“On it!” Cait hands me a pair of black Gladiator heels and orders me to put them on. There are not a lot of things that can make me feel as instantly sexy as strapping on a pair of high heels. There’s just an extra little swing in my stride when I take a stroll in stilettos. Every step is purposeful, because let’s face it: When you’re walking in heels, there’s always a tiny part in the back of your brain that repeats, “don’t trip, don’t trip,” continuously.
“We’re a bunch of hot bitches!” I announce. It’s a fact, not an opinion.
“We have to do shots before we leave,” Brie announces as she races down the stairs to find something we can toast with.
I look at Cait and ask, “Why do I feel like I’m back in college?”
The doorbell rings, and Cait takes off like a bullet. “That’s our ride. Be right back.”
Our ride? I thought it was just the three of us. If I’ve learned anything at all, it’s to expect the unexpected with Cait. I’ll find out who’s here soon enough.
As I smooth lip-gloss on my lips, my phone pings with an in-coming text message. It’s Cole. I wonder how his interview went. I swipe across the screen and read the message.
Cole: just got in from NYC.
Me: Good day?
Cole: The best. What r u up to?
Me: Getting ready to go out with the girls.
Cole: have fun :-(
Oh, my! He sent me a sad face. There’s so many ways I can read into that. Would he rather I stay home and text him all night? Does he not want me to go out and meet people? Maybe he’s just feeling lonely. No one likes to stay home alone on a Friday night.
Me: See u 2morrow for breakfast?
Cole: U can see me 2nite if u want
I can’t text him back. I want to see him so badly, but the self-preservation portions of my heart and brain are screaming NO at me. I put the phone away and try to focus on my friends.
“You look amazing!” I look up to find Declan standing in my doorway, staring.
I rush over and wrap my arms around his waist, hugging him tight. “Declan? I didn’t know you were coming. Your sister is such a bitch.”
“Right here,” Cait reprimands me with a roll of the eyes. She shoves Dec to the side and pushes her way back into my room. She’s carrying shot glasses, which she lines up along my dresser.
Brie follows behind with a bottle of Fireball, pouring each of us a shot. Everyone except Declan, that is. He’s our DD for the night.
“I haven’t done shots in a long time,” I tell the group. “Do you really think this is a good idea?”
“Probably not,” Cait giggles as she hands me a shot glass. “But that’s what we have Declan for.”
“Bingo,” Dec agrees with a laugh, and the three of us take a shot, then another. I’m hoping that drinking will help take the edge off. I haven’t been out dancing in almost a year. In fact, I’ve done everything in my power to avoid crowds. But for some reason, I’m not afraid. I feel almost . . . dare I say it . . . normal.
Brie and Cait scurry to their respective rooms to put on the final touches, leaving Declan and me alone. He sits on the foot of my bed, watching me put on one final layer of mascara. “You don’t need that, you know. You look amazing without it.”
I put down the applicator, walk over to Declan and give him a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks, I needed that.” I return to my task, peeking over at Declan’s reflection in my mirror. My heart is bursting with the affection I feel for him. He’s such a good guy. There’s no one on this planet I feel safer with.
Between the immediate effects of the alcohol and the safety I feel when I’m with Declan, I’m ready. I can do this. I will do this. I need to do this.
The girls reappear at my door as I am putting away my makeup and hairbrushes. Cait asks the group of us, “Ready to go?”
“Let’s go wreak havoc on the boardwalk, ladies,” Declan says, and leads us out the door and towards his car. “Caitlin, those shoes are gonna be a bitch when you’re drunk and walking to the car at the end of the night.”
“Told you,” I say and smirk.
“They’re pretty,” Cait says.
“I’ll hold onto you,” I tell Cait, and loop my arm through hers.
“Oh, good, then we’ll both be on our asses,” she laughs.
“Are you saying I’m clumsy?”
“Yes,” they all say at once, making me laugh.
Wilkinsons, or Wilk’s as we call it, is a typical beach club. The front room that lines the boardwalk is relatively tame and well-lit with a bar on one side and a to-go food counter on the other.
