I give her a nod and we tell the others we’ll be back in a minute.
We weave through the crowd and a hand grabs me to spin me around.
My stomach drops.
But it isn’t Z.
Dressed in tight black pants and a Goo Goo Dolls short-sleeved shirt that showcases his nice arms and colorful tattoos, it’s Bennett. The brunette from the Tipsy Moose hangs on to him and it doesn’t even make me blink. Not one ounce of pain.
“Sugar!” He takes me in, his eyes brightening, taking in my dress.
“Hey.” My gaze drifts to the girl at his side and she just shrugs at me. Huh. He found someone who lets him do whatever, I guess? Well. Good for him.
He takes a step closer to me. “I’m glad I saw you, actually. I’ve wanted to tell you I’m sorry, really sorry about how I treated you. I didn’t do the right thing by you.”
I nod. “Okay.” Bye now.
Julia says she’s going to the bar, and I want to flip around and follow, but Bennett catches my arm, his gaze pleading, and I pause. “Truly,” he says, laying a hand on his heart, and I briefly wonder if he was always this dramatic and somehow I just missed it.
“I hope you’re good, Bennett.” And I mean it.
He smirks. “Will you forgive me for being a dickhead, babe?”
I laugh and he laughs along with me, looking a little unsure.
A slow song comes on, an Ed Sheeran tune, and Bennett gives me another lingering look.
Oh, shit. Please do not ask me to dance.
“Want to dance?” he says with a cocked eyebrow. “One more time for old times’ sake?”
“Uh…”
A gentle hand lands on my shoulder, and I turn to see Dallas behind me, looking rather awkward, and I get it when I see Julia and Poppy behind him. My eyes narrow. So, she didn’t go to the bar, instead circling back and bringing him over to save me.
“I’m here to see if you need rescuing,” he says under his breath. “Or we can dance?”
I think about it and part of me wants to know what it feels like to have strong arms slide around me and guide me as we move together.
I take his hand and we head to the dance floor. I send Bennett a parting wave.
“He looks like you kicked him,” Dallas says, and I laugh up at him.
“Nah, trust me, he’ll rebound quick.”
He nods, looking down at me until I break our gaze. Dallas is nice, he is, but…
We’re quiet as we sway to the music, a few inches between us, and I like his arms around me even if they aren’t the ones I want.
A buzz goes through the air, an electric stillness that hums, and I freeze. The party seems to dampen down a notch, and my eyes scour the room, looking, feeling him.
I find Z near the door, but he hasn’t seen me yet.
He’s a goddamn fantasy come to life and my breath hitches in my chest. Tall, massive, and looming over those around him, his hair is wild, grown out, the dark beard on his jawline contrasting vividly with the lighter strands on his head.
His gaze sweeps the room, eyeing groups of people and moving on, flitting from person to person as he scans the perimeter and then looks to the dance floor.
Our gazes lock.
The temperature drops as his eyes move from me to Dallas, hardening before flying back to me. Accusing—until that emotion is shuttered.
Some girl I don’t know has her arm hooked into his.
“You okay?” Dallas looks down at me and follows my gaze. “Ah, shit.”
Bitterness builds within me as I watch them move through the crowd, people slapping his back and congratulating him on the win.
“You good?” Dallas asks, and I turn back to him.
“Just keep dancing.”
I feel winded, my body acutely aware of every move Z makes as he strides his way across the room, getting lost in the sea of people. I lean my head on Dallas’s shoulder so I don’t have to watch Z.
I should leave the party. That’s the rational thing to do.
But I can’t. It’s like I need to see him. I need to see that he’s moved on.
My neck prickles as if someone is staring, and I look over.