Sure. So long as you don’t use it to stalk me.Lily typed a string of numbers at the end, and a moment later her phone buzzed with a new message from an unknown number.
Thank you.
Lily couldn’t hide her smile, and knew she’d be in a good mood all night—and then she swore when she caught a glimpse of the time. She’d gotten distracted, and her ride would be there any minute.
She dressed in a hurry. The e-mail had stated that formal wear was required, so Lily donned a red dress for the occasion. It wasn’t too clingy, the extra padding on her stomach and around her hips hidden by the silken material. It did show off her best assets, though, the scoop neck revealing just enough cleavage to be appropriate for a work function. She even slipped on a rare pair of heels, barely recognizing herself when she glanced in the mirror.
Her phone dinged to tell Lily her Uber had arrived as she was running a brush through her hair.
* * *
The Uber pulled to a stop at six fifty-six, meaning she was precisely four minutes early.
Through the windows of the bar the school had booked for the night, Lily could see groups of teachers, raucous laughter spilling out onto the street when someone opened the door.
Mei, Alisha and Brandon were standing on the sidewalk waiting for her, shivering even though they wore thick jackets. Lily wondered if Alisha was regretting her offer for the department to go inside as a group.
“Have you been here long?” Lily said as she joined them, and Mei shook her head.
“A few minutes. I hope the others hurry their asses up. Oh, here comes the wicked witch, so it’s only Andrew left.”
“Behave,” Alisha hissed, elbowing Mei in the side, and Lily turned to see Eva crossing the street to join them. Lily’s breath caught at the sight of her. Sure, she’d noticed Eva’s attractiveness before. But she’d only ever seen her in skirts or pantsuits, every inch the professional.
But, tonight, Eva wore a dress the color of sapphires, a slit in the skirt that stopped an inch or two above Eva’s knee. It was off-the-shoulder, her open jacket revealing an expanse of smooth skin, the delicate points of her collarbones, and Lily’s throat went dry. She forced her gaze away, hoping Eva hadn’t noticed her scrutiny.
Lily told herself she was just caught off-guard, not having expected Eva to turn up. As much as Mei insisted tonight was mandatory, a part of Lily had wondered if that applied to Eva. She didn’t seem the type to enjoy any kind of social activity with the people she worked with, and yet, there she was.
Looking devastating.
“Hi, Eva,” Alisha said when Eva paused beside her. “Glad to see you made it.”
“Did I have a choice?”
“No.” Alisha sounded cheerful. “None of us did.”
Eva sighed, leaning her shoulder against the brick wall behind her. Was she going to spend the whole evening with them? Lily hadn’t considered it, but where else would Eva go? She didn’t seem like the type to have friends in other departments.
They’d never spent time together in the presence of other people, Lily realized. Would they still argue if they had witnesses? Or would Eva be different, especially if Alisha was around?
Someone nudged her, and Lily turned to find Mei looking at her, head tilted to one side. “You okay?”
“Yeah, why?”
“I dunno. You look off.”
“I’m fine.” Lily forced a smile, and Andrew’s arrival saved her from any further questions as Alisha ushered them all inside.
The bar had been split into two sections—tables on one side and a makeshift dance floor on the other, and Lily knew where she’d be spending most of her night. The sound of laughter and idle chatter washed over her as they stepped inside. Alisha claimed one of the larger tables before making a beeline for the bar.
“I’ll get your first drink,” Mei said, throwing her jacket over the back of one of the chairs. “Gin and tonic?”
Lily sat in the chair next to Mei’s and nodded. “Yes, please.”
Too late, Lily realized Andrew and Brandon had followed Alisha, leaving her and Eva alone. She sat watching Lily, drumming manicured nails on the table and looking like a goddess.
“Are you, uhm,”—Lily cleared her throat when the words came out in a croak—“not getting a drink?” Eva didn’t seem like the type to be able to get through the night sober.
“I’ll wait until the line’s died down.” Eva shrugged out of her jacket, leaving so much skin on display that Lily swallowed, her throat feeling tight.