The deeper we delve into the club, the more it transforms. Lights go dim, music booms, and strobe lights bounce off the walls. The crowd of moving bodies on the dance floor is massive. The atmosphere is one of hedonistic abandon and it does crazy things to my alcohol-fueled libido.
The place is packed and I’m grateful for it. No one seems to notice us in the least. We are just another group of girls here to have fun. I feel invisible. And somehow that empowers me. Being seen and yet unseen is oddly comforting.
We find an open spot not too far from the bar. Declan nominates himself to get the first round of drinks. “Wait right here.”
He braves the four-person-deep mob waiting for drinks at the bar, but is back in record time. I can’t help but notice the female bartender giving him disgustingly inappropriate looks. It irritates me, but it happens every time we all go out together.
Declan hands everyone a shot of . . . something green. I sniff it and immediately make a face. I snap my eyes up to where he stands grinning at me with an eyebrow raised. “What is it?” I demand.
“Kryptonite,” he explains. “You know what they say about green M&M’s, right?”
“Ooh – they make you horny!” Brie exclaims.
Declan raises his shot glass, “Here's to being single, seeing double, and sleeping triple.”
Of course none of us girls find that particular toast very flattering, but we polish off our shots just the same, handing the empty glasses to Dec and insert ourselves onto the dance floor.
We hit the dance floor en masse, Cait leading the way in her electric blue dress that is damn near as bright under the black lights. We are swallowed into the mass of writhing dancers.
Bodies surround us, moving with the repetitive beat as the music pounds through the darkened space with a primitive, seductive beat. Women throw their arms up in the air and men answer with an uproarious fist pump.
The energy from the crowd is infectious. I let go, giving myself over to the grinding beat of the music and the sultry atmosphere of the rocking club. Lifting my hands in the air, I sway, releasing the lingering tension from months of pent up fear and frustration. I’ve been so afraid of danger around every corner that I forgot to live. But here and now, I feel more alive and awake than ever before. I revel in the utter sensuality of the venue and the shameless drive for casual sex that everyone seems to exude.
I feel invisible, just one body in a sea of dancing partners. When I turn to the left, I find a tall handsome blonde to dance with. Actually, since I never look up at his face, I can’t say for sure that he’s handsome, I just imagine him to be.
Turning to my right, I locate another dance partner. This guy is a meathead who couldn’t dance to save his life, he just fist pumps and shuffles his feet around a little bit.
I’m grateful neither of them try to touch me. I’m not ready for that. There’s only one pair of hands I’d want to feel on my hips right now. And he’s not here.
Brie and Cait grab a hold of me and swing me around, redirecting my attention where it belongs – Girls Night Out. We laugh, we dance, and we sing.
There’s a break in the music and Cait gives the universal sign for drink. Brie and I nod our heads in agreement, and fight our way off the dance floor.
We make our way to the closest bar and squeeze into the only open spot. The bartender comes over and places three cocktail napkins on the
bar. “What’ll it be, ladies?”
I know it’s not a good idea to mix drinks, but I have no idea what was in that green concoction Declan bought and I have no intention of drinking any more Fireball whiskey tonight. “Double-O-Seven?” I ask the girls.
They nod in agreement and the adorable bartender gets busy making our drinks. I don’t know how he manages to actually get the alcohol into the glass because the only thing he can look at is Cait. She knows how men look at her, and it’s fun to watch her make them squirm. He stares at her, practically drooling, as she runs her fingers through her hair.
He slides the drinks towards us. “That’ll be twenty-four for all three,” he shouts over the music.
Out of nowhere, a twenty and a ten get slapped onto the bar and a male voice hollers, “Keep the change.”
I expect to see Declan standing there, but instead, I’m surprised to find my favorite neighborhood pizza guy standing there with a smirk on his face. “Cawfee girl! Funny running into you here.”
“Cawfee girl?” Brie interrupts. “I’m the official Coffee Girl of this bunch.”
“Yeah, and Kenny here is our Book Girl,” Cait adds, taking a drink from the bar and handing another one to Brie. “But thanks for the drink, Pizza Boy.”
