Page 3 of My Fake Fiancé

“Okay, girl. Calm down. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy it as a club as much as you enjoyed it as a movie theater.” Tatyana pats my arm and smiles sympathetically at me. “Let’s have some fun!”

Chapter 3

Juliana

We get to the front of the club right as Mike and his friends walk up as well. It turns out the friend’s girlfriend’s name is Susannah, and she is very sweet. We all say ‘Hi’ as we fall in line to enter the club. We don’t have to wait too long since it is still early. Soon we are walking through the doors. The loud music immediately overwhelms my ears and I wince. It’s going to take some time to get used to this noise level again.

This new club isn’t too wild, but it is packed already and everyone looks like they're having a great time. I scan the room and watch everyone dancing and enjoying the food. After a couple of songs, I go to a table off to the side of the club and pick up one of the menus. A waitress comes over to my table to take my order. I’m surprised they have waitresses at a nightclub but I guess it’s supposed to be a fancier one. Which is still strange for this part of town.

I order a Margherita pizza and it doesn’t take too long to arrive. It looks delicious and I am about to enjoy it when Tatyana and Mike slide up next to me. Tatyana slowly reaches for a piece and I narrow my eyes at her.

“That looks delicious,” she says as her hand lands on a slice. I think about smacking it away but I let her take a piece.

“Mike, would you like a piece as well?” I turn to him and offer the pizza then look back at Tatyana and make another face in her direction. She smiles at me and happily munches on her piece.

“It does look good but I’m not a huge tomato guy. Thank you though.” Mike wraps his arm around Tatyana’s waist and we talk for a few minutes while we devour the pizza. Which doesn’t take long. It was a decent size but the two of us were pretty hungry, I guess.

Once we finish eating, we hit the dance floor. I am starting to relax and enjoy myself when the DJ gives way to the live band and a familiar song starts playing. I turn to face the stage and my stomach turns upside down. It’s him. It’s my ex, Callum, and his band. I stop dancing and stand still, staring at the stage. Tatyana notices my distress and hooks her arm around mine, leaning in close so I can hear her.

“I didn’t know they’d be playing here,” she apologizes, scanning my face to see if I’m okay. I nod my head. I know she wouldn’t have brought me here if she had known. “We can leave…” I hear her say. I wave her off and just try to enjoy the music. I’ve always thought they were pretty good. A few of their songs are still familiar to me and it seems like some people in the crowd know them too. Tatyana smiles and gestures for her boyfriend and friends to join us on the dance floor, to distract me as I try to relax.

A couple of songs go by and I’m having fun dancing with my friends. The band eventually takes a break and I decide to make my way over to the bar and ask for a Dr. Pepper. I pull myself up on the stool, facing away from the bar, and survey the room. Tatyana hops onto the seat next to me and leans into me again.

“Oh, hey, isn’t that your church friend over there? Kurt, right?” She points through the crowd to a group of guys a few years older than us, standing around and talking. I smile and nod.

“That is him. I haven’t seen him in a while. I wonder what he’s been up to recently. He’s a lawyer, you know.” I know I’m rambling but I’m nervous again. Nerves from the whole evening return and new ones appear at the thought of Kurt being here as well. I haven’t seen him since last Christmas when I went to visit my grandparents and of course, we went to church. After church, most of the families stayed around to sing Christmas carols. I smile at the memory.

“Oh is he? I did not know that.” Tatyana gives me a look. She knows I overshare when nervous. “He’s very cute. You should go say hi.” She nudges me in the ribs a little too hard but I just laugh.

“Maybe in a bit. He looks busy,” I say. I’m not a very social person and seeing him with all of his friends, I don’t really feel comfortable going up to him and saying hi.

“Okay,” Tatyana shrugs and orders another drink for herself and one for Mike. “I’m going to find Mike. You okay here on your own?” I nod and wave her off. She grabs the drinks and then wanders off to find Mike.

I’m sipping my drink when I feel a warm body slide onto the vacated stool next to me. I don’t feel like talking to anyone so I stay facing away from the bar watching the crowd, hoping whoever it is will catch my hint and leave me alone.

“Hey, sexy,” I hear a deep, scratchy, familiar voice. I sit up a little straighter but don’t turn to face him. I haven’t heard his voice in the 5 months since our breakup.

“Hello, Callum,” I say and try to keep my voice from wavering. So far, so good. I take a sip of my Dr. Pepper to try and appear calm. I can feel him smirking and I don’t try to pull away when a large hand rests on my thigh and turns me to face him. I’ve learned that any type of reaction just encourages him.

“Can’t get enough of me, can you?” His thumb is rubbing my legs and right now, I wish I hadn’t taken Tatyana’s advice. I wish I had stuck with wearing jeans. I can feel his hot sticky hand on my bare leg and his hand is slowly making its way up my thigh. Why is his hand so sticky? This is gross all around. I put my hand on top of his to stop its progress and get a quick scowl before the smirk returns and he regains his composure.

“No. I didn’t know your band would be playing here tonight.” I explain while I try to remain civil and polite. “Congratulations on the gig. Very cool that a new club hired you guys.”

“Yeah, well, you’ve heard us. We’re the best in town. Soon we’ll be famous. Right up there alongside Rolling Stones, Guns N’ Roses, those awesome bands.” Callum has never been one to be humble. I roll my eyes and take a sip from my soda, hoping the conversation will end and he’ll walk away. “So, wanna get out of here?”

“What? No!” I am appalled at his question.

“Oh come on, Juli. You miss me, we both know that. Let’s go back to my place.” Callum’s hand continues its movement up my leg and his other hand goes to the small of my back. He places his hand firmly, putting pressure on my back to try to make me get up to follow him. “You can show me just how much you missed me, love.”

“No,” I say firmly then knock his hand off my leg and push his arm away to get his hand off my back. His hand returns to my leg, firmly pressing into my thigh. It’s almost painful.

“And why not? Why are you rejecting me, gorgeous?” Again his hand continues its pathway up my leg and I start to panic. Callum was always pushy but this is going too far.

Before I can stop myself, words come tumbling out of my mouth. “Actually, I am here with my fiancé.”

His scowl immediately returns and he jerks his hand off my leg. “Oh, yeah? And who is this “fiancé” of yours?”

I can tell he doesn’t believe me, hell, I don’t believe me. But again, before I can think, I’m escalating the situation, my arm is raising and I am pointing across the room, directly at Kurt.

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