Page 76 of Last Resort

Or standing in the shadows watching me right now.

My money’s on the latter.

Guess I better dance my ass off to let him know I’m not waiting around for him to come to his senses.

Truth be told, I’d rather be back at the villa relaxing. It’s been a long week of overthinking and frankly, I’m exhausted.

However, it really is pertinent to see what the competition is doing so I can make ours even better.

And I have in fact, done just that. Mental notes have been made and my phone already has a dozen pictures or so of unique touches I’d like to have a designer look at and then take a few steps further for the Ocean’s Edge’s club.

Our venue is significantly nicer as a whole, so the transition and upgrades shouldn’t be too complicated or costly.

I take a sip of my second drink and awkwardly look around. It’s weird to be in a club by yourself and not have a group of girlfriends to hang with or have fun with. To even have the confidence to pull it off.

And honestly, I don’t have the confidence right now. It’s one thing to have it when I’m one on one with Callahan—there’s something about him that makes me feel empowered. Confident. I hate even admitting that to myself because I’m coming off a situation where I let a man have power over my emotions. Never again.

And yet, the power Callahan gives me is completely different in the best of ways.

“You might as well have a good time instead of standing here like a wallflower sipping that drink of yours, Sutton.”

“Brady! You were able to make it!” Relief floods through me to have a friend here.

“I couldn’t let you brave these shark-infested waters alone. I mean, unless you want to, of course.”

“No. Thank you. God, I was just feeling like such a loser standing here by myself.”

“Not anymore.” He taps his drink against mine and offers a devilish grin. “I brought reinforcements with me.” He turns and motions to some familiar faces. “I figured who better to invite along than the staff who might be working this revamped club?”

“That’s great. Awesome,” I shout above the music. Why didn’t I think of that?

Because I was too busy thinking about Callahan and wondering what the hell is going on with him.

“I figured it might help for the staff to see you here, hands-on and trying, instead of thinking of you as the corporate witch who feels threatening.”

“Threatening? I’m here to help them.”

“You know that. I know that. But change is scary to a lot of people and so far, with the new ownership, not much has happened. So you being here and them being here might make you appear a bit more human to them.”

I grab Brady’s forearm and squeeze. “Thank you. Truly. That means a lot.”

“Of course. Now, let’s have another drink and dance.”

And dance we do. Until we’re hot and sweaty and stumbling off the dance floor because we need air and space from all the people that are packed together.

“I’ll get drinks,” Brady says. “You go to the bathroom, and I’ll meet you back here.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

A smile is plastered to my face as I make my way through the crowd. This place is insane. Full of more pretty people than should be legal to have all in one place. But there is no VIP area, no special place to strive to get into.

This is definitely on the list of things to fight for—to negotiate over—for Ocean’s Edge.

An added bonus is this was just what the doctor ordered after the week I had. To let loose with Brady and other staff and forget about everything for a while.

I’m almost to the restroom when someone grabs my arm and pulls me into an open hallway. My yelp is overshadowed by the low bass throbbing through the speakers as I land solidly against a male chest.

“Callahan.” I giggle and try to steady myself, the alcohol swimming in my veins.