That elicits a giggle from Brie, but makes me feel uncomfortable. Anthony’s just a nice guy who happens to have bought the three of us drinks. Which he didn’t have to do.
He ignores her snide comment and sidles up next to me. “So, what brings you here tonight? I’m here all the time and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here.”
“It’s Girls’ Night Out,” Brie answers protectively.
“Yeah, we’re just blowing off some steam,” Cait adds.
Anthony grabs both my hands into his and urges me off the barstool. “Well, if you need to blow off some steam, I’d be happy to help with that. Let’s go mix it up on the dance floor.”
Cait is the first one off her barstool. “Sorry, playa, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. See, it’s GNO and we three are sticking together tonight.”
Anthony isn’t getting the hint. He looks at Cait and instead of seeing the shark that she is, he sees a challenge. “That’s cool. Come with. I’m pretty sure I can handle all three of you.” He scans Cait from head to toe, and apparently he likes what he sees. His throws Cait a chin-nod, as if that acknowledgement, that chauvinistic sign of approval, will win her over.
Cait cuts him down with just a look. “Not in this lifetime.”
He turns his back to Cait, and directs his full attention back to me. “Don’t listen to those two. They’re ice cold, and you’re smokin’ hot.”
I look past Anthony’s shoulder and I see Cait telling Brie to go find Declan. Shit. The last thing I need right now is to be the reason why Declan gets into a bar fight. Somebody could seriously get hurt and I cannot allow that to happen.
I try to diffuse the situation before things get out of control. “Anthony, I’m sure there are at least a hundred girls here tonight who would all love to dance with you.”
“Yeah – why don’t you go find someone else to rub your grubby paws all over and leave my friend here alone?” Why does she insist on fanning the flames? I can manage this without her help.
“Cait, stop it,” I tell her. “I can handle this. Go find Brie. I’ll be fine.”
She looks at me dubiously, pauses, and then shoots me down. “Nope, I don’t think so.”
“Go!” I demand. She’s only making things worse. I can handle this guy. And besides, there are bartenders and bouncers all over the place.
“Fine,” she whines. Then, looking directly at Anthony, “You have exactly five minutes.”
I sit back down on my barstool and Anthony follows suit, pulling his chair as close to mine as he can manage.
As soon as Cait disappears into the crowd, Anthony decides it’s time to make his move. He presses his body close to mine and whispers in my ear, “Let’s get out of here before the Ice Princess gets back. I know a nice quiet place just down the block.”
I back away and try to calmly explain. “Anthony, listen, it’s like I told you before. This can’t happen. Not tonight. Not any night.”
“Aw, don’t be like that. I know how to show a lady a good time. You’ll see,” he argues.
“I’d love to, really, but –”
I’m cut off mid-sentence by a voice I know all too well. “There you are, baby. I’ve been looking all over for you.” Cole leans over and gives me a peck on the cheek. He gives Anthony a friendly but forceful slap on the back. “Thanks for keeping my girl company until I got here.”
He holds out his hand for a handshake, and once he has Anthony firmly in his grasp, he calmly pulls him up from his seat beside me. “And you bought us a round of drinks. Thanks, man!” Cole picks up Anthony’s beer and gulps it down, then sits in what was his seat.
Anthony looks at Cole, trying to puzzle out his next move. “Are you two –”
Cole lays a protective arm around me, “Yeah, we are.” He pauses and stares Anthony down. “Wait, did you think you were going to hook up with my girlfriend?”
“No!” he blurts out. “Just making sure the little lady here was taken care of,” Anthony counters. “You’re a lucky guy,” he offers.
“Yes, I am,” Cole answers, smiling down at me.
Anthony turns and sulks away. If he had a tail, it would be tucked between his legs right now. Once he is out of earshot, I give Cole a good hard push, but his thick chest is like concrete, he doesn’t even move an inch. “What are you doing here?” I ask.
“Cait texted me that you guys were here. So I took a shower and walked down.”
“Of course, she did,” I snort.
