amazing.” I frantically try to pull down the hem of my short dress. Sitting down it goes right up to my thighs and I feel even more self-conscious and very bare. While it was worth it, me wearing this sexy little number along with the beautiful satisfaction of having Ward see me in it, I’m now left feeling a little cold and uncomfortable.
“Why are you smiling?” Jamie asks.
“No reason. I just need a good night out.”
His eyes sparkle in mischief. “Yeah? You seem uptight. Are you?”
I rest my back against the seat and exhale slowly. “You don’t know what it’s like being cooped up inside that house all day.”
“I said you needed to go out more, didn’t I? Well?” he says, running his gaze down the length of my dress. He’s ogling me and I slap his arm playfully.
“Don’t do that!”
“You look hot.”
“Don’t say that.” It makes me uncomfortable and Jamie has never made me feel uncomfortable before. I wonder what’s changed things? Is it because of my foolish entanglement with Ward? Because I don’t feel ashamed about it, I don’t regret it happening. What I do regret is Ward making out that it was all my doing and reprimanding me for it.
“But you do look hot!” he protests. “I’ve never seen you in something that short and that … revealing.”
I wince. “Is it that obvious?”
“Is this your way of saying that you’re over him?”
“Over who?”
He frowns. “You’ve forgotten him already, I see.”
“You mean Dale? Dale who?” I throw him an exaggerated puzzled expression.
He laughs. “That’s more like it. I haven’t seen you smiling much lately.”
“That’s because I haven’t had a lot to be happy about.” If I was holding out any hope of Ward making me feel better about myself, wanting me, or telling me how much he wants me, that would have been a start. But he obviously doesn’t feel that way about me.
“We’re going to have a lot to smile about today, you and me.” Jamie sinks back into the seat and looks out of the window.
We reach the club not long after, and rush over to the group of our ex-work colleagues who are waiting outside. My heart warms at the sight of them. Familiarity and people I know. Jamie disappears then comes back with Raleigh and we all hug and kiss and excitedly talk all over one another. It’s been a long time since we all caught up. We had a great bunch of people working at the hotel, and I miss the camaraderie and friendship. I miss that.
We go into the club together where Raleigh greets us. Jamie gets a big hug and a kiss on the cheek, and I get a ‘Hey’ from her. Which suits me just fine. Apparently, we have a section of the place solely for our group. This is so much nicer than I expected, and I am so glad that I came out tonight.
“I’m getting this round,” Jamie says, brushing his hand on my back. “Do you want your usual G & T?”
“Yes, please! Thanks.” A G & T is exactly what I need.
He walks away to the bar and Raleigh follows after him. I have a good feeling about this. I’m sure she had a thing for him, but couldn’t do anything because he had a girlfriend. I’m also sure she didn’t like me much because Jamie and I always hung around together. I hope now that he’s single, he’ll be able to act on it.
My friends get up and hit the dancefloor, and I join them, forgetting that I’m wearing dangerously thin sandals. In a crowded club with people sweating, and the air heavy with sweat and alcohol, I lose myself.
This night was exactly what I needed.
Jamie comes over with my drink, but I don’t want to sit down, and I don’t want to hang onto my glass while I’m dancing, so I tell him I’ll find him when this song is over. But I don’t go, even when the song is over. I’m having so much fun dancing, and I’m so into the music that I don’t want to leave. It’s as if I’m making up for all the shitty days I’ve had these past few months.
All that dancing so
on makes me thirsty, and I go to the bar to ask for a glass of water. A hand skims my back, and I’m too dazed to snap to attention immediately. When Jamie perches on the stool next to me, I grin like an idiot at