lillian forced me into a twirl, laughing her ass off, I was able to spot Seth and Justin nearby.
We were all close together, safe.And having fun.
