Page 108 of I Love My Mistake

NICOLE

Chapter Forty-Nine

The Next Night

Ilean in and stick a finger in his face, leaning toward him on the tan loveseat in the back of Bubble Lounge. “Jason, you had better be there!”

His sexy smile peeks out and he pretends to bite my finger, but I pull it back in time with a look of warning that he best be careful now. “Why you want me to be there if you’ve got a guy comin’ who’s got you all hung up?”

My head pushes to the left on my neck, eyebrows raised in annoyance. “Because you’re my friend? Hello!”

He laughs, his shoulders shaking for extra oomph. “Alright. Alright. I’ll be there.”

The bar is surprisingly quiet tonight, it being mid-week and relatively early. The sounds of conversation get sucked up by the cushy chairs and benches and the deep red, brick walls warm everyone’s skin to look inviting. It’s a perfect place to be chill and enjoy some good company.

Crossing my legs, I stick a finger in my martini and taste it on my skin. “Thank you for meeting me.”

“Nicole, if we’re not going to be doing it anymore, you gotta stop licking your fingers like that.”

I laugh, covering my smile with my hand in embarrassment. “Sorry. I wasn’t trying to be sexy.”

He shakes his head and looks around the room. “Man, that is just mean.”

“This better?” He looks over as I lift the glass and take a normal sip.

His full lips pucker and he cocks his jaw to the side. “Still sexy. Guess I’ll just have to deal with it, if we’re gonna be just friends.”

I really am grateful to him, and a smile warms my tummy. “You’ve been a really good booty call, Jason, you know that?”

He looks down, bites his bottom lip, and looks up at me from under his brows. “You too, baby. We had a good run.”

I put my glass down, looking at him openly. “We did.”

“So you love this guy, huh?”

I sigh, my eyelashes fluttering as my heart turns over in my chest. “God help me, I do.”

“I haven’t been in love since high school,” Jason mutters, looking over to the bar to avoid the intimacy of revealing such a thing.

“What was her name?”

His thoughts travel back in time as I watch his profile. “Maisha. Man, she was something. Broke my fuckin’ heart. She went to college and met some other dude.” He turns to look at me, changing the subject. “What’s your guy’s name?”

“Mark. And I broke his heart, too. So I don’t know what’s going to happen at the show. I really don’t.”

Jason’s eyebrows fly up. “You broke his heart already? Man, you work fast.”

I ball up a napkin and throw it at him as he laughs through a sip of his cognac, shoulders shaking with amusement. He finishes up the little bit that was left and licks his lips, sets the empty glass down with a thump of finality. I can see all the signs of an exit, and that’s fine. I want to go home and be alone tonight. My paintings were taken away today and everything that I could be doing for the show is being done for me. I’m feeling really anxious and excited, and more than a little scared. A new piece has been itching to be painted. I won’t bring it to the gallery. If I do my idea justice, I’m going to keep it at home, for just me.

“You leaving, Jason?”

“Yeah. But I’ll catch you at your show. I’ll be there. That’s a promise.” He stands and dusts off his pants.

I lean back with mock astonishment. “Hey – are you sticking me with the bill?”

He throws his shoulders up, arms bent at the elbow like what can I say? “You’re the one who asked me out. That means you pay.”

“Jason Washington! You are a crazy fool!”

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