The bouncer did not seem impressedwhen we lined up outside the swanky club.
“There’s a dress code,” he said. He pointed to Bettina, Ida, and Dottie in their matching velour sweat suits. “That ain’t gonna fly.”
“I guess we’ll have to go to the jazz club,” Shirley said.
Then the bouncer peered at our group. “Edward?” he asked.
“Oh, hey, Max, how’s the VA treating you?”
“Same ol’ same ol’. Might as well be back in the Middle East.” The two men did some sort of complicated handshake. Then Max said, “Y’all are cool. You can go in. Just FYI, there’s a cover charge, and groups over five have to order the VIP bottle service.”
“We have it covered,” Ida said, patting his, large muscular arm.
I dragged her inside the club, blinking in the darkness. The hostess looked us up and down. She was not impressed with our group.
Ida said, “Flash her that credit card, honey!”
I handed over Blade’s card, feeling a little bad that I was using his money.
The hostess looked at the name and smiled. “Right this way! And welcome to Club Mood.”
“I am definitely in the mood,” Ida said as we settled on the white leather couches in the VIP area overlooking the dance floor. “A round of shots!” she called out.
Like magic, a server appeared with a bottle of vodka.
“This is the good stuff,” my stepmother said as the server poured out shots.
“To the bride!” Dottie toasted, clinking her glass to mine.
I downed my shot. “Sorry they co-opted the event,” I apologized to Shirley.
“I just want you to have fun!” Shirley said.
I rested my head on her shoulder. “It’s going to be memorable, that’s for sure.”
Taking their glasses of champagne, the seniors clambered down into the dance pit.
Edward took two shots and followed them. “I see a guy I know,” he said then disappeared.
I was left with Shirley and four other people who I had no desire at all to spend another minute with but would probably be stuck with all night.
“Nathan wanted to know if he could meet with you,” Stacy said. “He’s very keen on clearing the air between you two before the wedding. He feels like you two are still in love.”
“They’re in something,” Cassie said snidely. “That was so clearly a fake relationship it wasn’t even funny.”
“She slept with Nathan,” Shirley piped up. “It was very real. But now she’s with Blade.”
Not helping, but I appreciate the sentiment.“He wasn’t as good as Blade, and you’re free to tell Nathan that,” I shot back.
Stacy was about to make a snide remark when there was a commotion down below. Security guards had corralled the three seniors and were hauling them off the dance floor.
“What happened?” I exclaimed, running downstairs.
“This is discrimination!”
“They kept touching the male servers,” the bouncers explained. “You cannot touch the staff. It’s a rule. You’re all in their party?”
I nodded.
