Stay For Me - Megan Smith Page 0,34

climb out of the car meeting Layla. We walk in together being greeted by Dante, one of the bouncers. “Hey, boss…hey, Layla.”

Layla pats Dante on his shoulder. “How’s the crowd tonight?”

He shrugs his meaty shoulder. “Fine, not a lot of crazies out tonight.”

She laughs and it’s music to my ears. “Well, that’s good.”

I usher Layla in with my hand on her lower back. I sense Dante’s eyes on us but I keep moving forward. Making our way to the upstairs bar I spot Jaylinn and Cooper at a table to the right of the bar. I’m so glad that they finally worked everything out. Looks like that last curveball worked perfect just like I knew it would.

“Aw, look.” Layla points, “The lovebirds are here.”

I glance up right at the same time Cooper does. His eyes focused on mine slowly slide down to where my arm is and then he narrows his eyes. He thinks something is up.

“Layla,” Jaylinn sings. “What are you guys doing here?”

She slides into the booth across from Jaylinn. “We went to dinner to discuss the new position.” Layla’s eyes cut over to me briefly. “Then we decided to come here and hang out when we didn’t have to actually work.”

Cooper tries to cover up his laughing with a cough. Jaylinn gives him a funny look. “Sorry, went down wrong.” He holds his cup up.

I shake my head, what an asshole.

The four of us sit around talking for a while cracking jokes, drinking and just enjoying each other’s company. It’s nice that they’re back together, the stress that was always hanging over all our heads has vanished.

Layla leans over and whispers in my ear. “I can’t believe how different he is.”

I chuckle. “Yeah, it’s like night and day, huh?”

“What are you two whispering about?” Jaylinn squints her eyes at us.

“You two.” Layla says winking at her friend.

Jaylinn leans in and kisses Cooper on the cheek.

“So,” Cooper starts to say, “You sure there isn’t anything going on between you two?”

I look up to the sky shaking my head. He just doesn’t give up. It’s like he wants to start a fight or something with me.

“I’ve got a boyfriend.” Layla answers.

“Ah, that’s right you do.” Cooper cuts his eyes to me as if he’s trying to remind me.

By the end of the night Layla, Jaylinn, Cooper and I are the only ones left upstairs as the club shuts down for the night.

Cooper stands, stretching his back. “Well, I gotta go be a boss.”

I snort. “Yeah it’s about time you do something around here.”

Cooper walks away giving me the finger pulling Jaylinn behind him.

Layla smiles. “It’s nice to see them back together.”

“It is, makes my life a hell of a lot easier.”

“Why’s that?”

I glance over at her. Her eyes are glassy, cheeks are flushed but she’s relaxed and it’s not a sight I get to see often. “One less thing for me to watch over.”

Layla who was sitting across from me on the booth that’s out on the deck lies down, crosses her ankles and places her hands on her stomach.

I laugh. “What are you doing?”

She points up to the sky. “Looking at all the stars.”

I toss back the rest of my beer and follow suit lying down where we are head to head. Neither of us talks for what seems like forever. It’s not an awkward silence but a comfortable one.

“Tell me something about yourself that no one knows, Layla.”

She’s quiet and I almost think she’s fallen asleep when she starts, “I’ve always wanted a tree house.”

“A tree house?” I ask just to confirm I’ve heard her. It’s so random.

“Yeah, and not one that’s on the ground, I wanted a real tree house high up in the trees.” She sighs. “When I was little I used to watch from my bedroom window while the dad from the house behind ours built the Foster sister’s one. For two weeks he worked on it for them.” She turns on her stomach and rests her chin on her hands. “He put it way up high, nailed pieces of wood on the tree for steps. He brought up these big pieces of wood that he used for the floor. Then a few days later the house was framed out. He even made them a little porch that he put railing around. By the end of the second weekend I saw him hoisting up a huge triangle piece that he used for the roof. Mr. and Mrs. Foster brought the girls up so that