CHAPTER 12
THE DYNAMIC DUO OF CAIT AND BRIE REAPPEAR WITH DECLAN IN TOW. A huge grin emerges on Cait’s face when she sees that Anthony’s unwanted presence has been replaced by Cole. Declan walks right up to Cole and the two exchange hearty handshakes.
This is the first time I’ve seen two of my favorite men together. They seem to get along well and it makes me happy.
Brie drags our asses out of the crowded bar and onto the outdoor deck where she locates a table for us to gather around. The music out here is much more subdued and the mood is completely different. The bright flashing lights of the dance floor are gone, leaving the moon and its reflection on the surf as our only light.
Declan stands up and offers to buy the next round of drinks. Cole, being the gentleman that he is, offers to go with him and help bring the drinks back. Carrying five drinks across a crowded patio is an accident waiting to happen. The boys are back in record time.
Let’s see – two shots of Fireball, a few sips of something called Kryptonite, half a Double-O-Seven, and now Cole is handing me another drink. “It’s a mojito. They didn’t have any blood orange, so I took a gamble. I hope it’s okay.”
“No, it’s perfect actually.”
With the Fourth of July only a week away, Declan asks about our plans for the night.
“My cousin is hosting a private party at Rush in Asbury. You guys are all welcome to join us,” Cole offers.
Declan looks at me, raising just one eyebrow. “Us?”
“Yeah, well I kinda promised I’d go.”
Why do I feel so guilty? It’s probably because we have a tradition of spending the day in Manhattan together, rambling around the South Street Seaport. The Foulton Street Festival is not to be missed. It’s resplendent with live music, great food and drinks, and offers a spectacular view of the Macy’s Fireworks Show on the East River.
And, of course, it doesn’t hurt that Declan’s apartment in the city is just a short train ride away in Queens.
Declan turns to Brie and Cait. “Well, I thought you guys would be coming up to hang out at my place. But it sounds like Kentucky is out – how about you two?”
“That all depends. Will Jesse be there?” Caitlin asks.
Declan huffs. “Of cours
e he will – he lives there. It’s his apartment, too, Cait. Is this going to be a problem?”
“Nope, not at all. I don’t give a shit what he does, so long as he stays the fuck away from me.” Cait sits back and drains her glass.
“Who’s Jesse?” Cole asks.
Brie turns and explains. “They dated for a while last year, but it didn’t work out.”
“It was my own personal nightmare,” Declan interjects. He asks Cole, “Do you have any sisters, man?”
Cole shakes his head, “Nope.”
“Well, consider yourself lucky. Try to imagine what it must be like to have your sister dating your roommate while living in an apartment with paper-thin walls.” Declan shudders just thinking about it.
Cole asks, “Why didn’t you buy earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones?”
“They only muffle the screaming.”
“Oh, please!” Cait harrumphs. “Spare me the drama. It was no picnic for me, either. Every weekend you’d drag home some tart you picked up in a bar. Remember the squealer, the crier, and my personal fave, the barker?”
Brie, Cole, and I burst out laughing. Watching these two argue about who has the worst sexcapedes is hilarious.
I notice out of the corner of my eye that there’s a pair of young men staring at our table, circling us like hungry sharks. If it weren’t for Cole and Declan, I’d feel very vulnerable right now. But I’m oddly at peace. It’s a feeling I almost don’t recognize.
I tap Cole on the knee and nod over towards the strange men. He looks over towards them, staring them down. But rather than being intimidated, they take his attention on them as an invitation to come over and they proceed to walk directly towards us.
The entire table goes silent as Cole abruptly stands up, taking a protective stand in front of me. One guy is wearing a ball hat and he takes the lead. He walks right up to Cole who stands with his massive arms folded across his chest.
“You’re Cole McGuire, aren’t you?” Mr. Baseball Hat asks.
Cole’s shoulders go slack and he releases all the tension he was holding in. “I am.”
Mr. Baseball Hat turns to his friend and proudly announces, “See? I told you.” Returning his attention back to Cole, he gushes with admiration. “You’re having a great season, man. The Red Hawks are going all the way this year – I just know it!”
Another Chance at Love (Another Series Book 1) Page 16